Ila Bonczek
Ila has a Bachelor's degree from from Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Science. She lives in the Garden State, where she has been growing produce and perennials for 25 years.
Join Ila in the exploration of exciting topics like sustainable living, holistic health, and the cultivation of not just plants, but mind and body as well.
The Enchanted Elder: Folklore, Medicine and Cultivation of Elderberry
Elderberry is one of man’s earliest medicinals, with records showing evidence of cultivation as early as the stone ages. Throughout recorded history, a variety of cultures have harnessed the plant’s many assets for use in...
Natural Solutions for 9 Stubborn Stains
It seems incredible how many different ways one can ruin a piece of clothing. Aside from physical wear and tear, our garments face daily threats of stubborn stains in the home, office, and outdoors —...
Strange Gelatinous Blobs on the Beach? Those Would Be Salps
If you’re lucky enough to have been to the shore lately, you may have encountered some — or even a multitude — of odd gelatinous globs on the beach. At first glance they might appear...
6 Reasons You Attract Mosquitoes and What to Do About It
Do you attract more than your fair share of mosquitoes? Your mosquito magnetism is not a figment of your imagination. For a variety of reasons, some people are naturally more attractive to these tiny vampires....
Transcending Pain: Understand, Accept, and Become Comfortable With Discomfort
As humans, we have both a natural and a learned aversion to pain. Be it physical or emotional, we go out of our way to avoid pain. Yet if we try to understand pain and...
Storing Food: 7 Traditional Methods for Preserving a Variety of Foods
Should you be storing food? If you’ve noticed your favorite grocery items being out of stock for weeks on end, you have every right to be concerned. This trend is likely to continue and may...
Eating Seasonally: 7 Summer Salads That Will Knock Your Socks Off
Eating seasonally not only improves your chances of getting high-quality, fresh produce, it can also save you money. Perhaps more importantly, eating seasonally helps keep your body in harmony with your environment. The traditional Hindu...
Healing Traditions: All-purpose Summer Salve Recipe
No matter how careful we are, most of us manage to damage ourselves here and there, now and then. For these occasions, I will share a recipe for a fabulous summer salve that promotes healing...
Traditional Ways to Beat the Heat
As the dog days of summer descend upon us, we are lucky to have the option to seek refuge in air conditioned spaces; but how did our ancestors beat the heat? With looming threats of...
Survival Tips for Serious Gardeners: Poison Ivy, Ticks and More
Gardening is a great way to get in touch with nature, grow amazing produce, beautify your neighborhood, and attract wildlife; but even the most benevolent activities come with pitfalls. While there are elements of the...
History Reveals an Ancient Digital Device Stored in the Pocket: The Human Hand
While the human hand is the obvious tool of choice for an astounding number of physical tasks, it was once commonly used as a mnemonic device. Historical records demonstrate the utility of our five fingers...
Spix’s Macaw (Rare Blue Parrot) Experiment: Be Free, and Multiply!
The Spix’s macaw, with fewer than 200 living members — all in captivity — may be the world’s rarest bird. Due to poaching and habitat destruction, Spix’s macaw is on the verge of extinction. Despite...