Well, February has been an eventful month for me; I managed to fall and break my wrist- the first bone i’ve actually ever broken- while out looking for wild garlic, naturally!

This incident has taught me that I’m a bit of a control freak when it comes to my precious ferments- I have no patience and I really dislike having to ask for help! However, I have also realised how blessed and supported I am with the endless offers of help I've received. I have been eating even more ferments than usual and piling in all the bone-strengthening foods, along with taking homeopathic Arnica and Symphytum to reduce inflammation and support bone healing. I’m pleased to say that it’s healing up well- power to the plants again!

This month we introduced a new feature on The Wellness Hub Website, called Chats with Janice. Wee chatty videos about various topics, this month all about different aspects of fermenting. We all learn differently, and some of us are visual learners so I thought I’d show up on a regular basis on the website. Not all Hub members have joined the FB group, where I host regular Live Chats and we have a sense of community and connection, so the wee chats are just a way for me to connect with you on a personal basis on the website. 

Moving on to this month, our theme is Growth and New Beginnings!

I love this time of year, lighter nights, new growth springing up everywhere and my favourite- foraging season! The wild garlic is in abundance, and we will be making the most of it with lots of recipe ideas and ways to preserve it! Other spring greens to look out for are nettles, dandelions, cleavers, hairy bittercress, ground elder, and sorrel. Most of these plants are considered weeds, but my motto is If you Can't Beat them, Eat them!

Foraging is food for free, wild plants just grow with zero input from us, they pack a punch in the nutrition department and add diversity to our gut microbiome and resilience to our health. We evolved to eat seasonal and wild food- we were not designed to eat the same processed limited range of food that now makes up the standard Western diet. Humans are ancient beings, the modern world we live in often makes us forget that but foraging is a way to get back to our roots and connect deeper with the earth, like our ancestors used to. It’s truly soul-enriching!

Have a listen to my chat all about weeds with the wonderful MT from Scotland Grows, a fabulous online gardening magazine, to which I contribute regular features! You can listen to the Podcast here and subscribe to Scotland Grows here. 

Growth begins at the end of our comfort zone, so how are you challenging yourself this month? Ever tried growing your own food? You don’t even need a garden, seeds can be sprouted indoors and microgreens can be cultivated on a kitchen windowsill. These are the most nutritious plants, harvested just as you need them and the freshest homegrown food available! There is something so wholesome about growing our own food and nurturing it into life. Growing plants indoors means fewer pests, no slugs to battle with, and it's not dependent on the weather either! I’ll be growing a selection of microgreens this month and sharing my top tips and the tastiest greens to grow! I will also be sharing videos to help you identify this season's wild plants and how to use them! So look out your gardening gear and get ready for spring!

Oh, and if you'd like to connect to nature by wearing some, Jenna has made some beautiful nature-inspired earrings incorporating moss, lichen, and acorn caps! I absolutely love my mushroom earrings created by Jenna and I receive compliments on them every time I wear them! Check them out below- they would make the perfect gift for Mother’s day which is just around the corner! You can order them here!

In good health,

Janice x