「艾」在食農綠活時…
佳林國中 歐映青老師
新北市中學環教輔導團團員
緣起
同樣是入秋早晚微涼的開學時期，兩年前的我因緣際會開始在年年重複的生物課程中思考著食農教育該如何融入教學?如何結合運用學校的農場資源?如何將課堂的學習連結綠色生活的實踐?於是我開始帶著可愛的學生走出教室、實驗室，走向校園荒置的土地，親近土地，了解土地，也開啟了我與艾草的緣分。
發現校園有艾草是在整地的過程中，我和學生看到學校志工在除草時把教學農園桃樹附近的艾草拔除後並非棄置，而是整齊收好一把一把，準備帶走，那時我心生好奇，一問之下，才知道那是古人在每年五月五日端午節，與菖蒲共同掛在門上用來驅邪除災的艾草。所以我趕緊找學生幫忙將所剩無幾的幾棵艾草迅速移植到我在學校認養的田地上。幸運的是，艾草天生強健，繁殖力強，所以我現在擁有一片青青艾草田，可以源源不斷地提供我發想產出後續的各種食農應用以及發展綠色生活的實踐方式，也讓我得以與大家分享點點滴滴的經驗及心得。
| 收成艾草 |
學生移植艾草 |
艾草的飲食文化
艾草在中醫界稱為醫草，因為艾草具有溫經止血、散寒止痛、理氣血及逐寒濕的作用。明朝李時珍所著作的《本草綱目》記載著：「艾葉服之則走三陰而逐一切寒濕，轉肅殺之氣為融合：炙之則透諸經而治百種病邪。」「艾以葉入藥，性溫、味苦、無毒、純陽之性，通十二經」。藥理學界的研究也指出艾葉富含維生素A、B1、B2、C及微量元素等，能抗氧化，具保健肝膽的效用；根部則有鎮咳祛痰之效。艾草飲食有助血液循環及代謝，促進組織細胞活化再生等養生功能。所以當我發現原來艾草在傳統的醫學食療中竟有如此眾多的藥效，真是覺得如獲至寶。我認為在學校的家政課程中，老師就可以介紹以下幾種非常容易讓學生學習艾草的飲食料理及藥效，並規劃實作體驗的課程時間。:
一、艾草茶：將艾葉加水，大火煮滾轉小火15分鐘後熄火，飯前溫熱飲藥效佳，有助血液循環。
二、艾草果汁：艾草嫩葉、蘋果、柳丁切小塊打汁後再加蜂蜜即可，有助於去除斑紋、消疤及美膚。
三、艾草煎蛋：艾草川燙去苦味，待涼後切碎下鍋熱炒一下，再加蛋液小火烘熟，此料理有助於肌膚光澤緊實，通經活絡，促使氣血暢達。
若烹飪時間足夠，建議老師還可以帶學生進階嘗試做草仔粿來了解米食結合藥草的傳統民俗文化。對我而言，到九份必買必吃的不是芋圓而是草仔粿，因為那是一吃過就讓人非常難忘的好滋味。當時老闆娘就告知草仔粿是揉入艾草做的粿，清新芳香的滋味真是太好吃了!其實在客家人的飲食文化中，艾粄指的就是以艾草做成的草仔粿，農民會利用田溝邊天然生長的艾草加上糯米粉揉成麵糰包入紅蔥頭、蝦米、香菇、豬絞肉及蘿蔔絲炒香的餡料，就成了祭拜祖先及保健身體的好食材。
可惜，目前隨著台灣的土地不斷被開發，艾草生長的野生地也越來越少了。今年暑假我前往日本北陸旅遊，在日本的山林鄉野間，艾草可是長的很高大而且普遍呢!
