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Living many years in Italy, I have grown to appreciate the many virtues of wild herbs.

I recall many walks in the country-side when my grandma used to talk to me about herbs and their many uses. She used to bend over and pick a few she would later use for cooking or she would dry them for future uses.

Recognizing useful herbs is vital, as there are many herbs that resemble others and some of these can be potentially poise nous. What could seem to be your life saver can actually kill you.

My grandma grew up in a cultural background where they were very prepared in recognizing good herbs from bad herbs. I have found that for myself it is very helpful to bring along a good book about botanics specializing in recognizing herbs.

Many herbs have proved to have many health benefits and natural remedies are expanding since regular medications can be costly, have in many cases proved more harmful than beneficial and may bring along many side effects.

You will be amazed of how many herbs have good medical qualities and how many of them are just within reach when you head for a walk. Here are some tips for you if you are planning to gather some herbal remedies or simple cook:

-Bring along a book, this is vital to help you sort out the good herbs from the bad. You also will learn many interesting facts you would otherwise have ignored.

-Many herbs are utilized in different ways, some may need to be dried to retrieve their fullest benefit others may need to be used fresh. In some herbs you will need to collect the roots while in others you may need leaves, flowers, seeds or fruits.

-Some herbs need careful handling as they may irritate your skin and may have thorns, it is therefore always best to wear gloves.

-You must also consider climate when you go searching for herbs. The ideal day would be sunny and dry. You want to stay away from rainy days. If it did rain wait at least 2-3 days so the ground will be dry. You want to also go later in the morning once the herbs are dry from the morning dew.

-Please pick up herbs sparingly, you must consider that some herbs are not much common so they need to have a chance of multiplying. This will also be a benefit for you since the next collection within a year will be more generous.

Herbs can have remarkable scents that will bring back good old memories. I still remember the wild scent of rosemary when my grandma used to add to her famous baked potatoes, or the intense smell of lavender which kept my clothes in my drawer freshly scented day after day for years.

My grandma has successfully passed on her passion for herbs to many people including myself.

Collecting herbs can become a great hobby, it will keep you outdoors and promote walking, you will learn about the many health benefits and appreciate having herbs in your favorite dishes but most of all, collecting herbs can make you enjoy the little simple things of life that we tend to leave behind..

Learn more about this author, Janet Farricelli.
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