Education & Research
In-depth explorations into the history, science, and culture of Plains Native plant knowledge.
Indigenous Foodways
The deep history of hunting, gathering, and managing the plains landscape for nutrition.
Berries and Fruits of the Prairie: The Sky's Sweetness
An exploration of the vital role that wild berries and fruits played in the nutrition, preservation, and culture of Plains Native peoples.
Read Article →The Foundations of Indigenous Foodways
An exploration of the systemic approach to food security and seasonal migration in traditional Plains Native culture.
Read Article →Roots of Resilience: The Starch Economy
Explore the hidden calorie engine of the Great Plains—the deep-rooted tubers and bulbs that provided the stability for nomadic life and the foundation of Plains Native nutrition.
Read Article →The Sovereignty of the Plate: Traditional Food Systems
More than just survival, the food systems of the Plains were a masterclass in portable nutrition, long-term preservation, and the concentrated energy of the Bison.
Read Article →The Sweet and the Bitter: Berries, Sugars, and Tonics
From the concentrated antioxidants of the Chokecherry to the springtime liver tonics, explore the sophisticated nutritional balance of the Great Plains.
Read Article →Traditional Root Harvesting: The Prairie's Underground Stores
A detailed study of the harvesting, processing, and storage of essential root crops like the Prairie Turnip and Bitterroot.
Read Article →Methods & Preparation
Traditional techniques for drying, grinding, steeping, and preserving plant resources.
Field Notes: The Ethics of Documentation
Why recording our observations of the plant world is a vital part of the harvest, and how to do it with respect and accuracy.
Read Article →Infusions & Decoctions: Extracting the Spirit
A guide to the liquid extraction methods used by Plains Native practitioners to release the medicinal and nutritional properties of wild plants.
Read Article →Smoking & Smudging: The Botany of Air
Exploring the ceremonial and medicinal use of plant-derived smoke among the Plains Native peoples.
Read Article →Storage & Caches: Defeating Time
How Plains families engineered long-term storage systems to protect their botanical treasures from moisture, pests, and time.
Read Article →The Art of Drying: Preservation for the Long Winter
A comprehensive guide to the traditional methods of air-drying and wind-curing plants for food and medicine on the Great Plains.
Read Article →Traditional Poultices: Topical Healing
Understanding the application of crushed plant matter directly to the skin for treating wounds, inflammation, and infections.
Read Article →Native Materials
Functional uses of plants for fiber, dyes, basketry, fuel, and shelter.
Basketry of the Willow: The Architecture of the Weave
A comprehensive exploration of the material science, weaving techniques, and structural engineering of Plains Native basketry.
Read Article →Dyes of the Prairie: The Chemistry of Color
From the deep reds of Sumac to the golden ambers of Rabbitbrush, explore the sophisticated botanical chemistry used by Plains nations to color their world.
Read Article →Fiber: The Cordage of the Plains
A deep dive into the botanical engineering of cordage, from the high-tensile strength of Indian Hemp to the intricate processing of Stinging Nettle.
Read Article →Fuel of the Prairie: The Botany of Heat and Light
From the high-BTU Bur Oak to the 'compressed solar power' of the buffalo chip, explore the science and ethics of the Plains Native hearth.
Read Article →Shelter of the Plains: The Botany of the Lodge
A deep dive into the structural engineering of the Great Plains, from the massive cottonwood timbers of the earth lodge to the nomadic frame of the tipi.
Read Article →Tools & Glue: The Botany of the Hardware Store
From the thermosetting resins of the Pine to the shock-resistant handles of the Chokecherry, explore the botanical engineering of traditional Plains tools.
Read Article →Ethics & Stewardship
The philosophy of respect, reciprocity, and safe practice in traditional gathering.
The Ethics of the Harvest: Beyond Foraging
A profound exploration of the reciprocal relationship between humans and the plant world, moving from a model of extraction to one of kinship and stewardship.
Read Article →Respect: Indigenous Data Sovereignty
Who owns the knowledge of the prairie? An exploration of the rights, responsibilities, and protocols of traditional ethnobotanical data in the digital age.
Read Article →Safety: Botanical Identification and Toxicity
A survivalist's and ethnobotanist's guide to the scientific discipline of identification, where accuracy is the only bridge between a life-saving medicine and a lethal mistake.
Read Article →Seasonal Practice: Living with the Cycles
Ethnobotany is the art of perfect timing. Learn how the Plains Native world synchronized its biological, cultural, and spiritual rhythms with the pulse of the prairie.
Read Article →Sources: Navigating the Ethnobotanical Record
How to interpret the layered history of the Great Plains, from 19th-century salvage anthropology to modern community-led botanical research.
Read Article →Tradition: The Passing of the Story
Ethnobotany is not just a study of plants; it is a study of memory. Explore the vital role of the oral tradition and intergenerational transmission in the survival of the Plains Native world.
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