April 2017 from Julia's Edible Weeds

Dear reader,

Today the farm where I've lived for nearly 4.5 years was sold to my sister and brother-in-law. My dream to own part of it has not eventuated and my parents and I will be leaving sadly from this abundant, peaceful paradise. At least it is still in the family. I want to thank all of you who wrote in support of my vision for the farm and those who came to see it. I really value all of you loyal 'weed lovers'. To help sooth my feelings a good friend Jasmin said "as one door closes another one opens". This is very true. It occurred to me today as I was feeling the impact of it all to take strength and inspiration from the weeds. They have a lot to put up with being pulled out, tramped on, mown over, sprayed and killed, sent negative thoughts and cursed, yet they do not give up and in fact they flourish despite this treatment. Weeds thrive on radical change not stability. That shifted my mood. I am fortunate to own a house in Greerton, Tauranga where I will move and create a nice home and magical garden. I'll become an urban forager seeking out the overlooked wild corners and appreciating the ordinary miracles all around us. One such miracle is the little seedlings coming up in the crack in my garden bench - see below.

Another miracle is people like artist Mona Caron creating huge epic weed murals . See her in action and watch the weeds grow up the buildings here.

I'm recently back from a wonderful two week holiday in the South Island where I visited friends in Christchurch, Motueka, Collingwood and finally Nelson. The photos below are from this excursion south.

Edible Weed workshops
Saturday 22nd Farleigh Farm, Belk Road South, Omanawa, Tauranga. Places still available
$60 for 4 hours harvesting roots for a tonic vinegar, gathering seeds, identifying weeds for smoothies, soups and pestos and much more. Natives covered too. Shared lunch afterwards. To book www.juliasedibleweeds.com/workshops

Saturday 29th April, 89 Robson Road, Hamilton. For more information www.juliasedibleweeds.com/workshops I am offering a special on this workshop. Pay for one person and the second person half price. Contact me for this special offer julia@juliasedibleweeds.com

Herb Robert Geranium robertianum and Nipplewort Lapsana communis seedlings growing in the crack on my wooden bench.

Lyttleton craft market. It was wonderful to see art amongst the art of the flourishing wild edible weeds. To me the weeds softened and brought life to the otherwise bare section. Empty sections colonised by weeds is a common site in the Christchurch region and I love it that the weeds have a chance to help heal these places and bring life back to them.

Children playing in the weeds at the Lyttleton craft market. There is no worry of the children damaging anything - they can play freely amongst live flowering plants. In this section there had been a chemist shop, a fish and chip shop and others - all flattened by the earthquake. It is so wonderful that weeds and people were coexisting side by side.

Amaranth Amaranthus species, Fennel Foeniculum vulgare, and Basil Ocimum basilicum microgreens also at the Lyttleton market. They looked so lush and healthy.

How is this for a novel recycling idea - a coffe cup library. Some kind person brings these and then takes them home and washes them!!

On the way back from Akaroa to Christchurch my friend Vanya and I gathered back from the road wild rosehips from a Wild Rose Rosa rubiginosa. I chopped them up in the food processor and am now drying the pieces in my dehydrator. I will use the rosehips to make infusions for their rich source of Vitamin C.

I was thrilled to see this weed patch that my friend Suzanne sowed in her garden in Motueka. It is the first time I've seen the result of my weed seeds. In this patch are Dandelion Taraxacum officinale, Narrow leaf plantain - Plantago lanceolata, Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, Oxtongue Helminthotheca echioides, Puha Sonchus oleraceus. The Borage Borago officinalis wasn't in my seed mix. I gathered these weeds to make smoothies for my friends.

In Collingwood I visited my friend NgAngA who has opened a cafe combined art gallery where he displays his amazing paintings. I ran a workshop in the cafe/gallery and the participants and I foraged in the 'Nourishing Beauty' Garden NgAngA has created (below) full of edible plants and flowers. He has also built vegetable boxes from pallets. Simple and effective.

This is Ice Plant Carpobrotus edulis which grows by the sea in most places around NZ. It is native to South Africa. Left you see the fruit that formed after flowering. It is edible although not ripe. The fruits are used in South Africa in jams and curries. The leaves have antiseptic properties for relieving stings and bites and healing wounds.

Gathering wild Hawthorns Crataegus monogyna near Nelson.

Hawthorns Crataegus monogyna up close. This species is in the Rose family and you know it when picking as the bushes have sharp spikes. I am drying the berries for use in tea. This is a wonderfully safe tonic for the heart, it is also a nervine plant meaning it calms nerves and it helps one sleep. I had a very good deep sleep after a hot infusion of Hawthorn berries and ginger root.

On that note I'll close wishing you all good health and happiness.

Love from

Julia