Ethnobotany

[urbanfarmer]

Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants.

Ethnobotanists aim to document, describe and explain complex relationships between cultures and (uses of) plants: focusing, primarily, on how plants are used, managed and perceived across human societies (e.g. as foods; as medicines; in divination; in cosmetics; in dyeing; as textiles; in construction; as tools; as currency; as clothing; in literature; in rituals; and in social life.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnobotany


Dr. Daniel Moerman's Ethnobotany Database
The definitive catalog of Native American uses.
http://herb.umd.umich.edu/

[rfeiller]

school start? :D

[urbanfarmer]

LOL, I wish, but not yet. One of my pre-med buddies suggested I take this course a local university to supplement my MG training. He said it's very much what I am trying to get done. It's interesting stuff, and I think it might help a lot of people if I can bring that knowledge in a practical manner to the community. :D

I posted because I see folks floating around with an uncommon depth to their knowledge of the biology behind aquaponics, which leads me to believe they either pursued a higher education in the subject matter or have just learned a great deal on their own. Either way, perhaps someone will pop their head in this thread at some point in the future and shed some light. If not, once I take the course at the university, I will post more info.

[dufflight]

I think we(humans) don't utilize the relationship we have with plants that we should. A lot of the vegies we have now were breed that way for thousands of years. But once the majority had access to them we have not really pushed much further. Farmers buy seed every year when they should be saving seed grown on there own land, as plants adapt to the environment they are grown in. I never really understood why farmers kept re-setting there crops when I have friends that have plants that out perform the same type because they save the seeds that do the best for the conditions we have.

Timber has better characteristics than steel in different lengths and applications eg masts for large sail boats. But we don't grow trees for this. There is no breeding program to make timber better than what is found. I wonder how differently the world would look like if everyone was more in touch with whats growing around us.


Sounds like an interesting study. Hope you enjoy it.