🧺 WITCH CHALLENGE - Foraging Fun

[BryWisteria]

Merry meet,

Thank you once again to all those who joined in for the previous Witch Challenge - Hot Brews & Magickal Stews

After indulging in cozy warmth, it’s time to step out into the light - a wonderful and wild witchy world awaits!

The theme for this challenge is inspired by the season and is …

Foraging Fun
Free spell ingredients and gifts from nature

Witchcraft doesn’t need to break the bank - there’s an entire world of free ingredients right outside your door! Foraging is the act of searching for useful items. Throughout history, people have foraged for food, supplies, and treasures. These days, foraging is both a traditional pastime and a fun hobby

When searching for spell ingredients, natural decor, or interesting sights in nature, the sky is the literal limit. You might look for shells, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, sticks, stones, or anything else that catches your eye. You don’t have to go far, either - foraging can be done in your backyard. Local parks and nature preserves are also good options, but be sure to check local regulations and follow park rules if you choose to forage in public spaces.

Whether you’re a foraging pro are new to the concept, this challenge invites you to look around and find the treasures at your feet. I can’t wait to see and hear about what you find

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This challenge is about foraging - how you choose to take on this theme is up to you. So are you ready? Because it’s…

CHALLENGE TIME!

Mandatory disclaimer: While foraging, please remember to keep ethics and safety in mind. Some things may be endangered and/or illegal to remove from nature, while other things may be dangerous to handle. Please forage mindfully.

From Spells8: Thyme to Be Healthy

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Gifts From Nature

This challenge is all about foraging - as always, feel free to explore the theme in a way that aligns with you and your unique practice.

Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few suggested spells and other ways in which a witch might approach this challenge.

Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account so you can view all of the resources shared!

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Hunting for Treasures

Had an adventure in the woods, on the beach, or by the stream? Feel free to share your foraging escapades as your challenge entry! We’d love to see your photos and stories of both your foraging finds and the scenery.

Picture from Canva

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Spellwork, Decor & More

Whether you’re using your foraging finds in spells or as natural seasonal decorations on your altar - feel free to share!

Hag Stones & How to Use Them

Bone Magick: How to Use Bones in Witchcraft

Spiritual Healing Herbs

Plant Magick: Spells & Recipes

How to Make & Consecrate Your Wand

Crafting with Dried Lavender

Additional resources and related discussions:

• Natural witchy treasures
• Happy Foraging
• The honor of receiving feathers
• Feather Spells?
• Foraging for Amber 🔎
• Into the Woods for Shrooms and Blues 🍄
• 👻 Ghost Pipes ~ A Phantom-Like Pain Killer
• Acorn Magick: Notes from My Book of Shadows
• Harvesting wood for wands

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Forage to Table

There are many wild edibles and free-growing plants that can be added to culinary dishes. Feel free to browse your garden or head out to the woods - but as always, only consume plants you are 100% sure about!

Tools of a Kitchen Witch

Magickal Kitchen Blends

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…And More!

The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity. If you feel called to explore the challenge theme in another way, you are welcome to do so.

Picture from Canva

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How to Join the Challenge

In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it!

Where Do I Share My Entry?

Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry

You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!

Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)

Note: If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you!

Click here for a note for our lovely lurkers

Everyone is welcome to join the challenge. For those who would like the challenge prizes, please know that you will need to share your experience if you want to receive a prize and a public shout-out.

Don’t feel comfortable sharing? No fear! For lurkers and those who are shy, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge on the sidelines. At the end of the day, these challenges are here to help you help yourself by expanding and enhancing your personal magickal practice. I hope they can be helpful for you!

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Deadline

This challenge will close in 13 DAYS

To join in, please share your experience by:

Tuesday, October 21 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2025-10-21T11:00:00Z

(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)

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Prizes

For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!

Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums the day the challenge closes.

After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.

Picture from Canva

A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice

If you’re not sure whether or not something is acceptable to post, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.

And for those new to challenges- welcome! Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways

Picture from Canva

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Over the river and through the woods,
To forage treasures we go
From feathers to stones, herbs and bones-
What’d you find? We want to know!

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Blessed Be

[BryWisteria]

Pick the Challenge Badge

The tradition continues! Let us know - which title do you like the most?