所以，如果校園能種植艾草，那麼老師藉由艾草的實作料理，從基本的飲食保健開始介紹，可以讓學生重新認識接觸這歷史悠久的民俗藥用植物，還可以進一步讓學生認識不同族群的食農文化呢。
艾草的防疫與保健應用
一、防蚊
食農教育鼓勵師生利用校園閒置土地進行各項有機農事的體驗，然而在校園中的農事活動最容易讓師生畏懼困擾的就是蚊蟲叮咬的問題了。特別是登革熱疫情嚴重的時節，更是令人害怕，深怕自己不小心成為受害者。因此除了積極清除孳生源以外，自我防護避免蚊蟲的叮咬也是必要的準備。但是如果透過化學藥劑或殺蟲劑的使用，還是會造成環境的另一種汙染，對人也將造成呼吸道或皮膚等傷害。其實自古以來，每年夏季疫病時節，人們就會燃燒艾草來消毒環境，這是因為煙燻艾草會有大量揮發油產生，具有殺菌驅除蚊蟲功能。
所以在校園時，老師可以燒乾燥艾草來驅逐蚊蟲，讓學生了解運用大自然的芳香植物就可以達到防蚊的效果，以減少人工化學防蚊液的使用。但是，需注意的是，若要在室內煙燻艾草時，人須離開至煙氣消散再進入，以避免過量刺激皮膚及神經引發中毒現象，因此在家中，我都是將乾燥的艾草葉浸於鍋中小火水煮，那麼一段時間後即可享受滿室芳香淨化空氣的效果，既可以驅蚊蟲接著就可以享受藥浴了。
二、藥浴
由於艾草田生生不息，因此定期摘心、修剪及收成是必要的管理。通常我會將剪下來的大量枝葉曬乾後貯存於封口袋中。每當足部疲勞時，就可以將艾葉煮過的褐色液體加上冷水調成適合泡腳的水溫，進行艾草香足藥浴，達到殺菌除霉、去除腳臭並促進血液循環、安神助眠的紓壓效果，這其實是居家生活中很容易做到的養生保健。若不習慣喝艾草茶，艾草熬煮的水也可作為洗頭潤絲養髮用，頭皮屑多或癢、長疹子的人可以藉著艾草水來洗頭淨身，對皮膚的殺菌、消炎止癢具有一定的療效呢。
接下來，藥浴完畢的艾草水還可以用來澆灌其他栽種的植物，而大量的艾葉渣，又可以撒在盆栽作為園藝堆肥，是非常天然又減廢的環保作法。
艾草香足藥浴
艾草的校園生態地位
艾草在生物學上的分類地位屬於菊目菊科艾屬，學名Artemisia vulgaris L. var indica
Maxim，又稱灸草，為多年生草本，葉子羽狀分裂，背面有白絲絨毛，秋季開花，頭狀花序小而多，搓揉其葉片可聞得其清新醒腦的獨特香氣。
去年，我指導學生以栽種的艾草做為科展專題，研究結果發現在學校栽種的艾草與其它香草植物，都可以防治害蟲，但方式有所不同。例如芳香萬壽菊、九層塔、薄荷等會散發出特殊氣味讓蚊蟲不喜歡接近，屬於忌避植物。然而艾草除了是蚊蟲的忌避植物，我們還發現有些特定種類的蚜蟲(如艾草芽、蒿小長管蚜、桃蚜等)對艾草有趨性，會在艾草上棲息及繁殖，而大量的蚜蟲會吸引瓢蟲等肉食性昆蟲出現，所以艾草又可以做為一種天敵溫存植物(banker
plants)，也就是有益天敵繁殖的植物，而可應用在農場周邊蔬菜等農作物的害蟲防治方法。
從有機栽種的角度思考，把艾草種在其他蔬菜作物旁邊，農夫就可以吸引許多防治害蟲的天敵昆蟲，而減少對農地的用藥汙染，生產天然有機的農作物。此外，在校園種植艾草有助於生物多樣性，因為我們發現在艾草上活動棲息的生物種類很豐富，包括微蟹蛛、斜紋貓蛛、斯氏攀蜥及各種昆蟲等，其中又以昆蟲綱的鞘翅目及半翅目占最多，目前已確定的昆蟲物種名錄結果如表一。在綠建築的評估指標中，綠化量與生物多樣性是九大指標中的兩項，因此，種植艾草顯然也有助於學校校園發展對環境友善的永續經營，朝向更生態、節能、減廢、健康的綠建築目標。
學生以艾草做專題研究
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表一 棲息艾草上的昆蟲種類
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艾草上瓢蟲的幼蟲 |
艾草上的蚜蟲 |
結語
食農教育最重要的學習特色就是讓學生親身由農事栽種的體驗以及飲食料理的製作過程進而學習友善環境生態的方式，生產有助於健康生活的在地食材，朝向綠色生活的實踐。
農業不應該是自然保育的殺手，慣行農法所使用的化肥、除草劑、殺蟲劑等化學毒物，無法讓我們健康的「食」，不是友善的「農」，我們必須傳遞給學生「友善環境農法」的重要性，那才是對所有環境及生物(包括人)都健康的農業模式。
目前在各校都有食農教育的推動，有些學校發展種植水稻、小麥、大豆、蕎麥等雜糧作物或香草植物的農事體驗及飲食課程，也有很多學校種植各種季節性蔬菜，希望結合學生的營養午餐，力行減碳的食物里程。我想推薦大家在校園農場的作物周邊栽種艾草來作為天敵溫存植物，減少蔬菜及作物的病蟲害，而艾草除了綠美化、推行保健茶飲、結合米食或雜糧發展特色料理食譜之外，艾草的生態功能也有助於師生在校園農場進行自然觀察，進行科學專題研究。此外，艾草也可以製作天然的防蚊液、蚊香、堆肥或發酵營養液，實踐友善環境的生活生產模式。相信這些艾草的特色，有助於建立校園中的綠色廚房花園，讓我們一起努力吧。
Green Love
OU,YING-CHING of Jia Lin Junior High School Member of NTPCEE 張凱復譯CG
Introduction
I have been started cultivating mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L. var indica Maxim)
since early fall 2 years ago. At first, I was thinking how to integrate food and
agriculture education with biology courses and using the farm resources on
campus. I decided to take the students out of the classroom, laboratory to
wasteland in the school. Thus, the fate between mugwort and me began to
intertwine.
