A Druid's Web Log – September 2018 – Fall, Acorns and a new Book!

As summer winds down there are already subtle hints of fall appearing. A few oaks have started dropping acorns, though not as many as last year. Maybe that means a warm winter is in the offing, which wouldn’t be surprising. This summer we have experienced a record number of heat waves in this area.

Every fall I collect acorns and process them to make flour, and later cakes. You can read all about it in the book “Secret Medicines From Your Garden” where I include recipes for acorn bread and cake.

The horse chestnut leaves are just starting to brown and curl and the spiky nuts are turning brown. Soon they will be dropping from the trees. I use the brown , shiny nuts in salves which are anti-inflammatory and kill pain. (Find the salve recipe in my herbals which you can find in all the usual places and also at this website)

For those who read last Moonth’s blog, here is an update on the solar panel drama unfolding in my little town. First we collected enough signatures to hold a special town meeting to discuss the land owners who want to clear cut a 50 acre and a 60 acre swath of forest, to put up industrial scale solar arrays, back to back next to a residential area. The projects were first announced at the last official town meeting in May. The Selectmen entertained the projects without notifying the townspeople and it came as a shock to everyone. So in the special meeting we had three votes; one to authorize the Planning Board to negotiate with the solar developers in the event he projects are eventually approved. That passed. The second vote was to limit the size of any solar project to 4 acres. That also passed. And the third motion was to require any solar array to be 2 miles from another solar array. That passed as well. None of these will be binding until the next official town meeting in May of 2019. Stay tuned.

I should be clear that no one here is against solar energy. Far from it. But we want regulations about where solar arrays can be placed. The panels rightly belong on municipal buildings, on school rooftops, in supermarket and mall parking lots, on disturbed land, old landfills and other cleared areas. NOT IN FORESTS! We need our precious trees to clean the air and water, hold back soil erosion and floods, be a habitat for wildlife, cool and shade the area in a time of global warming, and hold carbon. Read more about this here.

In other areas of the state plans are afoot to clear cut forests just to make wood pellets for heating. Many of these pellets are shipped to Canada and Europe. Considering that every tree (especially a large, mature tree) holds carbon and that each tree provides oxygen for 2-10 people these forest losses are devastating.

There are already funds and tax breaks given to farmers and land owners for conservation easements. I guess the government needs to make the perks even higher. But with the current troglodytes in office, no way that’s gonna happen.

BOOK NEWS

VISIT IRELAND

The Wild Routes Ireland tour – the next one this September – highly recommended! I took the tour in May and learned a lot about the flora and fauna of Ireland, especially the plight of the forests.
They do two a year so you can catch the next one in May of 2019

EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS

I will be speaking at all these places – please come by and say hello!
Saturday September 8, 2018
Western Mass Pagan Pride Day
A talk on Witch persecutions in Europe and the US
11am-5pm
at the Florence Civic Center, Northampton MA
Thursday, Sept. 27th, 7-9 pm
Get your Halloween groove on early!
The Real Witches of New England book launch party, nibbles and fun.
At AwenTree, 102 Cottage St. Easthampton, MA 01027, 413-527-3331
Ellen will read from her new book “The Real Witches of New England” in which she presents a time line of Witch persecutions throughout history. She will also introduce you to some of the historical accused Witches from our area; The Witch of Northampton, The Witch of Hadley and others. Her books will be available for signing.
October 13 – April 2019
Intro to Herbalism and Self Care~ A Six Month Intensive
Two Saturdays a month, 1-5 PM near Amherst, MA
Western Materia Medica, Chinese 5 Element Theory,
Flower Essence Counseling, Formula making, Hands on Herbalism,
Ethnobotany, Herb walks, Homeopathic First Aid, Live case taking and more.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Celebrate Samhain!
Courtyard Marriott Nashua, 2200 Southwood Drive
Nashua, New Hampshire 03063
Directions
Saturday, November 10th
6pm to 8 pm
An evening with Author, Druid and Herbalist, Ellen Evert Hopman for a discussion and presentation of her newest book, The Real Witches of New England.
Deadwick’s Ethereal Emporium, 19 Sheafe Street, Portsmouth, NH – 603-619-6946
$20 pp – Space is very limited. Tickets go on sale September 1st, 2018.
Facebook event page