The government suggests stockpiling, and while tins and candles might prove useful, a more ancient urge kicks in for me at this time of year. Walking the hedgerows, the colours of jewels entice me, and my pockets fill with rosehips or glossy conkers. It’s ingrained. For a vast stretch of human history, we survived by foraging for food and medicine, even after agriculture became widespread.
My blackberries are stashed in the freezer. Folklore advises picking them before Michaelmas on 29 September – or 10 October in old folklore, when the devil spits on them. It’s reasonable, thus avoiding mouldy or frosted fruit.
There is an order and a rhythm. Next, rosehips. I plan to make syrup, rich in vitamin C, but it’s a faff. Instead, they end up dried in the oven, making healthy treats for the Connemara pony. Elderberries, tiny dark pearls that must be cooked before eating, are added to crumbles and apple pies. Sweet chestnuts are roasted on the wood burner.
The rosehips ended up destined for the Connemara pony. Photograph: Kate Blincoe
My favourite is the sloe gin ritual. Unlike blackberries, sloes are best picked after the first frost. In recent years, that’s not been until well into December, so I pick now and cheat the process by freezing them for 24 hours before adding them to gin and sugar. By Christmas, the syrupy liqueur will be ruby red. Ribena for grownups.
Last year was a mast year of widespread bounty. You’d expect this autumn’s yield to be much lower, but it’s not. The hedgerows are once again heaving. Maybe it is a reaction to a summer of drought, a panic effort in case the main plant does not survive.
I’m always mindful of taking what is not mine, but this year, more than usual. The land I have walked for my lifetime is for sale. As tenants, we’ve always had the same family of excellent landlords. Our position is secure – the tenancy is fixed for three generations, and the current landlords assure us the farm will only be sold to someone with a respect for conservation and the communities that love it.
The air is cooler today, with the promise of much-needed rain. My stockpiling complete, I’m ready to face winter and all that it may bring.
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