Samhain Treats: Rowan Berry Honey Caramels

A RUSSIAN CELEBRATION W/ ROWAN BERRY JELLY

Sassafras: Beauty and Utility

SUMMER SOLSTICE “BLACK BALSAM”: A DIVINELY FEMININE LIBATION

Strawberry Rose Cake: Ushering In Summer

Roses for Beauty, Flavor, and Fragrance

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By Beth Schreibman Gehring

Harvest Day of Roses at the Western Reserve Herb Society GardensFrom as early as I can remember, I have been completely smitten by the beauty and versatility of roses. As I have mentioned before, my father was a passionate gardener who loved heirloom roses. Being a trained biologist, he knew the value of gardening organically, and he promoted the benefits of mycorrhizal fungi in the late 70s to strengthen the roots of his garden plants. Instead of using fungicides and pesticides, he planted fragrant herbs among the roses, knowing that many common rose pests would be deterred by the essential oils that they released. He would always tell me, “Remember Beth Ann, feed the roots first and forget about the flowers, because if you feed the roots, the flowers will always be healthy and beautiful.” This is a piece of advice I have followed to this day with real success.

Rosa 'Zepherine Drouhin'Like many artists for centuries before…

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Ancestral Spring Greens: “Viva La Italia”! — Gather Victoria

I am passionate about ancestral foods and none are more ancient than the wild greens known today as weeds. So in honor of International Women’s Day, I’ve decided to share these spring recipes from Gather Victoria Patreon, Wild Green “Erbazzone” Pies, and Wild Green Pancotto Soup. What, you may ask,  do wild weedy greens such…

Ancestral Spring Greens: “Viva La Italia”! — Gather Victoria

The Caileach’s Red Ale Cake: An Imbolc Tale of the Darkness & the Light — Gather Victoria

I’ve been celebrating Imbolc for over a decade and each year I discover more layers to its mythology and food lore. Last year over at Gather Victoria Patreon, I created a Cailleach Ale Cake (the oldest spirit in the world) in honor of the dark counterpart of Brigid,  the Gaelic Cailleach, one of the oldest…

The Caileach’s Red Ale Cake: An Imbolc Tale of the Darkness & the Light — Gather Victoria

A Winter Tip To Help You Find Morel Mushrooms

Nature is full of signs.

Tracks, pellets, and clouds reveal information to the astute observer who pays attention.  Nothing is meaningless when awareness is practiced.  Every track, tree, and titmouse means something.

So it goes with mushrooms.  Every mushroom relays information to the person who pays attention.

As an example, consider velvet foot (Flammulina velutipes) — a cold-loving mushroom that provides food and medicine.  This mushroom reveals something that field guides and educators rarely mention:

Velvet foot can easily help us find morel mushrooms.

How so?  In this brand new video, I explain the connection.

I’d also like to mention that today is the last day to receive $100 off your purchase of Foraging Wild Mushrooms.  This online course is designed to help you safely and successfully harvest wild mushrooms from the forest, from the field, and from your own backyard — even during the winter season!

You can register here.

Thank you for your continued support.

— Adam Haritan

Celebrating the Winter Solstice with Sacred Foods and Feasting — The Druids Garden

The Winter Solstice has long been a time of feasting and fires, especially with regional and special foods, a tradition that has global significance in many cultures.  I’ve always enjoyed this time as a chance to dig into some really interesting sacred cooking and bring back the light by enjoying foods that were preserved in…

Celebrating the Winter Solstice with Sacred Foods and Feasting — The Druids Garden