Edible weeds the focus for Whanganui workshop

Julia Sich says green smoothies containing edible weeds, along with western medicine, have contributed to her return to health.

Passionate weed-eater Julia Sich will share her knowledge, recipes and journey to health at a workshop in Whanganui on November 26.

After growing up in a gardening family, Ms Sich studied for a diploma of horticulture from Massey University. She then worked at Weleda in Havelock North where she grew the herbs that were turned into tinctures and medicinal remedies and teas.

Ms Sich had years of ill-health, including being diagnosed with the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) or low platelets, and had a brain bleed which required six months in hospital.

She attributes her current wellbeing to a combination of western medicine and edible weeds, leafy greens and fresh fruit turned into a rich green smoothie.

"I have realised that I wasn't getting nearly enough nutrition from my diet before the aneurysm happened," Ms Sich said.

"Discovering green weeds and how nutritious they are, then turning them into smoothies, has been life changing."

She says the benefits are increased amounts of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and fibre, which help boost the immune system, maintain the correct pH balance in the body and cleanse the inner organs.

Ms Sich is now based in Tauranga and runs workshops to teach people how to forage for, and identify, edible weeds.

Participants at the Whanganui workshop will discover the weeds growing at Mark Christensen's Heritage Food Crops Research Trust property in Springvale. They will learn what the weeds signify about the land, their nutritional and medicinal uses and cultural stories; go on a foraging walk; and turn the plants into smoothies.

The workshop will be held on Sunday, November 26, from 1pm to 4pm. To register or for more information, phone or txt Ms Sich on 027 430 8471 or email julia@juliasedibleweeds.com