(Poll is anonymous)

• Forager Witch
• Gatherer of Goodies
• Woods Walker
• Treasure Hunter
• Witch Scout

The title with the most votes will be awarded to all challenge entrants.

Thanks for sharing your vote - blessed be!

[Artemisia]

Suuuuuuuper excited for this one! I know exactly what I’m going to do and plan on gathering this afternoon!

[Susurrus]

Oh I was just on another topic & talked about doing this! It’s almost a daily thing for me… I’m constantly foraging for something. I also now have my kids doing it & at least 1 of their coworkers also helps. My husband is always finding things that he brings home to me too.

I think if I can manage it, I may have a wonderful entry! If I can’t make it out, then I absolutely have things around my home in & outside that also fit the bill.

I’m excited for this one! I can’t wait to see what everyone is able to do for their challenge entry!

[Artemisia]

Challenge Entry - Foraging Fun

Some on here might know that I have a fondness for foraging for wonderful things that I find on my runs and hikes. A sample can be found in this post.

This is absolutely perfect timing, as I was doing this anyway, as fall is my favorite season - I love fruits, seeds, nuts. I decided to focus on nuts that are also edible.

(Source)

• Black Walnut ( Juglans nigra) - I first was interested in this plant to gather the husks to use for dye, but that ended up being too much of a hassle, then I realized, thanks to Alexis Nicole, I was reminded that the walnuts are edible!
• Today I rolled the husks on the ground to break them open to get to the walnuts, washed them (and used a brush to scrub), did a float test (floaters need to be tossed out - either bad, empty or have bugs), then I placed the remainder in the fridge where they will stay for a few days to kill any buggies left.
• Health Benefits: “Black walnuts may have anticancer effects and promote heart health and weight loss. Additionally, plant compounds in the hulls have antioxidant and antibacterial properties.” (Source)

After their trip to the freezer, they need to cure for 2-4 weeks in a cool, dry location before we can open and eat them. Regular nutcrackers aren’t strong enough to break the shell, so I’ll use a hammer!

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(Source)

• Chinese Chestnut ( Castanea mollissima) - I saw this tree in a yard I have run past before but didn’t really think too much about it until this week when I ran past and noticed many of the fruiting burs had dropped to the ground and split open revealing shiny chestnuts! The burs are incredibly sharp, so i didn’t have to get poked (too bad).

Alexis Nicole video on foraging for Chinese Chestnuts.

I washed them, tossed the floaters and nuts with weavil holes then put them in the freezer. I’m planning on roasting them.

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• American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
  
  
  
  (Source)

Good article on foraging, processing and using American Beech Nuts.

Perfect timing as the beechnuts are abundant! I gathered the beechnuts from the tree in my backyard, picking the most open husks to remove the nuts. I then washed them and tossed the floaters. These are in the freezer for a few days as well. As raw beech nuts contain fagin, a mild toxin that can cause stomach upset, I will roast them before eating.

I’m excited to report back in a few days after they’ve all come out of the freezer.

[julie8]

This is awesome when I think of foraging, I think of foraging for food. I forget about all the other goodies you find around the place. I didn’t see that as foraging. I have so many things that I gather from the world outside. I look forward to putting something up for this challenge.

Hag stones, feathers, drift wood, shells, stones, bones, herbs, flowers, leaves, gems, wild food. So many things

[Susurrus]

@Artemisia those are fantastic! How amazing that you have several different types around you & can collect them so easily! I have never seen any of those in my travels or that I remember anyway!

@julie8 that is one thing that I love about this place, you can come in trying to figure it out & then someone comes along & gives you a whole new perspective

[Mystique]

Excited for this challenge! I know exactly what I’m doing!

@Artemisia you are so lucky to have so many great trees around you to forage from . I can’t wait to see the results when they come out of the freezer!

[Melora_Fae]

Gosh, I’m sad that mushroom season is done here! But I love looking for rocks, I might see if something pops for me. I haven’t walked recently as it’s been quite blustery. How fun!

[martje]

Challenge entree forage fun

I love to find stones! When I thought everything was desperate I found heart shaped stones everywhere in the woods

So I thought there is always love even when I think it isn’t

I offered them to my favorite tree a beautiful oak.

And a heart shaped whole in moss as well.

