Goin' Wild....

Summer has arrived! The long sunny days, feeling of the warmth on my skin and light evenings makes me feel even more energised than ever, especially with all the summer greens and wild edibles that are so abundant right now. An amazing thunderstorm has just freshened the skies as I write, after a week of hot dry weather, the garden has got a good soak and I am getting some work done inside, which is rare for me in the summer days!

I am going to turn my attention in June towards wild-foods, herbs and lovely weeds. Natures gifts to us which are so powerful yet so overlooked in our society. We often 'use' herbs as a 'supplement' to our diets, and see them as a commodity like other medicines, or a temporary fix to a problem, but rarely do people tune into the growing, gathering and the multitude of uses herbs, wild foods and weeds have in our everyday diets. I have always been very aware of the uses of these plants, sporadically used them and grown common ones in my garden, but right now I am drawn to making them the highlight of my summer diet, cutting back on the heavy sweet foods which I have been busy making over the past months. It is so easy to get sucked into marketing hype for exotic superfoods pushed in raw-food recipes, websites and shops, and forget that the real best superfoods we have available to us, are the ones growing right outside our doors. The wild-foods which grow locally to us, the ones which have been here hundreds of years, and are growing so vibrantly right now, rather than reaching for the dried, packaged expensive 'superfoods' from the other side of the world! I'm not saying that I don't often use these too, as I am well aware of my cacao consumption over the past years : ) but I am feeling that now is the perfect time to explore the world of wild-weedy wonders that are growing all around me...

Last weekend I was blessed to work for the amazing Fairyland trust; a charity which teaches children and families about nature and folklore by creating magical things. I was a fairy-gardener, dressing my beautiful yurt with native foliage and telling the story of Mrs Hedgelove and how she was upset how everyone was digging up their gardens and calling the wildflowers weeds. we then all made a miniature wildflower garden each to take home, decorating them with things for the fairies to play with like acorns, pinecones and feathers. The setting was the enchanting Holt Hall, where wild garlic, nettles and elderflowers grew abundantly all around us. It was my first wild garlic of the year.. oh my gosh I just Love the stuff!! All the great taste of yummy garlic with less 'punch' and more green : ) Heaven! Nettle tops found their way into my themos each morning to keep me hydrated through the long tiring days, and young pollen-full elderflowers were so good picked straight off the tree. Will defiantly be making some elderflower champagne this year : ) I gathered lots of wild garlic before I left and made it into the best pesto ever, made with cheap organic sunflower seeds and UK hemp oil, it really was a LOVE food special; Live and Local, organic, veggie and very very ethical. Was soooo good spread on my seaweed crackers and stirred through courgette pasta. Unfortunately in the enjoyment of it all, I forgot to take any pics, but will surely be making some more so will try to remember next time!

A friend is bringing me a wild bouquet tomorrow from a special wild garlic woods near their house, so I will be making lots to store for winter : ) I am now starting to make crackers, buckwheaties and granola mix to order for clients, along with my chocs, truffles and cakes. But for me this month, it's greens, herbs, elixiers and infusions, along with the divine Norfolk asparagus of which I love and soon to be beachy foraging sessions to gather the beautiful Norfolk samphire. Just a few weeks of harvest to collect our local sea-veg, which is much more palatable to most people than other seaweeds. More like salted beans than fishy seaweed; yum! I am following a restorative and kidney cleanse for a while, which means I will be cutting out most of my sweet treats for a bit, and giving my body some extra love with some cleansing herbs, vitalising mineral soups and strengthening meals. High in vital energy without the heaviness, stimulating concentrated energy I have been eating more of over the winter. The cleanse I am following is not totally raw, but includes lots of green juices, miso broths and protein to balance blood sugars. From previous experience of cutting back on sugars, it is always the mind which struggles the most initially in the cravings for sweet, comfort foods, but once the head has decided that it is better off without it, the balance of mood, hormones and energy is well worth the conflict. I am ready and looking forward to the clear-out!

My garden is just so full of wild foods it's amazing. I just love my home! Here are some pics of my wonderful wild garden, and some of my green juices for you, and I will post some wild garlic/ pesto/ herbal cleanse pics next time!

Cow Parsley, nettles, dandelions and yellow arch-angel at the bottom of the garden....

Apple blossom ♥

New against old; apple blossom, crab apple flowers and old crab apples

Jack in the hedge : )

The most amazing blood oranges from Folland organics.. Mmmm garden bliss

My weird and wonderful wildgarden.. A real fairy place

Get outside and see what you can find! There are some great sites for wild food, and the classic mini-guide 'food for free' is brill for identifying plants out and about.

As for LOVE food events this week, I am doing a talk and chocolate tasting at The book hive on Friday at 6.30 with Hayley from The Window. Come along to experience cupping with Hayley, learn all about caffeine with Dave Hart and taste some of my handmade raw chocolates and find out about raw cacao. On Saturday the 12th, I am organising the first LOVE foods picnic, where everyone is invited to bring along a raw-vegan dish to share and get inspired by others creations, connect with other foodies and have a proper food healthy feast in the park! I'll be there at 1 with my hula hoops, so come and see what living foods are all about if you have yet to come along to a workshop, or if you have already come along, get creative and bring something along! If you don't know what to bring, you could bring some fresh fruit, a salad or try some foraging! Just try to keep it as organic as possible, and think about the LOVE foods principles: Live, Organic, vegetarian and Ethical. It will be a fun and inspiring way of meeting new people and getting loads of inspiration. My workshop at The window booked out so fast next Sunday, so I am doing another class the following Tuesday at The Bicycle shop, 6-8.30. If you would like a space please email me at jobalfe@hotmail.co.uk

After all that I'll be taking some time off to explore the Isle of Man and do a permaculture design course, then I will be back late July when I will be joining forces with a lovely freind to offer some very exciting new workshops... watch this space! Much LOVE x x