For untold thousands of years, human beings have thrived on the nutritional and medicinal wealth of the plant life in the natural world. In these fascinating, wide-ranging, wonderfully informative stories, Tom Brown-director of the world-famous Tracking, Nature, and Wilderness Survival School-tells all about the uncommon benefits of the common trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plants we find all around us. This indispensible guide includes information on:• How to use every part of the plant-leaves, flowers, bark, bulbs, and roots• Where to find useful plants, and the best time of the year and stages of growth to harvest them• How to prepare delicious food dishes, soups, breads and teas from the riches of the great outdoors• An incredible range of experience-proven medicinal uses to treat headaches, burns, digestive disorders, skin problems, and a host of other maladiesTOM BROWN'S FIELD GUIDES: America's most popular nature reference books, Tom Brown's bestselling field guides are specially designed for both beginners and experienced explorers. Fully illustrated and comprehensive, each volume includes practical information, time-tested nature skills, and exciting new ways to rediscover the earth around us.

Introduction