Spring is a joyous time of year for those who love wild food. A new year of promise and adventure begins. Green shoots emerge as early as January, sorrel, wild garlic, nettles, cleavers and many wild herbs begin to appear as the days get a little longer and the temperatures rise. Our bodies crave the health giving, cleansing spring greens after the winter moths. We use them in pesto, soup, infusions, ferments, salads, breads and more.

Many people have been worried about falling ill this past while, but why worry. Better to be proactive, build your immune system, learn about beneficial vitamins and minerals and where to find them. I

I know from many years of experience that wild foods contribute greatly to our family’s health. I feel the changes that each seasonal food brings: how my eyes feel healthy after eating our wild blueberries for a week or more; how the flour of acorns warms my tummy, nourishes and gives my my body strength in winter; how my body craves the first of the wild garlic in Spring, I eat it almost daily for a few weeks and then my body is satisfied. If any of us feels like we are getting a cold I make nettle soup, I know simply from experience that it helps to fight off illness. I am rarely sick, my kids never see the doctor, I put it down to the many benefits of wild food in our diet.

If you know only one or two spring greens try eating a little every day, in a salad, a soup, or make pesto, pesto is a great way to eat a large amount of leaves, especially for family members who don’t like eating lots of greens.