Mindful harvesting & winter wreath making
What is mindful harvesting?
Stepping out on the land… feeling grass and soil underfoot…
Immersed in birdsong flowing across the meadow, with the soft caress of the wind on my face…
The beauty of the wild fills my soul.
Again and again I am called back, inspired anew each time through the art of wildcrafting florals.
Wildcrafting with conifers
Some of my favorite wild trees to be in relationship with as a mindful harvester are the pines and cedars. The grounding scent brings to mind scenes of pleasant times past, visiting my Grandmother’s home on the Cape. Entering the Cape, the landscape shifts and old pitch pines cover the sandy earth. The trees there feel old and comforting, greeting me with open branches each time I visit. Fallen needles create large beds of brown and red needles, inviting me to lay close to the ground.
After the leaves of the deciduous trees have all fallen in the crisp autumn winds, the pines and cedars catch my attention with their showy green sprays of needles. As winter approaches, I shift my attention from putting my flower farm to rest for the season and towards the beauty and pageantry of the holidays. Wreaths, garlands, swags and winter arrangements await…
Time to go harvesting!
When in the presence of the great conifers and forest trees, you may wonder about incorporating some of these fine tree materials into your own flowering or wreath-making process. But how to harvest mindfully from these old trees is such a deep question.
An attitude of gratitude
I start by calling up my own sense of reverence and respect for the trees I am interacting with… not to come in as an extractor of nature’s beauty, but to work in partnership with the wild. My first few minutes are dedicated to observing the place and the web of life present there. Trees not only share oxygen, but they also offer shade from the sun and breaks from the wind, while holding together the soil. In quiet observation, I appreciate the interplay of life that I am stepping into.
Regenerative harvesting
Next, I search for regenerative points of interaction where I can be of benefit to the landscape. Recent freshly fallen, windblown branches make for great gathering opportunities.
Are any branches or saplings rubbing against each other and competing for light? Looking for areas that would benefit from thoughtful thinning can offer a win-win both for forest and wildcrafter alike. When pruning, aim to move around the tree to avoid cutting from only one specific spot. Start with the low understory, gently pruning by not leaving the branch tips exposed, rather, cutting down the branch stem to the next branch node.
Selecting a variety of trees to forage from is key to making a beautiful wreath or arrangement. The greater the variety, the more textures you have to create with. Gathering a small amount from a variety of trees also reduces pressure on any one individual tree.
For smaller pieces, I check to see if there are low hanging branches, or an understory with branches, that may be shedding their needles already. These simple practices help me actualize the saying, “Take to only take what you may use, and always leave more than you take.”
Most of all, while you’re harvesting, take many moments to stop and connect with nature. She is medicine.
If you’d like to join me in creating a beautiful winter wreath,
register for this season’s special Wreath-Making Workshop,
December 4th, 2022 in Wallkill, NY.
Spaces are limited.
