Common spring allies, including nettles, ramsons, fiddlehead ferns, and cleavers, peek out of the ground in early spring after a long winter’s rest. Will you be responsibly foraging for some this spring?
With hundreds of nutritional and medicinal benefits, nettles provide us with the foundation we need to thrive.
Nettles
Whimsical fiddlehead ferns enchant the forest with their youthful figure that resembles the spiral, tuning end of a fiddle. These sprightly forest characters remind us that nature play is an essential part of our existence.
Mountain folklore passed down for generations in Appalachia recount that ramsons could restore health and bring a speedy recovery from winter ailments because of their ability to cleanse the blood and keep the heart healthy.
Ramps, or wild leeks.
When cleavers come into contact with fur and clothing, they cling to us. Their soft yet tenacious clasp calls to mind their life-giving properties of renewal. Cleavers clear unwanted heat and inflammation collected in the body during the winter months. Popping a few of the young sprouts in your mouth while on a hike can lift the spirits and evoke a sense of flow and movement within the body.
Cleavers
Whether it’s right outside your door or on an adventure in the forest, abundance can be found all around this season. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, and enjoy spring’s many delights!
