Dear reader,

I have moved and landed in a suburban garden and kind of wonder what happened! It has been quite a process to let go of the farm from where my little wild edible weed business has evolved, and where I've explored every corner to discover where and what wild plants are growing there. It has been a wonderful playground and I will miss it. But I am bringing down a lot of plants in pots and they have weeds growing in them to supply food, while I get the gardens growing. There are two raised beds of mostly weeds - chickweed Stellaria media and puha Sonchus oleraceus a few of leeks Allium ampeloprasum and a rosemary bush Rosmarinus officinalis.

I can honestly say I lived the fullest I could in appreciating all the abundance the farm had to offer, the incredible diversity of plant life, all the different flowers, all the bird life, the changing weather and rain beating on the roof, wind howling around the cottage, the darkness at night, the stillness, the quiet, and also all the myriad of country noises, from the whisperings of wind in the trees, moreporks at night, barking dogs, frogs croaking, pukekos calling, loud music from the neighbours across the gully, the amazing amount of food available if one looks for it, the hundreds of smoothies I've made from wild plants, my parents company and Lulu, the spoodle dog to walk down in the bush, the chooks, Daisy, the 39 year old Welsh mountain pony, who I watched self medicate on wild chicory Chicorium intybus, black nightshade leaves Solanum nigrum, plantain Plangtago lanceolata and dwarf mallow Malva species.  The farm has given me huge nourishment and I'm SO grateful!! 

Having made the difficult transition (assisted by my kind family and friends and by the energy in green smoothies and the stem enhance wild algae I'm taking), I'll be exploring new options for foraging and getting the workshops happening again. 

So what's coming up?  My good friend Jane Powell of Teacher in the Paddock fame and I are really excited to be offering two workshops at Piha and then Jane's husband Kevin will be joining us further north in Kaeo for a weekend where we'll be sharing our passions.  See the colourful flyers below.  Please, please get behind us and share these workshops with family and friends, and come and join us yourself!!  I apologise I've left it so late to get this newsletter out to let you know about these opportunites.  My excuse being the move and not having internet connection until yesterday!  Piha bookings and more information here.

For the Lonsdale Park weekend workshop in Kaeo email here.

My book 'Julia's Guide to Edible Weeds' has been reprinted again and includes 4 more plants, I've also changed some of the images. The book is also in the process of being edited by an accomplished editor friend Joanna, to whom I've very grateful!! I'm always wanting to make  the descriptions and identifying the weeds easier for people with clear, representative photos. If you'd like to order a book check it out here.

Winter sunset scene from Club Med, my former cottage home of 4years 8 months.  You can just see the moon amongst the branches of the Oriental Plane Tree Platanus orientalis. These trees can reach 30m (98 feet) and are known for their longevity and spreading crown. This one is probably close to 30m and a very beautiful tree that I have looked at and enjoyed through the seasons for years. (If you follow this newsletter you'll recognise the same scene I've taken in different seasons).

The above image is how I LOVE to see roadsides as I'm driving along, and I'm sure you would too.  (This photo was taken somewhere on the way to visit friends in Bennydale, in the King Country of NZ).  However, on a recent trip to Auckland, I was so distressed to see so many sprayed DEAD strips of brown along roadside boundary fence-lines or along hedges (what has got into people - too much time or money - we never saw that a decade or two ago), that I was inspired  to write the latest blog "How healthy is our environment"

The above scene shows the trees at Farleigh Farm where, I've just moved from, and how the house is nestled in amongst an established garden.  The dominant tree standing tall is a Picea sichensis (cool that our name is in the tree's name - Dad didn't plant it, it was there when they moved there).  Turns out, amongst trees there is a mother tree that is often the oldest or maybe biggest or has the biggest presence.  The sichensis I believe is the mother tree in that group above, even though they are all different varieties.  How trees talk (and all plants for that matter) to each other through their roots and the microorganisms that live down there is a fascinating topic .  Ecologist Suzanne Simard explains this and how "A forest is much more than what you see," in an inspiring 18 minute Ted Talk . Listen here.

I have a fascination with this wild fungi that grows on dead trees in the native bush.  Its name is Auricularia auricula-judae, known as the Jew's ear, wood ear, jelly ear or by a number of other common names, it is a species of edible Auriculariales fungus found worldwide.  I slice them up and add to soup or stock. They are fleshy when its been raining and when dried, are all crinkly and shrivelled.  Wood Ears are being studied for effects on blood, as they contain a compound that inhibits clotting. This mushroom may be beneficial in preventing heart attacks and strokes. In China, this mushroom is believed to enhance health and treat ailments when eaten regularly or brewed in a tea.

Lastly I still marvel at where weeds will grow.  These stone ducks are under cover in a garden BBQ and have found enough root space to grow.  There is puha sonchus oleraceus at the back, herb robert Geranium robertianum on the left and for-get-me-not seedlings Myosotis laxa subsp. caespitosa with oval leaves.  Forget-me-nots are in the borage family and become 'weeds' in that they self sow and take care of themselves - just like a true weed!!

See you next month - keep warm and enjoy the winter weeds.

Julia