The Joys of the Wild-Harvest

One of our company credos is that we do our best to source everything we use in our products from within the UK. Obviously, not everything can be found in Britain but we can make sure that we purchase from British companies.

That being said, one of my great joys is when I have the time and ability to wild-harvest ingredients myself. So often you find things you need right under your nose and here in Britain that is so very true! I have found beautiful fruit, herbs, and flowers in the shadows of ruined abbeys, castles, old homesteads and abandoned gardens. I have also found treasure in hedgerows, woodland copses, and churchyards.

*My husband gathering water lilies from a small pond near Strontian.*


Most recently my family and I took a blissful trip to northwest Scotland around Ardnamurchan. This is a beautiful pristine location in the Highlands that features both mountains, fresh water lochs, and sea lochs as well as seacoast. As a place of environmental advancements, it's also one of THE cleanest and least polluted areas in Britain.

We spent days hiking trails, exploring ruins, marveling at standing stones and beachcombing. In our adventures, we were absolutely alone wherever we were because this is not an area of Scotland that is popular with tourists. If you aren't an outdoorsy type.....you'd find very little to entertain you. The phone signals rarely exist, broadband feels like dial-up and there isn't a trendy coffee shop in sight.
BUT it remains THE most beautiful and amazing place I have ever been In. My. Life! I have spent every day since returning conspiring to go back and never ever leave.

*Can you think of a more stunning place to gather heather and wild sea lavender?*

The thing about wild-harvesting is to never sneaky pete  from private property, never gather more than you truly need, never remove an entire plant or crop, never disturb a natural habitat and always make sure you THANK the faeries, Earth Spirits and the Goddess for anything you take.

I take things a step further and keep geo-logs on exact locations I harvest from so that I may return and not have to rely on my increasingly aging memory.

* Harvesting various types of seaweeds during low tide on a sea loch.*


The rewards of being in harmony with nature and getting out IN nature and experiencing her changes first hand by harvesting according to the season is a constant reminder to me of exactly how, why and what I am doing all of this for.  I'm not sure who it heals more really, me or my wonderful clients.