September-Shroom Month

I always feel nostalgic when Summer comes to an end, but then September does not allow me to mop for long, painting my world in vibrant oranges, reds and yellows, creating a sense of wonder and a temporary burst of beauty before the darkness of Winter.

The act of tress letting go is effortless, a natural cycle of life and a reminder for us to release old patterns, possessions or ideas that no longer align with who we are or want to be.

I reflect on how Autumn teaches me to navigate my own transitions with more grace and understanding, giving me an opportunity for reflection and contemplation.

Every day the forest lures me into the secret places, with the distinctly earthy, woody and musky aromas from decomposed leaves, mushrooms and other organic matters, beckoning me to explore my connection to nature and my inner self.

While I am witnessing one of the nature's wonders in her most creative of cycles, I am on my hands and knees, breathing in the living forest floor.

A legion of Fall Fungi has finally arrived- its a shroom season!

The best time to celebrate mushrooms and learn about their magical underground world.

From classy looking Amanitas wearing brown, yellow and red skirts, to Yellow Foot with their skinny legs barely standing, and Hedgehogs showing their teeth, the rich tapestry of the fungi kingdom is truly magical.

Soon be also time for Cinnamon smelling Matsutake.

I embark on this journey and learn their language as they whisper their wisdom.

I see a bigger picture of Mycelium linking the trees and plants together, allowing them to find their own language and exchange life giving nutrients, reminding me that all living beings are woven together in this magical tapestry of life.

We have two Eco Tours planned for this month- September 14th and September 28th, providing an unforgettable journey through the natural beauty of our woods in Nova Scotia.

After the tour you will be treated to a gourmet lunch with foraged and seasonal ingredients cooked by Chef Fiona Genevieve from Molotov Cuisine. You can book the tour on our website.

We also have our monthly Witch in The Ditch Herbal Workshop on September 19th from 6p.m. - 9p.m. in Fall River. Spaces are limited, so book yours as soon as possible.

This month we will explore Vitamins and Phytonutrients.

Are supplements needed in our life?

Has our health and lifestyle reached a point of no return where regular food cannot sustain us?

We will dive deeply into the multi billion dollar industry, the Vitamins and their requirements.

I will share my knowledge and you can decide, if you need them or not.

These workshops are always fun and very informative.

After the workshop I serve 3-4 courses wholesome and seasonal dinner.

Your investment is $65. You can book by texting me on 902-402-8819 or sending me an email jolantayoga@hotmail.com

This is also such a busy period of wildcrafting and gathering medicine for my products.

I formulate natural cosmetics and herbal products.

Vegetorium Farm Market in Fall River now stocks a lot of them.

One of their customer, designed a beautiful wooden board for me and hand painted LilaRosa and Rosa Valley Logos.

Now i have my very own board!

I am soaking a lot of different herbs in oils to formulate herbal salves.

I always feel inspired by the abundance of Summer and Fall, and at this time of year I feel the most creative and new products are born.

I am changing some of the ingredients of Rosa Valley herbal teas, to include more local herbs, foraged by myself.

We will have a new Tea Blend- Brain Power and Stress Tea, ready in two weeks.

I will also be formulating a new Skin Salve- watch this space, as all the herbs are dancing together in this beautiful and colourful jar.

For the past few weeks I have been collecting an endless amounts of Rose Petals and Evening Primrose Flowers for herbal teas and our two beautiful Elixirs- Rose Elixir and Evening Primrose Elixir. They bring calmness, harmony and happiness into my day and I do not want to imagine my life without them.

I am still gathering Calendula, as they poke their happy sunny faces at me.

I have been soaking the petals in oils and fresh batches of Calendula Salve has been already made. I always carry this salve in my purse and i use it on my hands and lips. It is also good for any skin conditions, dryness and burns.

Collecting Rosehips every year is a true labour of love and devotion.

My hands are covered in thorns and cuts.

I patiently remove all the seeds from the Hips before dehydrating them for tea blends. It takes hours!

I utilize this time with listening to my herbal studies.

I like when my Apothecary Jars are filled with good quality herbs before the winter, such as this one with Rosehips.

Our Celtic Sea Salt with Sea Vegetables is back in stock.

It takes several months to gather sea vegetables from ocean shores in Nova Scotia as they emerge month by month. Sea Asparagus is added at the end s it emerges later, than the rest of the sea herbs.

I add a pinch of the salt into my morning drink to hydrate and i use it on all my foods.

New Fish Salt Blend is in the making with exciting ingredients and it will be ready in few weeks.

So this has been my wonderful summer, filled with what I love doing, hanging around forests, sea shores, herbs, magical places and my family visiting from Poland.

Two weeks of quality time and appreciating every moment, as I knew how quick it would go ( and it did!)

How was your summer?

Below is the picture of us in Peggys Cove, my sister Alicja and my niece Dominika

I have also been honoured to take part in shooting an episode for Postcard Production Inc from BC- Postcard from Halifax.

We had so much fun with Christa Couture who is the host of the show, also an award winning writer and Canadian broadcaster, musician and disability advocate.

We were at the beautiful Conrad's Beach exploring the world of seaweeds.

The episode will be ready in Spring 2026. Cannot wait!

My Brother in Law has been here hardly for few days and he ended up being a TV Star. He was helping Christa when she got tired.

I am forever grateful for what I do, spending time in nature , lecturing , teaching Yoga, formulating and studying to become a Clinical Herbalist.

Thank you to all who enrich my life on this journey.

May the Forest and Mushrooms be with you my friends

See You In The Wild!

Jolanta Grossman