This is just some simple experimenting, still feeling my way around. I figure, if the AMA and FDA can manage to do so well keeping themselves propped up as though they are legitimate organizations while putting many a good white rats to death and torture in the process, it's the least I can do ;) The photos were taken yesterday of the first sample shoot pulled up.....anxious to see if new shoots appear where this one used to be and if so, how soon? After scraping away some of the surface soil, the root of this shoot came out of the ground pretty easily. Note that I eradicated a shoot of poison ivy from this area several weeks ago. I chose this one shoot because it was among the few that did not appear to be growing practically right out of the old wood at the circumferance of the stump of a sawed off tree. The stump is not small, it's about 2 feet across in diameter at the top. Note this particular piece of Sassafras root itself seems to have a small stump on it, probably where another main stem had been growing until it got damaged somehow and broke off.

This small family of Sassfras shoots, minus the one now in my kitchen, are growing near this sawed off tree stump. That old tree was sawed off about 6 feet above ground. By the appearance and dryness of the stump, I'm guessing it was cut down several years ago. No doubt by most standards that original tree is long dead and gone, but it's almost like these young shoots of Sassafras are trying to carry on the spirit of the former tree.... who knows?. I suppose if I really wanted to promote a conspiracy theory I could suggest the parent Sassafras tree conspired to have the stump tree bumped off to make room for it's babies......such shoots are known by some as a Scion.... pronounced Sion :) From my estimate many of the still growing shoots are so well nestled into that old stump that it will require some stump surgery to free them up. This is beyond the present scope of experimenting. Even if I tried I could end up damaging something else still growing, including myself, so for now I leave this alone.

Now the trick is to get as much benefit as possible from this fresh sample. This is really where the better part of the experiment is since I otherwise do not know alot about what I'm doing. I do know that I want to figure out how to not waste any of the good parts. From what I've read, there seems to be a lot of opinions out there as to what parts make up useable parts. Most seem to be in agreement that the really concentrated ingredients are in the root. Some also say the pith is a useable part but I'm not sure what/where the pith is. Later I'll try scraping away the outer bark of this root to expose the insides of the root. I've noticed even with the outer bark still in place this root is quite fragrant. But what about the other sections, like the main stem of the shrub, that has a bright green outer bark but is not part of the root? Some say this other bark has some useful properties too. There is an entire cullinary industry that makes use out of the leaves. For you Cajun folks, the leaves are dried and ground into what's known as File powder (feelay), a gumbo thickening agent. One web site says the fresh leaves can be brewed into a weak Sassafras tea. I tried this, the result did not taste anything like Sassafras tea, but I drank some of it anyway..... am waiting to see if I turn into a white rat......still feeling my way around. It's during times like these I can understand why some experimenters in the past valued the use of a side-kick and assistant......so there's somebody around who knows what happened or went wrong and can subsequently explain to the authorities or next of kin as needed.