Readings

I step out, dodge rain showers, and am struck by the high river level. It’s so high that the area where I usually sit, elevated from the river, is submerged.

This observation leads me to reflect on the term “climate breakdown.” I now prefer it over “climate change.” It conveys the seriousness of our environmental situation.

I’m currently living in a rented property near the river. I observe rising waters overtaking my neighbour’s garden.

I can’t help but think about the potential changes over the next decade. This concern contrasts with my sweetheart’s desire to own a house.

It highlights the personal impacts of environmental changes. Where will we live?

As a forager, I’ve noticed the direct impact of these changes on plant life. Understanding one’s local environment connects to the practice of foraging.

It involves identifying plant communities and understanding their relationship with their habitat. Yet, the rising waters have submerged areas.

Wild garlic once thrived there. Now, it is covered in silt and challenging to clean, and this has forced me to travel about 40 minutes to find clean wild garlic.

This experience underlines a broader principle in foraging. It’s about conserving energy and using resources. Resources refer to personal energy, not the plants themselves.

I emphasise respecting the natural world instead of viewing it through an extractive, colonial lens.

Rather than the cultural worldview that humans have dominion over nature. My way aligns more with Buddhist perspectives. They value all species equally.

For those interested in foraging, I recommend starting with the abundant species in your area—for example, nettles, dandelions, and wild garlic. 

Lesser celandine is also a good choice at this time of year. See my plant profile on it: https://www.eatweeds.co.uk/lesser-celandine-ficaria-verna 

However, climate breakdown makes the availability of these plants unpredictable. I have a monthly foraging calendar of what’s in season here: https://www.eatweeds.co.uk/category/whats-in-season

In conclusion, as we start the new year, I encourage aspiring foragers to list the top 10 plants they want to find. Only focus on plentiful plants.

Then, get outside and map them. Never harvest continually from a single plant community. Instead, rotate your gathering. So, map as many locations of a specific plant as possible.

This practice fosters a deeper connection with nature. It also highlights the urgent need to address the ongoing climate breakdown.

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I invest countless hours and hundreds of pounds into Eatweeds each month, a passion project started in 2008.

With no ads or outside help, this solo enterprise supports my livelihood and life work.

Click here to make a donation.

Your contribution makes a world of difference, and i am deeply grateful.

I invest countless hours and hundreds of pounds into eatweeds each month, a passion project started in 2008.

With no ads or outside help, this solo enterprise supports my livelihood and life work.

Click here to make a one-time donation.

Your contribution makes a world of difference, and i am deeply grateful.

i invest countless hours and hundreds of pounds into eatweeds each month, a passion project started in 2008.

with no ads or outside help, this solo enterprise supports my livelihood and life work.

click here to make a one-time donation.

your contribution makes a world of difference, and i am deeply grateful.

i invest countless hours and hundreds of pounds into eatweeds each month, a passion project started in 2008.

with no ads or outside help, this solo enterprise supports my livelihood and life work.

click here to make a one-time donation.

your contribution makes a world of difference, and i am deeply grateful.

in the misty embrace of damp meadows, where the murmur of flowing waters accompanies every step, meadowsweet whispers secrets from another era.

dainty clusters of creamy blossoms nod gently in the breeze, each one a testament to nature’s understated elegance and tenacity.

filipendula ulmaria, a name that rolls off the tongue like a forgotten lullaby, beckons the curious wanderer to lean in closer.

and there, amidst the verdant expanse, a fragrance unfolds – one of honeyed summers, and the softest sighs of bygone days.

for there is magic within these slender stems and feathery fronds.

beyond the allure of its scent, meadowsweet cradles the soul of a healer.

each petal and leaf hinting at an alchemical dance, where nature conspires to mend and soothe.

and so, we, the eternal seekers, have tread lightly upon these sacred grounds, listening, learning, and being transformed.

in a world of haste, the process of understanding unfurls like an artful courtship.

to extract the essence of meadowsweet is to be fully present, cradling each blossom with hands that know reverence.

in that delicate touch, one might imagine the sigh of ancestors, those who once discovered the salicylic nectar within.

a precursor to the aspirin we know today, this botanical symphony speaks of relief, of eased burdens and mended spirits.

but the journey is not simply of remedy, but of reconnection.

as fingers brush against supple leaves, one feels the pulse of the earth, the heartbeat of a world alive and resplendent.

meadowsweet becomes not just a plant, but a bridge – between humanity and the verdant tapestry from which we have strayed.

each extraction, then, is not a mere act but a ritual, a dance of gratitude and wonder.

and while modernity may herald the synthesis of aspirin as a pinnacle of human ingenuity, the story truly began in the embrace of nature.

in her infinite wisdom, she offered solace through meadowsweet, intertwining our narrative with hers in an eternal waltz.

for in every pill we take, in every sigh of relief, there echoes the whisper of that misty meadow, the delicate blooms, the promise of nature’s embrace.

so let us remember, in our relentless pursuit of progress, the serene meadows and the sweet enchantments they offer.

not just for their healing, but for the profound joy, the tranquillity, the soulful connection they bestow upon every heart willing to listen.

in the tale of meadowsweet and aspirin, nature emerges not as a mere backdrop, but as the very essence, the heartbeat, the muse.

inviting, nurturing, enchanting, she remains, evermore, our timeless sanctuary.