April Box: Winter is Dead
"She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
'Winter is dead.'"
~ A.A. Milne
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
'Winter is dead.'"
~ A.A. Milne
This month's box captures the liminal days of April when we cross over the threshold from the winter lands, disoriented and blinking, into fleeting and feverish spring. With months of snow and ice still written in our bones, we turn our faces toward sunlight and wait for the unmistakable feel of warmer breezes across our skin. Our eyes track the sky and we smile at the sound of geese and gull returned. They herald the break up of ice and the release of water. Winter loosens its grip on the land, and so too on our bodies.
In many pre-industrial, temperate climate, agricultural societies it was thought that, much like the sap in the trees and the water in the soil, our internal waters can tend to cool, thicken and slow in the winter. A mostly seasonal and local diet would have been rather stodgy and lacking in fresh produce for many months of the year. Combined with the absence of robust summer activity, and vitamin D producing sunlight, it was not unusual for one's pathways of elimination to feel a little sluggish and stagnant at winter's end.
Out of this was born the tradition of gathering wild greens and imbibing spring tonics. These common and abundant weedy plants were available long before anything in the kitchen gardens or farmer's fields, and they provided much needed nutrients and protective phytochemicals to nourish, strengthen and invigorate the lymphatic, cardiovascular and digestive systems.
April's box will explore a few of our local spring tonic herbs including stinging nettle, dandelion and yellow dock, You may also find alder, cottonwood, birch and/or willow in your box and discover the spring healing properties of trees.. In the newsletter learn more about the tradition of spring tonic herbs, alteratives and lymphagogues. In anticipation of allergy season, look for a tincture made with a surprising plant. There may even be special herb blend for spring cleaning your home.
In April's class, we will learn more about spring tonic herbs, how to easily identify, harvest and incorporate them into your life. . . .
In many pre-industrial, temperate climate, agricultural societies it was thought that, much like the sap in the trees and the water in the soil, our internal waters can tend to cool, thicken and slow in the winter. A mostly seasonal and local diet would have been rather stodgy and lacking in fresh produce for many months of the year. Combined with the absence of robust summer activity, and vitamin D producing sunlight, it was not unusual for one's pathways of elimination to feel a little sluggish and stagnant at winter's end.
Out of this was born the tradition of gathering wild greens and imbibing spring tonics. These common and abundant weedy plants were available long before anything in the kitchen gardens or farmer's fields, and they provided much needed nutrients and protective phytochemicals to nourish, strengthen and invigorate the lymphatic, cardiovascular and digestive systems.
April's box will explore a few of our local spring tonic herbs including stinging nettle, dandelion and yellow dock, You may also find alder, cottonwood, birch and/or willow in your box and discover the spring healing properties of trees.. In the newsletter learn more about the tradition of spring tonic herbs, alteratives and lymphagogues. In anticipation of allergy season, look for a tincture made with a surprising plant. There may even be special herb blend for spring cleaning your home.
In April's class, we will learn more about spring tonic herbs, how to easily identify, harvest and incorporate them into your life. . . .
Boxes are offered with sliding scale prices. To learn more about sliding scale pricing, please read this post. To determine where you fall on the scale when choosing which price to pay, please refer to this infographic created by Alexis J. Cunningfolk (Click image to enlarge).
Large April Box- 6 products
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Small April Box- 4 products
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Payments can also be made by cheque made out to:
The Wild Garden, 2389 Pepin Ct. Ottawa, ON, K1B 4Z3
Shipping is included in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Additional shipping fees apply outside of this area.
Please contact me for more information: info at thewildgarden dot ca
About the Herbal Box
The Wild Garden Herbal Box is your opportunity to connect with and learn about the wild edible and healing plants of the Ottawa bioregion. Monthly boxes are delivered directly to your door. Each month’s box will explore a particular theme and comes with a detailed newsletter highlighting the products for the month and is full of information, historical lore, recipes and more! Herbal boxes make great gifts and can be shipped directly to the recipient.
Monthly subscribers also enjoy free access to any walks and select workshops offered by the Wild Garden, during the month(s) for which they are subscribed. (Material fees apply and pre-registration is required.)
With an herbal box you can:
The Wild Garden, 2389 Pepin Ct. Ottawa, ON, K1B 4Z3
Shipping is included in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Additional shipping fees apply outside of this area.
Please contact me for more information: info at thewildgarden dot ca
About the Herbal Box
The Wild Garden Herbal Box is your opportunity to connect with and learn about the wild edible and healing plants of the Ottawa bioregion. Monthly boxes are delivered directly to your door. Each month’s box will explore a particular theme and comes with a detailed newsletter highlighting the products for the month and is full of information, historical lore, recipes and more! Herbal boxes make great gifts and can be shipped directly to the recipient.
Monthly subscribers also enjoy free access to any walks and select workshops offered by the Wild Garden, during the month(s) for which they are subscribed. (Material fees apply and pre-registration is required.)
With an herbal box you can:
- build your own home apothecary of healing plants and discover traditional ways of supporting wellness
- support local, small-scale, organic permaculture
- incorporate more nutrient dense wild foods into your diet
- enjoy organically grown and ethically wild gathered foods and herbs delivered directly to your door (all products are made from herbs that I grow and gather myself on the Just Food Food Farm.)
- nourish yourself and your family with local, seasonal products handcrafted with love in small batches
- learn about the wild plants growing in the greater Ottawa bioregion
- loose-leaf tea blend
- herb infused honey
- herb infused vinegar
- herbal syrup or elixir
- wild herb seasoning blend, dried culinary herbs
- wild food preserve (jam, jelly, fruit leather…)
- herbal liqueur
- tincture
- herbal salve
- body oil, body butter or lotion bar
- herbal scrub or bath salt
- herbal burning blends, smudge sticks