About Me
Me investigating some Skullcap flowers in a local field.
I Got interested in wild plants and their uses in late 2008, it was this time I bought my first field guide on the subject. I spent a lot of time outside hiking, camping, hunting, rock collecting, and practicing outdoor skills before then. In Early 2009, I increased my knowledge by purchasing a couple more field guides and spending 10-12 hrs. a week identifying plants, taste testing them, understanding toxic look a likes in my area, and poisonous plants.
By 2010, I had started learning about the medicinal values of plants in my yard, and started non scientific harvesting experiments on some plants, to find out how to harvest with out killing them, figuring out what environments they grow in, how they reproduce, etc. In 2011, I was in for a huge surprise when I had a MRSA infection in my cheek. I utilized my knowledge of plants in my yard and kitchen cabinet to rid myself of the nasty infection. I was left with a profound gratitude of the gifts we are all given on this earth.
Over the course of the next year I would spend close to 20 hrs. a week in the woods, and me nibbling plants while hiking became so common, I actually quit taking snacks to the woods. OTC medicines became virtually absent in our house throughout this time. In the fall of 2012, financial hardship struck with a vengeance. Without a job and living at home, I went courageously forward into the unknown with the next phase of my life. I had started spending close to 40 hrs. a week in the woods finding and foraging food to try to feed 2 people. The pressure was on in ways I never imagined I would experience.
Needless to say; more often than not I came home with something to eat even though at times, it may have been minimal. We ate out of our yard, and were growing a garden, plus had plenty of dried beans and rice. We weren't starving, there was just enough money to pay bills, and not buy food or; buy food and not pay bills. In mid 2013 things were looking up financially, but we still wanted to eat wild foods. Nothing made us feel as good physically as when we ate wild foods. I decided to continue my education in mother nature, keeping up the approx. 40 Hrs. a week in the woods, travelling approx. 1,200 mi. in 2013 in the woods foraging, and experimenting. In 2014, I had traveled approx. 1,000 mi. in the woods and wild foods were making up a large portion of our diet throughout the warm months of the year.
In 2015 I started the Trillium: Wild Edibles YouTube channel and it has gained over three million views at this time with just over 200 videos and counting! The channel continues to be an important part of the way I teach this subject to make it available to all of those who are interested in learning about wild edibles or medicinal plants. The channel continues to grow rapidly with new videos every week! Each video is in depth, and are some of the most informative videos on the subject available online for free, and has gained interest in foraging groups, horticultural societies, and herbalists from around the world! Because of the channel I have been offered spots on international T.V. shows, worked with local Boy Scout Troops, and am invited to speak at the world's largest foraging event taking place in Helsinki, Finland known as Horta 2020! The event was postponed until 2021 due to Coronavirus Pandemic, however the event is expected to have over 6,000 participants with experts from around the world.
To this day I still spend more time in the woods and outdoors than would be considered normal. I still research and am still learning. Much like with life, it is a constant learning process and we all have something to learn from each other. No single person can know everything there is to know about any single plant, as many are yet to be fully studied by science. No one person can know every plant, and common names are plentiful and sometimes confusing. I tell you this so you are aware that I cannot identify every plant I see.
You won't find any degrees, or certifications because I have none. I am self taught and DO NOT claim to be an expert. Experience, time, research, and dedication have been my teacher.
Josh, Founder/Instructor; Trillium: Wild Edibles
By 2010, I had started learning about the medicinal values of plants in my yard, and started non scientific harvesting experiments on some plants, to find out how to harvest with out killing them, figuring out what environments they grow in, how they reproduce, etc. In 2011, I was in for a huge surprise when I had a MRSA infection in my cheek. I utilized my knowledge of plants in my yard and kitchen cabinet to rid myself of the nasty infection. I was left with a profound gratitude of the gifts we are all given on this earth.
Over the course of the next year I would spend close to 20 hrs. a week in the woods, and me nibbling plants while hiking became so common, I actually quit taking snacks to the woods. OTC medicines became virtually absent in our house throughout this time. In the fall of 2012, financial hardship struck with a vengeance. Without a job and living at home, I went courageously forward into the unknown with the next phase of my life. I had started spending close to 40 hrs. a week in the woods finding and foraging food to try to feed 2 people. The pressure was on in ways I never imagined I would experience.
Needless to say; more often than not I came home with something to eat even though at times, it may have been minimal. We ate out of our yard, and were growing a garden, plus had plenty of dried beans and rice. We weren't starving, there was just enough money to pay bills, and not buy food or; buy food and not pay bills. In mid 2013 things were looking up financially, but we still wanted to eat wild foods. Nothing made us feel as good physically as when we ate wild foods. I decided to continue my education in mother nature, keeping up the approx. 40 Hrs. a week in the woods, travelling approx. 1,200 mi. in 2013 in the woods foraging, and experimenting. In 2014, I had traveled approx. 1,000 mi. in the woods and wild foods were making up a large portion of our diet throughout the warm months of the year.
In 2015 I started the Trillium: Wild Edibles YouTube channel and it has gained over three million views at this time with just over 200 videos and counting! The channel continues to be an important part of the way I teach this subject to make it available to all of those who are interested in learning about wild edibles or medicinal plants. The channel continues to grow rapidly with new videos every week! Each video is in depth, and are some of the most informative videos on the subject available online for free, and has gained interest in foraging groups, horticultural societies, and herbalists from around the world! Because of the channel I have been offered spots on international T.V. shows, worked with local Boy Scout Troops, and am invited to speak at the world's largest foraging event taking place in Helsinki, Finland known as Horta 2020! The event was postponed until 2021 due to Coronavirus Pandemic, however the event is expected to have over 6,000 participants with experts from around the world.
To this day I still spend more time in the woods and outdoors than would be considered normal. I still research and am still learning. Much like with life, it is a constant learning process and we all have something to learn from each other. No single person can know everything there is to know about any single plant, as many are yet to be fully studied by science. No one person can know every plant, and common names are plentiful and sometimes confusing. I tell you this so you are aware that I cannot identify every plant I see.
You won't find any degrees, or certifications because I have none. I am self taught and DO NOT claim to be an expert. Experience, time, research, and dedication have been my teacher.
Josh, Founder/Instructor; Trillium: Wild Edibles
All photos and videos belong to Trillium: Wild Edibles; sources are given where otherwise. No use without permission; citation required.