It’s an in-between time of year. Gearing up for Christmas but so over Fall. At Small Farm Canada we are thinking about the holiday season and ways our readers can be festive without breaking the bank or the planet. Reflecting their attitudes and interests and maybe a few ideas along the way to commercialize.
Every Friday until the New Year, is a Festive Friday with tips, ideas and expert advice on foraging, buying local, repurposing, re-using and low-impact seasonal decor with season-end waste management tips to boot.
Festive Foraging
To start, let’s discuss foraging for green and brown materials. As landowners we often have resources at hand to create festive farmgate appeal. Favourites like cedar (western and eastern) can be cut here and there and not affect the shape of the tree. Spruce, hemlock, pine and fir all provide a nice show and can be harvested with a scatter approach, here and there and not impact the tree.
Downed trees and tree branches also present an opportunity to express creativity. Lichen and moss-covered branches can offer a spectacular place for a string of lights.
Certain bushes like red and yellow dogwood offer bright coloured accents to the natural greens and browns. Spent flower heads and even moss offer great options for a natural display.
Be conservative when foraging – taking small amounts of branches, twigs and moss per location allows trees, shrubs and moss-cover to recover.
Editor’s tip: Remember to use clean, sharp cutting tools and clean them often during cutting.
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