Prizes
First – Men’s Tee shirt with logo
or Women’s V neck shirt with logo
Second – 20 oz. Mug with logo
from Firehall Brewery
This is giftware and not an ad for a beer product
The winner: Kevin Tomlin
2nd Prize Jason Parker
Publisher: Ok its Balsam Root and yes the flowers are every where – usually flowering on the east hills to get the afternoon sun. Take Oliver Ranch Rd heading south – you come to large power lines and a pond below.
That is the spot where you can see the whole hillside of flowers.
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APPEARANCE
Balsamroot is a relative of the sunflower. Its leaves are coarse and arrow-shaped, and a single plant can have many yellow flowers.
RANGE & HABITAT
Balsamroot grows from B.C. and Alberta to California in plains and valleys and to elevations of 2,700 metres.
ANIMAL USES
Balsamroot is food for a variety of livestock, like sheep, cattle, horses and wildlife like mice and deer. It also acts as a cover for small mammals and birds, especially grouse.
TRADITIONAL FIRST NATIONS USES
This plant is, and was, used for numerous things because most of the plant is edible and high in fibre and energy content. The leaves were eaten, raw or cooked and the seeds were roasted or ground into flour. The roots contain an immune-stimulating substance and a sap used for disinfectant. The roots were often burned, using the smoke to cure headaches or fumigate rooms.
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