October 6, 2025
In the fall, my son and I make goldenrod honey. We collect wild goldenrod at the edge of the forest and steep it in local honey, making a syrup that helps soothe sore throats and colds. When my father first saw the jars of flowery honey set up in my kitchen, he told me goldenrod is an astringent. That’s how I learned that not only does my family come from a long line of farmers, we come from foragers, too. My grandparents on both sides supplemented their families’ food by hunting mushrooms and picking berries, and my grandfather, a combat medic in World War II, collected medicinal plants.
In this issue of Justice This Week we’re thinking about tradition, from institutions that helped shape our country that may be in danger now to new ways of caring for our elders. How can we keep our homes and our jobs? How can we be responsive and ready for change while still holding onto and preserving history?
What lasts, what needs to change, and how can we fight to go on?
Dr. Alison Stine
Climate Justice, Senior Editor
