Lost in the woods

Using local and abundant resins

Conifer resins are great for burning on their own or to add base and body to herbal incense blends. They are a great replacement for foreign resins like frankincense, myrrh, and benzoin. Working with resin, lifeblood of the trees, offers an energetic connection to these conifers and a deeper relationship with the forest.

Easier to find:

Spruce (Picea glauca)

Pine (Pinus strobus)

Fir (Abies balsamea)

More rare:

Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)

Tamarack (Larix laricina)

Juniper (Juniperus communis)

*Species relative to my area, yours may differ! Consult your local plant guides to find what is in your area*

What is resin: unlike sap, which carries water and nutrients throughout the tree, resins are not soluble in water and hardens with exposure to air. Resins are produced by tress to seal off wounds and protect the tree from insects and infection and are often exceptionally aromatic.

Refrence [x]

On harvesting: collect resin from freshly wind-felled or otherwise fallen trees with out worry. When harvesting from live trees it's important to note from the above that resins are produced seal a wounded tree, when harvesting it's important to keep in mind where this wound is and to not take resin from that area. Offer them honey and protective (anti-microbial) herbs or some personal energy when taking resin. Luckily trees over produce and make massive globs of resin drips, which is what your looking to harvest. I recommend using an old butter knife and a waxed cup to collect your resin (in true Vermont spirit I use a Ben and Jerry’s pint) but you could also use a glass vessel (like mason jar). Without going into the bark of the tree, gently scrape off resin and collect in your container. Sometimes resin globs will have a small layer of bark over them: scrape this off with your knife to revel the resin underneith. Note some resins are more sticky while others are harder (species, age, temperature all play a role). Use isoproply alcohol to clean your tools and hands... 90% ... it’s the only thing that will work.

*make sure you have permission to harvest where ever you are doing so: I sometimes forget not everyone has 17 acres of woods in their back yard*

I treasure resins for their aromatic properties and as a sacred connection to the forest. But they have multiple properties and uses:

Burn resin over hot charcoal by itself or in a blend

Freeze resin, then powder with an electric grinder, mix with other herbs and binders to make cone or stick incense

Dissolve in high proof ethanol (consumable alcohol) to make a tincture.

Infuse into a favorite carrier oil such as olive or sweet almond. Oils can be used as stand-alone products or made into slaves, soaps, etc.

I mostly work with Spruce resin, as it is most abundant around me and relatively easily to work with. I've just started dabbling with the much more sticky Balsam Fir. My neighbor has way more white pine than we do so I have to take walk over there one of these days to see if any of them have any good globs to work with. The others I have not found. If you have any experience working with your local resins I would love to hear.