Today was the third herb walk on the marshes, my second time of attending.
Colder than last month. I started off the day in a thin top, changed to a fleece, then added a vest, and popped on a zipped fleece just before I left the house.
We also didn't get as far, but still very interesting.
Will be watching out for plantain on any walks in case needed for a spit poultice for bites and stings.
I also intend soaking hawthorn berries in brandy later in the year for a heart tonic (reputed good for emotional upset as well as physically good for the heart).
At the Oxfam shop at the end of Walthamstow High Street, just over the road from the start of Coppermill Lane where there is our meeting place "The Mill", I found a long length of ecru coloured fabric. It is a loose weave and one one side feels very natural but on the other a bit synthetic. It was only £3.49. I am planning what to make - my first idea is a loose over top, two rectangles for the body and then a rectangle each for the sleeves.
Showing posts with label Hedge herbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hedge herbs. Show all posts
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Monday, April 25, 2016
Herby walk on the marshes
On Saturday I went on a herb walk on the Walthamstow Marshes. This is a monthly walk through the growing season looking to see what herbs are there and their uses and lore.
Led by Rasheeqa, a Walthamstow-based herbalist. www.hedgeherbs.co.uk.
I meant to go last month, the first walk of the year, but waited to see what the weather was likely to be and the walk was full by the time I emailed to book.
Saturday was sunny, though chilly, so I was glad of my layers.
We walked from the community centre, The Mill, in the old library at one end of Coppermill Lane, down to cattle creep at the other end, stopping to look at herbs on the way. Then under the cattle creep to the marshes, to the Navigation, along a bit over the marshes, back along the path to the car park at the end of Coppermill Lane, and then back to The Mill to finish.
It was a gentle, interesting walk and I learnt a lot. I wrote a lot of notes, but carefully circled anything I was likely to use. I extracted these notes when I got home. I plan to get some vegetable suet to make some balms.
Although we found no lemon balm, the walk did make me go out into the garden and pick some lemon balm leaves to make a (rather boring) tea.
The first plant we saw was herb robert and I have quite a bit of that in my garden. It is astringent, so will wait tummy trouble to give it a go!
Led by Rasheeqa, a Walthamstow-based herbalist. www.hedgeherbs.co.uk.
I meant to go last month, the first walk of the year, but waited to see what the weather was likely to be and the walk was full by the time I emailed to book.
Saturday was sunny, though chilly, so I was glad of my layers.
We walked from the community centre, The Mill, in the old library at one end of Coppermill Lane, down to cattle creep at the other end, stopping to look at herbs on the way. Then under the cattle creep to the marshes, to the Navigation, along a bit over the marshes, back along the path to the car park at the end of Coppermill Lane, and then back to The Mill to finish.
It was a gentle, interesting walk and I learnt a lot. I wrote a lot of notes, but carefully circled anything I was likely to use. I extracted these notes when I got home. I plan to get some vegetable suet to make some balms.
Although we found no lemon balm, the walk did make me go out into the garden and pick some lemon balm leaves to make a (rather boring) tea.
The first plant we saw was herb robert and I have quite a bit of that in my garden. It is astringent, so will wait tummy trouble to give it a go!
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