Our Someone 2 Know was born, raised and educated in Reno. Evert Broderick has spent most of his life exploring the wild side of northern Nevada - especially its ability to nurture and heal us.

For the last 30 years he has shared his knowledge with others who are equally passionate about plants. Recently we joined him as he guided a small group on what is called a plant walk.

"We’re out in the field and just talking about plants, usually focusing on edible and medicinal plants."

Broderick leads plant walks like this in the Truckee Meadows about once a month, often these walks are coupled with what he calls wild-crafting.

"…and wild-crafting is where we go out into the field and harvest a plant or two and go back into the lab, per se."

The lab this weekend is classroom at Reno's River School Farm.

“We went out and harvested sagebrush leaves, out in the field, we've come back into the lab and we're making sagebrush steeped oil and salve." Salve is a topical ointment - this one, infused with the antimicrobial properties of Nevada’s abundant sagebrush.

Broderick says he became besotted with botany as a young hiker. "I had this foolish idea that backpacking, I'd be able - if I learned about edible plants - I'd be able to not have to carry so much, I could just eat on the trail."

He says he quickly learned that was a pipe dream, but his passion for plants was genuine.

“I started out with my interest in edible plants, and that kinda segued over into medical plants."

Evert says he decided to offer workshops himself when he had to travel out of town to find a class. "And the workshop was so poorly put together, I thought you, know I can do better than this,"

Taking Root Botanica, as Broderick's business is called, offers plant walks and workshops right in the Truckee Meadows, often along a nearby trail.

"Explore the bounty in your own backyard."

The fees cover the cost of instruction and supplies, plus participants go home with the treatment they create.. In this case - several tins full of sagebrush infused healing salve

“It turns out, we’re actually making a positive impact on a lot of people's lives, and that's been incredibly gratifying."

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Evert's next workshop in August will be on the popular and immunity-boosting elderberry. A link with details on Taking Root Botanica and prices for classes can be found below -

Taking Root Botanica website http://www.taking-root.com/

Taking Root Botanica Instagram https://www.instagram.com/takingrootbotanica/?hl=en