TV Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Growing Wild Mushrooms At Home

Jeremiah Stevens takes mushroom hunting to a new level. When he finds edible or medicinal mycelium growth, he takes samples home to his lab in Wheeling, WV. Once clean and in a nutrient-rich agar, he makes clones. Finding different genetics, he builds up the varieties.

Stevens’ sterile growing environment enables him to cultivate a nice mess of wild-sourced mushrooms.

Jeremiah Stevens prepares to take a sample of an oyster mushroom.

“After the first original tissue sample is transferred to nutrient rich agar, and one or two transfers after to clean it up, you can continue cloning from the repeated new fruiting bodies that appear as you grow out the species,” he said. “The mycelium from the first few transfers can be extended to a number of new petri dishes.”

The oyster mushroom tends to do exceptionally well as it is forgiving when it comes to coping with possible contamination.

A oyster mushroom sample grows in a petri dish.

Today Stevens sells his goods as Ohio Valley Mushrooms. Besides the the fruiting body he also offers a range of grow kits and cultures for folks to try to grow their own wild mushrooms at home.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Growing Wild Mushrooms

You can check him out here https://www.ohiovalleymushrooms.com/

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Jewelweed aka Spotted Touch Me Not

If you find the spotted yellow and orange-blooming jewelweed while out hiking next to a river, grab a sprig and submerge in water. You’ll find out why it’s called jewelweed. Its seed pods also explode when poked—which is always fun and why it’s sometimes called Spotted touch-me-not (and why its
botanical name is Impatiens capensis). The tiny propelled pellets taste like walnuts if you can gather enough to taste. They’re the only raw-edible part of the plant. But certainly not the only perk jewelweed packs. Jewelweed is always found growing near its famous stinging nemesis: nettle. Crushed stock of jewelweed is the magic antidote to burning sensations that come with surprise encounters with stinging nettle. Indigenous Americans were also known to use the same remedy to relieve the itch from oozing poison ivy blisters. Just to be clear, jewelweed will not cure a poison ivy rash. Some studies have found that rubbing Jewelweed juices on freshly ivy-exposed areas will prevent blisters… but soap and water probably work better.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – JEWELWEED

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN — How To Make Motherwort Tincture

Motherwort’s name is derived from the plant's abilities to make a positive impact on women’s health.

Motherwort’s name is derived from the plant’s abilities to make a positive impact on women’s health. This plant is mostly known for the way it reduces stress and anxiety, but it is also used for hot flashes, anxiety associated with menopause and menstrual pain. People used to think it protected against evil spirits in 15th century Europe, probably because of its ability to reduce stress. Motherwort also is said to benefit the heart at an emotional level and could be the reasoning behind its scientific name, Leonurus cardiaca, which means “lion heart.” Motherwort does contain toxins that can cause photosensitivity if ingested. The plant is usually only used as a tea or a tincture, and it is preferable to make these medicinal extracts from fresh tops as opposed to dry leaves.

Motherwort plant tops should be picked when the flowers are in bloom.

Tinctures are the preferred method as the tea is bitter. Suggested dosage of Motherwort herb tincture is 2 to 4 ml, three times a day. Though, some herbalists prescribe it as needed.

Motherwort should not be taken if you are pregnant.

This plant is a medicinal, and like all wild-crafted medicine, you should consult an herbalist, a doctor or do the proper research to decide if the herb is safe and right for you.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – How To Make Motherwort Tincture

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

Edible Mountain — How To Eat Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle is growing in popularity with many uses and recipes.

Stinging Nettle is growing in popularity with many uses and recipes. Stinging nettle can be used to make pesto or as an ingredient in smoothies. Use caution when harvesting Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle). There’s a cocktail of chemicals found in the needle-like hairs on its stem which pack a pretty good punch when touched. If one wants to enjoy eating this nutritional and wild plant there are couple of ways to neutralize the sting.

Chuck Kleine

Stinging Nettle has long thin hairs that contain formic acid.

Have a look at this Edible Mountain episode.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN How To Eat Stinging Nettle

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

Edible Mountain – Four Plants In Appalachia You May Not Want To Touch

Everyone knows not to touch poison ivy, but there are several other plants in Appalachia that one should also avoid around these parts. Warning: Some of these plants can be deadly. Here are four plants that you may or may not want to touch in Appalachia.

Edible Mountain Four Plants In Appalachia You May Not Want To Touch

1. Cow Parsnip – There is an old folklore that only a silver nail in its root can kill Cow Parsnip. The chemical in its sap is called Furanocoumarins and is phototoxic, causing nasty blisters if it gets on your skin and then is exposed to sunlight. Despite this, the shoots, flowers, leaves and seeds are edible and have a strong flavor. Wearing glove is highly recommended if you need to handle Cow Parsnip.

2. Stinging Nettle – This common Appalachia plant has long, thin hairs that contain formic acid. It will sting if you brush up against it. Some people use the sting to help with arthritis. Stinging Nettle is edible when cooked or dried, which removes the stinging acid. It’s rich in vitamins.

3. Wild Parsnip – Like Cow Parsnip, Wild Parsnip contains Furanocoumarins, and can cause nasty burns that last up to 30 days. If you get the sap in your eyes, it may cause blindness. The root is edible, but the rest of the plant is poisonous. If you do come in contact with Wild Parsnip, cover that part of your skin from the sun until you can wash it.

4. Poison Hemlock – As the name suggests, you really don’t want to touch Poison Hemlock. Ingesting even a small amount of the leaves can kill you. It can also cause a skin rash if you even touch it. The toxic alkaloids in it are deadly to livestock as well. Poison Hemlock is all over Appalachia and looks a lot like Queen Anne’s Lace.

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

Watch 'Rosemary: A Community Activist Fighting For The Friendly City'

Watch ‘Rosemary’, a new documentary from WVPB that follows the campaign of Rosemary Ketchum, the first openly transgender person elected to public office in West Virginia.

With the pandemic as the backdrop, the film follows Rosemary Ketchum’s campaign and election to Wheeling’s City Council in June, 2020.

Watch here in your browser or using the PBS App on your TV on mobile device. Download for free now!

Rosemary Premieres Monday, October 26, 2020 at 9 PM on WVPB TV.

Encore Presentations: Wednesday, October 28, 08:00 pm on The West Virginia Channel, and Thursday, October 29, 10:30 pm on WVPB.

Rosemary Ketchum on the hill in Wheeling, West Virginia

Ketchum, elected June 9 to Wheeling City Council, defines herself simply as a determined community activist and human rights advocate.

“Realizing that I could be defined solely by my gender identity was uncomfortable when this campaign started,” Ketchum said.

“For years I’ve been working throughout the state of West Virginia, advocating for issues like racial justice, criminal justice, poverty, mental health and LGBTQ equality, all issues that matter greatly to me as well as the people of Wheeling.”

West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s cameras follow Ketchum pre-COVID 19, on a series of community projects and events, capturing her energy and optimism for making things better in her adopted city.

Rosemary is a film produced by Corey Knollinger and Chuck Kleine. Both are residents of Wheeling and found Ketchum’s long-demonstrated drive to better the lives of the city’s most vulnerable to be inspiring.

“If every community had 10 Rosemarys, the world would be a much better place,” Kleine said, who with Knollinger captured Ketchum’s work as a community activist and her journey on the campaign trail, including the exuberance and elation of an election win, and the emotion of taking the oath of office.

Rosemary: Full Program

Visit the Rosemary homepage for more info.