Related to the giant and old Oak tree in Oakland. There is also a truly massive 160 year old Magnolia tree tucked between the wings of the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. Current plans for the hospital site will require it's removal, much to the dismay of local dendrophiliacs. I'm not sure if it has been removed yet or not, but probably worth 2000 seconds of our time. Buried in this planning document are a few facts of note:
"The tree was planted in about 1860, prior to the establishment of the hospital. The diameter at breast height of the tree is approximately 70 inches and it is approximately 60 feet high, with a canopy of approximately 70 feet in diameter."
The illustrations, writing, and title of Pleasure Herbal reminded me of Stalking the Healthful Herb (1966), by Euell Gibbons, who was a minor celebrity in the 1960's and early 70's for his advocacy of a foragers diet and approaches to living close the the land as possible, appearing on the The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
My grandparents bought land in Oregon in 1960 and slowly, painfully eradicated poison oak from a central core around the house and orchard. In the process they suffered. My grandfather eventually seemed to become immune; my grandmother never did. In later decades after they grew to frail to maintain the land, the blackberry and poison oak have returned. Now my sister and I are struggling too once again force it back outside the fence line. It can dominate the forested part of the land, but we want our paths and garden plots back!
Related to the giant and old Oak tree in Oakland. There is also a truly massive 160 year old Magnolia tree tucked between the wings of the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. Current plans for the hospital site will require it's removal, much to the dismay of local dendrophiliacs. I'm not sure if it has been removed yet or not, but probably worth 2000 seconds of our time. Buried in this planning document are a few facts of note:
"The tree was planted in about 1860, prior to the establishment of the hospital. The diameter at breast height of the tree is approximately 70 inches and it is approximately 60 feet high, with a canopy of approximately 70 feet in diameter."
https://realestate.ucsf.edu/sites/g/files/tkssra6491/f/oak051846%20Final%20EIR%20C%26R%20only.pdf
The illustrations, writing, and title of Pleasure Herbal reminded me of Stalking the Healthful Herb (1966), by Euell Gibbons, who was a minor celebrity in the 1960's and early 70's for his advocacy of a foragers diet and approaches to living close the the land as possible, appearing on the The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
My grandparents bought land in Oregon in 1960 and slowly, painfully eradicated poison oak from a central core around the house and orchard. In the process they suffered. My grandfather eventually seemed to become immune; my grandmother never did. In later decades after they grew to frail to maintain the land, the blackberry and poison oak have returned. Now my sister and I are struggling too once again force it back outside the fence line. It can dominate the forested part of the land, but we want our paths and garden plots back!