It was in the process of soil preparation when students and I found mugwort.
Those plants were piled up and erady to be taken away. Out of curiosity, I was
informed that the plants were mugwort, the ornaments hung on the front door to
drive the bad luck away during Dragon Boat Festival.
Urgently, we transplanted few remaining plants to the farm in charged by me on
campus. Fortunately, mugwort was very strong and of great reproductive capacity.
I now own a green mugwort field to supply my creative practical ways of green
life as well as food and agriculture education. Here are my reflections and
experiences regarding to mugwort planting.
Food Culture of Mugwort
In Chinese medicine, the plants are called as medical herb. The effects of the
plants were transcribed in the book, Herbal Foundation Compendium by Li Shi-Zhen
in Ming Dynasty. I was very surprised to find that mugwort has so many medical
effects. I would like to introduce several recipes as follows.
Mugwort tea:
Adding some leaves into water and boiling for 15 minutes, best having before
meals, good for blood circulation
Mugwort juice:
Juicing with green leaves, apples and oranges and some honey,effective for
wrinkles or scars removing
Mugwort fried eggs:
Cooking leaves to get rid of the bitterness and then frying leaf shreds with
eggs, good for skin and blood circulation
Moreover, we can make Caozaiguo (Chao-a-kuei), a traditional Taiwanese rice
cake, whose fillings are red onios, shrimps, mushrooms, ground pork and radish
strips. Its exterior is made from the mugwort.
It is a pity that suitable land for mugwort is getting less. During this summer
vacation, I traveld to Japan and found that mugwort was quite common to see
there. So, why not start to grow mugwort on campus and help students know this
plant of long lasting herbal medical effects and food culture.
________________________________________
Medical and Health Application of Mugwort
Mosquitoes Prevention
Food and Agriculture Education encourages teachers and students to make the best
use of wasteland on campus expriencing organic agriculture. However, the most
worrying problem is the mosquitoes. Especially during the denque fever seasons,
once unnoticed, people may be the victum. In addtion to eliminating breeding
sources, self-protection is necessary. But using chemical pestcides can not only
be harmful to our environment but also to our skins and respiratory tracts. In
fact, since ancient times, people have burned mugwort to clean the environment
for it produced oil which can repel mosquitoes while burning.
As a result, teachers can burn dry mugwort to drive those insects away. Students
can therefore understand these natural aromatic plants are
mosquistoe-repelling.One thing should be noticed is that, if the buring takes
place indoor, people should enter when there is no smoke in case of skin
irratation or neurotoxication. Actually, all you need is some dry leaves boiling
in a pot. And the air will be refreshing and clean.
Herb Bathing
Mugwort can grow very quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to prune regularly. I
often cut and dry the leaves in sealed bags. Whenever fatique takes place,
mugwort bathing is used to ease the uneasiness. And this is a very simple
treatment to do at home. If people are not used to mugwort tea, they can use the
mugwort water to shower or bathe which can be medical to some extent. Moreover,
the used water can water other plants. The residue can be made into compost
which is both natural as well as environment-friendly.
Mugwort on Campus
Our theme for science fair last year was mugwort. We found that the aromatic
plants like mugwort can be used to prevent insect pests in different ways.
Lemmon's Marigold, basil and mint can emit special fragrance to drive those
pests away which can be regarded as repellent plants. Mugwort, in addtion to
being repellent, is food for aphids. Aphids that live on the mugwort will
attract carnivorous insects such asladybugs. As a result, mugwort can be banker
palnts to be used as pest preventors on the farms. From organic cultivating, by
planting murwort by other vegetables can attract some insects to prey on those
pests, decrease the pollution of agriculture pestcides and produce organic
agriclulture foods. Also, mugwort is habitat for many kinds of animals.Planting
mugwort is obviously beneficial to schools
Conclusion
The most important element of food and agriculture eduaction is to let students
experience the ways in which foods are cultivated and the process of their
producing. Students can be environmentally-friendly even produce local food as a
practice of green life.
Agriculture should not be the murderer of nature preservation. We cannot live on
unhealthy foods grown with the help of chemical fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide
etc. This is not environmentally-friendly at all. We should make students aware
the importance of environmentally-friendly agriculture which is a healty
agriculture mode for both environment and living creatures. Food and agriculture
education is now promoting on campuses in New Taipei City. Some grow grains such
as rice, wheats, soy beans or buckwheats. Some grow seasonal vegetables to be
used in students’ lunch to reduce the food miles. I would like to recommend
mugwrt planting whose advantages were mentioned as above. Why not give it a try!
