A cup can be fashioned from a broad leaf such as found on a deciduous tree. After a rain or from early morning dew, you can find droplets of water on leaves that can be tilted onto your mouth for drinking. But having a cup handy will prove easier for collecting and drinking these water droplets. The same may be said for drawing water out of a low place. Basically, a leaf can be pinched on one side and then folded off to the back side. This single fold creates a cone shaped reservoir that holds the water. A big enough leaf might enable additional folds to create an even lipped rim or even a handle.

Next time that you’re out and about, stop by a tree, pluck a leaf, and give it a try. But one word of caution… remember… when selecting the foliage, “leaves of three – let it be”. Make sure to use a non-toxic leaf.

Plantain - Broadleaf Variety

Yesterday I spoke with a friend who was stung by a yellow jacket at about noon… she is highly allergic to stings and has had major swelling and potentially life threatening reactions in the past. Immediately after being stung, she picked some broadleaf plantain leaves from her yard and began chewing them without swallowing any. She made a poultice or mash in her mouth and deposited in her fingers, then placed it on the sting site for 10 minutes. When I looked at the sting site in the evening, there was no sign of it at all. – Thanks Kelly for submitting this tip – Check out my Edible page for more info on plantain.