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Foraging to Prepare for Winter
This is my favourite time of year. Autumn seems to be the season when so much of nature’s bounty is harvestable. It’s also the time when plants make their final push, before their sleep over the dark winter months. Their display of russets, reds, oranges, and golds make the country lanes a delight to wander. If you enjoy a country walk, picking berries as you go can make it even more satisfying. Try foraging some of what nature has grown over the summer to prepare for the winter.
The UK has a wonderful array of native plants that are perfectly suited to use in winter tonics. All of the plants described below are easy to find. Many can be found in America too. When prepared correctly, they can boost your immune system or fight off common winter ailments. Elderberries, rosehips, and haws are some of the plants I look to for keeping me and my family healthy through winter.
Elder
The Elder tree has a long, rich history in the British Isles. Long associated with witches, some folk tales proclaim the elder and witches are one and the same. The tree is not often found in hedges, for this very reason. However, you’ll find it in most parts of the UK, sitting quietly beside the hazel, minding its own business in woodland, or sitting solitary at the edge of a public footpath or bridleway.
