Something stirs before the ground is ready. This issue lives in that space — the restless intelligence of things waking up before it feels safe to.
Plant Ally of the Season: Banana
Banana is the plant ally of the summer issue — the largest herb on earth, a builder of what protects, and a plant so ordinary we stopped seeing her. A mini study, a practice, and a plant walk for wherever you live.
Banana Ice Cream
Four spotted bananas and nothing you don't already have. The ripe, sweet, moistening side of the season's plant ally — cooling medicine disguised as dessert, no machine required.
What the Peel Knows
Banana and plantain skins have been doing quiet work for a long time — in West African black soap, in Caribbean kitchens, in the hands of people who learned to use everything. A guide to making the powder and understanding what it carries.