#winter foraging

It's been a while, and frankly I'm running out of food. I need fresh groceries. So I decided to go foraging with 3 goals in my mind: Pine needles, chickweed, and wild onons. Those are in 3 different locations, and I'm only feeling secure in pine needles because they are gonna be there in February. Not so sure about the other two.

If I suceed, I'm making a potato salad with chickweed and wild onions, and a pine needle tea!

My enemies are the cold (will the plants grow in zero temps?) and exhaustion (I'm sleepy and its cold). Requirements for these are a) Knowing where these plants grow and b) getting there and finding it.

I know a few pine trees in the city but those grow next to busy roads and I want fresh untainted needles. And for that I have to hike! Climbing the hill was strenuous but beautiful. And finally I found what I came for; a beautiful pine tree:

My first goal is done! I have my tea ingredients. I learned recently from a library book that the needles on evergreen trees are regarded as leaves in biology, and they do the exact same function as well! They photosynthesize and generate food for the tree and oxygen for us. They're also not forever on the tree! While deciduous trees drop their leaves every year, needly trees keep their needles for 4-5 years, and then also drop them and grow new! So me stealing a bunch of needles, while a bit mean, won't be continuously harmful; the tree will grow new ones eventually.

Ok I'm still not too cold so I'm off to the forest; there should be a chickweed patch at the entrance:

While this is my most trustworthy patch, the plants are fairly small! This isn't a lot of food but hey. It's not nothing. And this plant is filled with vitamins and minerals past what any of my garden plants have going on. I'm taking it.

At this point I ventured into the forest to look for crocuses (which I found!) and then also visited this pretty stream because it sounds so lovely:

And look what else was there. A mossy patch of wood sorrel! I wasn't counting on sorrel but it is delicious in a salad. I picked that too!

I then visited the only meadow that has wild onions and - found none. I remember finding them in February previously, but I imagine it's too cold right now. I considered taking some dandelion greens but they were all red-grey in color and that put me off. I'm not sure if red plants are still good to eat.

But the overall mission is successful! I have enough for a good salad. I came home and immediately had my colorless but delicious tea, and put potatoes to cook:

I did forget about potatoes because I wrapped the boiling pot in towels and let it cook on the chair. But an hour later I remembered, cut the potatoes without peeling (I need all the nutrients ok. and less work for me), added all my chickweed and wood sorrel and had a fantastic meal! In absence of wild onions I added some chopped garlic cloves. I love you potato salad, I love you forest greens.

Winter is often seen as the ultimate test of survival, yet stories of Bigfoot suggest a being well suited to endure even the harshest cold. Descriptions consistently emphasize a thick, dense coat of hair and a large, powerful build—traits that would naturally conserve heat and reduce energy loss. In cold‑adapted animals, size and insulation are key advantages, allowing warmth to be retained even in deep snow and freezing temperatures.

Seasonal movement plays an important role in this idea. Rather than remaining in exposed high elevations, the creature is thought to shift into lower valleys and dense evergreen forests during winter months. These areas offer natural wind protection, cover from snowfall, and easier travel beneath the tree canopy. Such routes would also help explain why sightings become rarer, as movement happens far from roads and human activity.

Shelter is believed to rely on the landscape itself. Caves, rock overhangs, fallen trees, and simple windbreak structures made from branches are often mentioned in reports. Notably, there is little emphasis on fire use. Instead, insulation, natural cover, and body heat are thought to provide sufficient protection without leaving obvious signs like smoke or ash.

Food sources would also shift with the season. A winter diet is commonly imagined as opportunistic—small animals, fish, carrion, and whatever plant matter remains available, supplemented by high‑calorie foraging. Conserving energy would be essential, favoring fewer meals with greater nutritional value and minimizing unnecessary movement.

Taken together, these ideas form a picture of a creature shaped by adaptation rather than comfort. If such a being exists, winter would not be an obstacle but another environment it has learned to navigate quietly. Survival would depend on intelligence, patience, and deep familiarity with the forest—allowing it to remain hidden, even when the world is locked in snow.

