Hawthorn Berry Season: Harvest, Prepare, and Use

By September, the hawthorn hedgerows that covered themselves in white blossom in May are heavy with clusters of deep red haws, the small round berries that are among the most medicinally significant wild fruits available to the forager in Northern Europe. The window...

Elderberry Season: Everything You Can Do With a Basket of Berries

The elder trees that covered themselves in white blossom in May are now, in September, hanging heavy with clusters of deep purple-black berries. This is one of the most rewarding moments in the foraging and herbal calendar: an abundant, accessible, well-distributed...

Root Harvesting Season: A Practical Guide

Root harvest is one of the most satisfying and most physically demanding parts of the herbalist’s year. The principle is straightforward: when a perennial plant has finished its above-ground season and is pulling its energy back down into the root for winter...

Valerian Root: The Autumn Harvest

Valerian root harvested in autumn from an established plant is one of the most medicinally concentrated materials you can bring into the home apothecary. The plant has spent the growing season building its root reserves, and by October, when the above-ground growth is...