The Solstice, Foraging, and Abundance

For this year’s Winter Solstice celebration, I’ll light candles and raise a steaming mug of mulled wine to toast my loved ones. I think it is fabulous that diverse cultures around the globe greet this darkest time of the year with lights, feasts, and gift exchanges.

I’m thousands of miles away – both physically and mentally — from the commercial shopping frenzy of an American Christmas. Nonetheless, I find myself thinking about gift-giving and feasting and the spirit of abundance and sharing that the season celebrates.

Because I am a forager, the core of abundance for me is a direct, visceral connection to the natural world. That’s true even though I’m in cities much of the year.

I feel abundance when I look at what the uninitiated call “greenery” and see a wealth of nourishing foods and healing medicines all around me.

Another direct experience of abundance comes from harvesting in ways that actually improve the balance of the ecosystems I gather from. It is coming back to the same place the following year to find the plants healthier than ever…which means that I can harvest more, creating a perfect loop of thriving.

Solstice blessings and wishing you an abundant and generous year ahead!
Leda

P.S.-
I’ll be Stateside in the spring to launch my new book The Forager’s Feast. If there’s a great indie book shop or other cool place you think I should contact about doing a talk and signing, please let me know.

And if there are any groups you think might be interested in a foraging tour, I’d love to hear about them. So far I’ll be in NY, CA, and NC.

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“A book that wild food gatherers of all skill levels will want to own.” - Sam Thayer

“This is an essential book for anyone interested in food preservation.” - Ellen Zachos

The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare Wild Edibles is available for preorder! Part field guide covering 50 plants, mushrooms, and seaweeds with a widespread distribution, part cookbook for turning these wild edibles into delectable dishes, the book will be in your mailbox before the foraging season begins in Spring 2016!