A little Gathering of Wild things

 At this time of year, it gets very busy as a rule as I am often involved in preserving of different kinds and especially foraging.  There is wild food foraging and there is a gathering together of items for use in decorations and displays through the autumn months, Yule and Christmas.

Yesterday I made a gentle start on the gathering.  Each year I usually pick up a few Larch cones, which are small cones which are ideal for using in Christmas decorations and indeed parcel wrapping.  They are expensive to buy and therefore if you have some near you and are able to forage them, it works out a lot cheaper.  Today I was lucky to find some long twigs on the ground with both dried leaves which have gone a reddy colour and also a few cones on them.  I have therefore bought them home with me as I saw potential in using them in decorating the dressers for this autumn season, but they will not go to waste if I choose not to use them in this way; the twigs can always be used in other projects on their own without the cones and the leaves.

These are not the only branches I bought home, there are a few more to accompany these.  I intend to pick up some of the fallen Larch cones the next time I go for a walk.

We also found some conkers that had been shelled and left on the floor. I assume by young school lads as it is the season for conker swinging, and bruised knuckles.  I have always loved the colour of conkers their richness especially if you polish them up a little.  I thought that they could also be used in autumn decorations as well.

I need to get out into the hedgerows for more bits and bobs.  Would like to get hold of some acorns, some Teasel heads, Poppy seed heads, some more of the Larch cones, some fir Cones (they are brilliant for making Christmas tree decorations and also for burning on a proper fire.  I also need twigs from different species which can all be used in making seasonal decorations. These can also be used for decorating homemade crackers, or small brown bags also for present wrapping. You can use seeds and Star Anise and Cinnamon sticks too.  The twigs can of course also be used in kindling.  You are only limited by your imagination.

One thing I do every year is buy in fresh nuts for eating over the Christmas period.  If any are left over, I utilise them in Christmas decorations for the following year. I have some left over from last year and intend on using these with the rest of the bits and bobs I manage to locate.  There are a few leaves that I would wish to get hold of as well, dry them and use them for decorating homemade wrapping paper. I do have a large roll of brown paper in the house as it is so useful for wrapping anything and everything.

I would also like to go foraging for the last of the wild fruits such as crab apples, rosehips, sloes, rowan berries, sea buckthorn berries, spruce and fir branches and some nettle tops (there are new young leaves on them at the moment and they can be used for tea, drinks, beer, wine and cordial and also homemade pasta for drying).  I would also like to get hold of some haw berries for making Haw Sin sauce. 

At this time of year, I actually love foraging for mushrooms. In the past where I gather the wild stuff from, I have been able to get hold of medium sized puffball mushrooms which make remarkably good eating. Have not seen any for a couple of years though more's the pity as they are very good for drying as well. I am not confident in recognising mushrooms, the Puffball is relatively easy.  I may just start buying in some mushrooms to put some up for the winter months for use in stews, casseroles and soups, possibly from reductions.  I just wish I knew more about them for picking from the wild.

I also need to press quite a few Bay leaves, also for decorating items as well. That will start on a drier day this week.

I am intent this week also to get a few bowls of Oranges from the reduced section at the Veg shop if I can, in order to turn them into dehydrated orange slices. I am very much in the Lap of the Gods here as they cannot be guaranteed to be reduced and on the barrow.  If I can get hold of some of these, they in turn can be used in homemade garlands for autumn, to be used through Autumn, Yule and also for Christmas.  I am therefore starting with some small projects that build up and then collectively will go to specific items, a little bit at a time. The same with Lemons and also with red and green apples with their skins on. 

Similarly, I am also after some small branch, cut circles/slivers of wood that can be used as parcel tags or indeed if wood burning is used turned into mats or wreaths. Silver Birch bark is also good for decorating items with as well You can cut stars or different shapes out of it and use to adorn ornaments or Wreaths. The creative side is trying to escape big time at the moment, but things like this need preparing for and gradually building up bit by bit.

Cow Parsley Heads look particularly attractive when all the flowers are gone, and you are just left with the Skeleton framework.  They can be painted either gold or white and then put under Cloches to form a seasonal sculptural decoration.

I also have a vine outside the back door, and I am hoping to use some of the trimmings from the vine when it is cut back to make my own wreaths for both wall or door or gate or table decorations/candle rings.  Anything attained will be a bonus and it will just be a matter of me weaving them.

I also will try and do a couple of hanging baskets for outside the back door with Ivy in.  It can look quite sculptural also and adds a bit of greenery and interest.

I am keen to get as much as I can done on the decoration front as well as on the preserving front. There is an awful lot to do, and I want more natural decorations this year - using what I already have but more natural. Part of the crafting of this sort of thing for me is taking part in the season's preparations and being part of something bigger.  Especially if there are young children in the house that you can involve.  Their enthusiasm is contagious.

Lots of foraging still to do though; I think I must be an inveterate Squirrel as I seem to be just as bad at rootling around when I go to the seaside or the beach, or in a forest.  Always looking for something eat or use wherever I am.  I am planning on going on a dedicated forage later in the week.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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