Hello all of my Wild Ones!
Welcoming September isn’t always easy; the change in seasons brings foggy mornings, cooler nights, damp shoes, and you might be experiencing the pangs of realising ‘I haven’t done all I wanted to do this Summer!’. But fear not; this month is so full of life, so full of beauty, so full of opportunity to connect with Nature. Let’s have a look at what’s in my foraging basket this month (alas, without an actual photo of my foraging basket, because I’ve forgotten to take one!) and see if I can inspire you to find something to be excited about outside.
But first - next weekend sees my Wild Hygge group returning to Berwick, after taking August off with my boys, and you are most welcome to join me. We gather at 2pm, light a campfire, sit in circle and I lead us in some seasonal activities. We also always share a foraged herbal tea and chat about what’s in season, what’s exciting us right now, maybe what’s hard, and generally inspire each other. Send me a message or an email to book your place.
September Foraging
What have I been harvesting and noticing as this season shifts?
Nettle seeds are still going strong; on dry days I’ve been gathering handfuls of these seeds and drying them on trays in the kitchen to store and use all winter. Their medicine helps balance energy levels and support the adrenal system, combatting fatigue and the afternoon slump. For more detail on this wonderful foragable supplement, upgrade to my paid membership and see last month’s special post and Nettle Seeds pdf download.
Blackberries are out in full force now! Everybody’s favourite foraging from childhood, the hedgerows and waste grounds are covered in spiny brambles, just dripping with available, free fruit! These berries contain loads of Vitamin C and are antioxidants, and a quick google-search reveals they also have high levels of manganese and Vitamin K. They are sweet and tasty little powerhouses for our health and including these wild fruits into our diet at this time of year is a great idea to boost our immune systems. I have 2 tips - always take a little bag or plastic tub out with you for a walk for spontaneous picking, and only pick in areas that aren’t heavily polluted. Right by very busy roads the plants will contain toxins as they battle the traffic pollution, so choose alleyways, quieter lanes, footpaths or the end of the garden to forage from.
Rosehips are coming along now, and there are many ripe enough to pick and cook with. Choose the darkest red ones and leave any orange-coloured hips on the plants to ripen further. I love to make Rosehip Syrup every year, or put them in a jam jar and cover them in half apple cider vinegar, half local honey to make a really lovely tart but sweet medicine, called an Oxymel, very high in Vitamin C and supportive of our systems for cold and flu season.
I’m also carefully watching the Elderberries and the Hawthorns, awaiting their fruits ripening. Many Elderberries are ripe enough to pick now, but near to me lots of them are still green so I’m waiting a little longer. I make them into Elderberry Syrup, Oxymel and Tinctures, and dry them for winter teas. Hawthorn berries I make into Tincture each year and also Ketchup! I’ll be sharing my recipes over the next 2 months for these foods and medicines through my Wild Revival Membership, so if you’re a free subscriber, consider upgrading to get access to longer posts about the plants above and my recipes and tips.
See you in the hedgerows!
Jo xxx
I wish I lived near you so we could forage together and I could attend your circle!
This post really captures a snapshot of Nature in September and it gives me all the feels.
Thank you for sharing this Jo 🍁
I’d better be quick to collect what I can before the farmer comes and flails the lot back.