Mark “Merriwether” Vorderbruggen, Ph.D. is a leading authority on edible and medicinal plants in Texas. He grew up in the wilds of Minnesota, where his parents and grandparents utilized the wild foods and medicinal plants found in local woods, fields, and lakes.After earning a master's degree in medicinal chemistry and a doctoral degree in physical organic chemistry, Mark worked as a petroleum chemist for 20 years. He focused on replacing traditional harmful chemicals with natural compounds, developing multiple patents to improve the industry standards.Now, Mark extolls nature's benefits in new ways. He teaches foraging classes and medicine making workshops across Texas, and has written multiple books on foraging as well. In this episode, we discussed Mark's introduction to foraging, his ability to balance science and mythology, and some of the sketchy things that he has eaten in the wild.. Visit https://www.foragingtexas.com/ and https://medicinemanplantco.com/ to learn more.