This week’s healing herb addition to your box is fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). But this is not the fennel you may be used to seeing at the grocery store, this is a ‘bitter’ fennel who’s dill-like leaves and seeds are traditionally used as a medicine. 

Herbalists often use bitter fennel as a warming herb to support the digestive system and to relax muscles to alleviate cramping, gas and bloating. You can make a simple tea, or you can incorporate it into your dishes so that your food becomes your medicine.

Fennel has a flavour very similar to licorice due to the essential oils that are present, and its seeds can be added as a flavouring to beverages, baking, condiments or simply chewed on their own. The finely chopped fresh leaves are a lovely addition to salads, root vegetable dishes, vinaigrettes, marinades, soups, herbal butters, and sauces

 The world of fennel and using this food as a medicine is yours to explore and build your own relationship with, and we have provided you with a recipe to get you started. Enjoy the process of discovery and good luck with your creations!

By: Angelica Fisher, Intern with OUR Ecovillage, Instagram: @angel_fish254

Please sign up to receive info about permaculture resources, courses and OUR community news.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER Sign me up

Land acknowledgment

OUR ECOVILLAGE is situated on unceded Indigenous lands. The Coast Salish Peoples are the guardians of these lands and waters where we live, work, pray, and play. Quw’utsun (Cowichan) is a historical place of gathering and Na’tsa’ maht Shqwaluwun/”one-heart one-mind” for many Indigenous peoples.

OUR ECOVILLAGE is committed to regenerate land and all ecosystems while acknowledging and respecting Indigenous knowledge that ensures thriving for all beings; we call this Permaculture.

OUR ECOVILLAGE is dedicated to continuously educating ourselves and our communities about the history and peoples of OUR bio-region, to assist in decolonization and re-villaging as a path towards peacemaking, from local to global.