Hello darlings 🥰

As winter wraps us in its chilly embrace, nature still offers a bounty of forageables that can enrich our culinary, medicinal, and magical practices. December foraging brings its own unique gifts. Here's a guide to what you can find and how to use them. ❄️🌿

December Foraging Treasures:

Holly Berries: Holly is a symbol of protection and good luck. Its berries, while not edible, can be used in Yule decorations and winter solstice rituals for protection and good fortune.

Rose Hips: These are the fruit of the rose plant and are rich in vitamin C. They can be used to make syrups, teas, and jams, and in magic, they are used for love, healing, and attracting good energy.

Pine Needles: Rich in vitamins A and C, pine needles can be used to make a refreshing tea. In magic, pine is associated with cleansing, protection, and prosperity.

Juniper Berries: Known for their distinctive flavor, they're used in culinary dishes, especially in marinades. Magically, juniper berries are used for protection and purification.

Ivy: Common ivy can be used in wreaths and decorations. In magic, it symbolizes fidelity and eternal life. Note: Ivy is not edible and should be handled with care.

Mushrooms: While some mushrooms are edible and have medicinal properties, extreme caution must be taken as many are poisonous. Only forage mushrooms if you are very experienced or with a professional guide.

Please remember to always forage responsibly and sustainably. Only take what you need, and be sure to leave plenty behind for wildlife and future growth.

____

🌞 If you enjoy my posts, please consider donating to my energies 🌞

✨🔮 Request a Tarot Reading Here 🔮✨

____

With love, from a Sappy Witch 🔮💕

Brick caps Hypholoma lateritium

When the nights are long and the days are snowy, mushrooming can be a challenge.

Luckily, there’s still plenty of fungi to find.

Brick caps are among my favorite edible mushrooms in early winter.  They have a real pleasant nutty flavor, so I can’t get enough of them.

Brick caps will start showing up in late fall, but will continue into early winter.  Sometimes, I’ll even find them buried under snow.  These were hardly visible before I brushed the log off.

Their reddish two-toned caps and stipes give them away, though they’re sometimes pinkish when they first start out.  Adorable, right?

They’ll darken to brick red, often cracking at the caps.

The gills are smoky, a tell-tale sign of the hyphaloma genus.  Beware though.  They have toxic look-a-likes including their greenish-gilled cousins, sufur tuft hyphaloma fasciculare.

Conifer needles like pine, fir, or spruce are both edible and medicinal! Making a tea out of them is an easy way to ingest this tasty and health-beneficial forage, especially in the winter when other plants are sparse.

Types of Conifer Needles to Use for Tea:

*It's so important to properly identify any tree you're wanting to use! Many conifer species are safe to ingest, but not all! The main conifer trees to avoid is the Yew family because they are highly toxic. Use a reliable guide or bring someone knowledgeable along with you so you can sip your tea in confidence.*

Pine Needles:

Great Choices:

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Western White Pine (Pinus monticola)

Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)

Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana)

Most species of pine are safe to use, but there area few varieties to avoid if you're pregnant! There's a chance they could cause miscarriage in large doses.

Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)

Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta)

With that said, ponderosa pine has been safely used medicinally by Indigenous Americans throughout history.

Fir Needles:

As far as my research has shown, all fir trees have edible needles.

Great Choices:

White Fir (Abies concolor)

Grand Fir (Abies grandis)

Noble Fir (Abies procera)

Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga spp.) (not a true fir but still really yummy for tea)

Spruce Needles:

As far as my research has shown, all spruce trees have edible needles.

Great Choices:

Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)

White Spruce (Picea glauca)

Hemlock Needles:

Not to be confused with poison hemlock, which is a highly toxic plant and not a tree!

All three of the common hemlock trees are edible:

Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana)

Other Edible Conifer Needles:

Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)

Conifer Needle Tea Recipe

Properly identify and forage your conifer needles.

Strip or snip the needles off the branch. If the needles are very long you can cut them into smaller pieces.

Place a spoonful of needles at the bottom of a mug or into a tea strainer if you have one.

Pour boiling water over the needles and let it steep for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy! You can add other herbs, spices, or sweeteners to the recipe as you desire. Cinnamon is a great choice!

This tea is packed with vitamin C. Most conifer needles also help with coughs, relieve chest congestion, and aid with respiratory ailments. Conifer needles also have pain-relieving and antibacterial properties! Brew some for comfort, healing, and relaxation. As always happy foraging and STAY SAFE!