05/05/2020
I hope that this finds you well. I was full of good intentions to send this out over the weekend but time seems to be doing something strange in lockdown.
The weekend heralded Beltane - usually the wells in Malvern are decorated and the energy is one of celebration: for the the abundance of nature and the unity of male and female in the world.
The kids and I decided to challenge ourselves to forage and eat as much wild food as possible and what a day we had.
We started with lemon balm tea and dandelion and sunflower seed pancakes while listening to a Beltane morning concert by the fabulous Carolyn Hillyer and Nigel Shaw (find it on youtube).
They spoke a lot of community and the way that we are making connections across the spaces between us.
Lemon balm is the herbal hug plant - something to soothe and calm when things feel difficult. In a time when actual hugs are sometimes a little far and few between, this can offer a feeling of comfort. Known as a plant which breaks fever, as well as being an antidepressant and antiviral, it might be useful at the moment. It also tastes delicious - fragrant and fresh. It calms the nerves and can be very uplifting.
We thought more about community as we went out for our walk. My son came up with the idea that an ancient woodland (that we're lucky enough to have near our house) is like a complex, well established community with many interactions between the different plants. Also that this community was essential to nurture some of the plants that would not survive in newer habitats. We could see this clearly when we looked at the orchard with its rows of identical species and weed-killed corridors where only hardy plantain, grasses and dandelion can grow.
In the woods, we found lemony sorrel, the leaves like three hearts joined together and hawthorn as well as nettles, wild garlic and countless medicinal plants.
A few hawthorn leaves are delicious in a salad and it is also heart medicine, encouraging a feeling of connection. Physically, it is an adaptogen which means it regulates the heart rather than stimulating or calming. Later in the year, the berries are used for tinctures or tea and also great ketchup.
Dinner was chickpea burgers with wild garlic; salad with hawthorn, jack by the hedge, and sorrel; and barley with mint, parsley and fennel from the garden. It was hard not to feel grateful.
Even my dandelion champagne worked and I am insisting that the beneficial antioxidant effects of the dandelion flowers have offset the sugar. Dandelion leaves could have gone into the salad but are quite bitter. If we had been brave, we would have benefited from their liver cleansing, blood purifying, digestive, antiviral properties.
Happy Beltane, happy foraging and happy early Summer!
