Preparing for horticultural therapy classes sometimes calls for working well in advance. For some of my classes this Fall and Winter I need a variety of cones and nuts. To best collect them I start foraging in late September and early October before the leaves fall.
This year I am fairly successful in collecting cones: spruce and pine are plentiful. On the nut front, however, there are few to be found. My trusty spots where I often find acorns, hickory nuts, chestnuts, and buckeyes for my crafts are devoid of these dried fruits. Even shell remnants from squirrel pickings are missing.
So I start drying more cones and (shudder) order some acorns and buckeyes on-line. My greenhouse is a great way to remove the dampness of the cones and evict bugs that are looking to make each seed hotel a residence for the Winter ahead. Before I give these materials to my clients, I sterilize them with a quick bake in the oven.
Even though I am short on the variety of materials I use, I’m sure I will find things to fill in the gaps. I always do.