This last summer I spent in England and I found the biggest hagstone I ever saw

And a few others

The second last picture is not very clear but this one looks like an owl , with holes as eyes, they go all the way through. I am planning to paint the owl on it.
The last stone I took is just a very strange form like it is been folded.

You can imagine that my suitcase was a lot more heavy when I got back to the Netherlands. They had to come with me!

[TheMuslimWitch]

Oh what a great challenge! Hope i can’t find some beautiful items when i go walking daily Can’t wait to see what everyone else forges too

[georgia]

Challenge Entry

Usually when I move, I return natural items to Mother Earth. This past move, though, I was gifted with a ton of foraged items just as I was packing to move, so I dried and kept them. I don’t really know why I had this sudden change, but I accept it.

At first, I thought this challenge was the perfect time to research and post correspondences to the treasures gifted to me before my move. I need to label each item with it’s correspondences anyway. What a perfect way to be held accountable!

Yesterday, I mentioned to my driver and her grandson that I like these challenges. I was immediately gifted with (being forced to evacuate the truck by the grandson’s gas) a foraging walk around a trailer park. I found catalpa tree leaves and a broken “cigar,” and a bunch of bittersweet berries. Then the grandson gave me a pair of giant seed pods he’d found on a mysterious vine which he wanted to learn more about.

After that, we went to a new to me grocery store, where we revelled in odd fruits, rare vegetables (to this area at this time of year), and specialty spices. I picked up prickly pears, radishes, celery which was more “heart” than stalk, allspice berries, ground nutmeg, star anise, and loose chamomile flowers.

I began my day super early due to someone having a loud radio playing. Might as well get myself organized. Put a lot of things away which I hadn’t had the time or energy to store before. Then I started looking up correspondences. Found a new to me website with repetitive, but nice lists: spiritualmojo.com Not done, but here are some rare ones.

Radish: purification, health, energy, new beginnings, protection, self care, grounding, balance, release, self defense, self realization, intuition, simplicity, honesty, courage. Absorbs and neutralizes negativity. Cuts through illusions. Calms the mind.

(I think I will dry some of the tops for use in a simmer pot)

It turned out the mysterious vine was a Trumpet Vine.

Boundaries, resilience, joy, prosperity, abundance, creativity, inspiration, communication, support, initiative.

Amplification of messages. Believe in yourself. Healing the heart. Be unique. Uplift others. Harmony in the background.

Caution: handling the vine can cause a rash similar to poison ivy.

Prickly Pear: resilience, self defense, boundaries, protection, wisdom, foresight, healing, independence, hope, courage, patience, unexpected positives. Finding the balance of tough love. Overcoming obstacles. Accepting personal weaknesses. Look beyond the surface and preconceptions. We beat fruit in our actions, behavior, and our treatment of others.

As for Catalpa, Tess Whitehurst said it meant individuality, creativity, and unseen allies.

Inf.news from China said that catalpa wood was used to make musical instruments due to the way it resonated and created tone and harmony. Catalpa means home or homesickness, history, tradition, tenacity, good luck, happiness, success, protection, purification. The pursuit of dreams is part of realizing our value.

Bittersweet by Auntyflo.com protection, cleansing, truth, platonic love. Healing skin, joints, mucous membranes, allergies, herpes, inflammation, the liver, diarrhea, and late menstrual. (Probably means do not take if pregnant.)

Rimon Chowdhury includes the flowers are good for the healing of fevers, arthritis, digestive disorders, pain, eczema, and psoriasis. Calming, rebirth, balance in duality, conflict, good luck, prosperity or misfortune.

Please note that bittersweet is poisonous to humans and animals.

[Jeannie1]

Artemisa,
Such wonderful exquisite knowledge thank you!!

I love the pics such a joy you are thank you for sharing and loved the video! She’s got a great song to go along with her black walnut! I know someone who has a orchid of

@Susurrus

I’m constantly foraging for something.

Me too Susurrus I actually was foraging for books yesterday and found a couple really great books one which I’ve been looking forward to having for a really long time! First I found the Essentials for Life which goes over all the essential oils! I love this book and I was foraging through all my essential oils and I could’ve swore that I needed Roman chamomile but I was wrong. I had it and no I was missing my vivitier! Just love this book
emotional index

I also went on a walk and I found a sycamore tree
Morning glories
Dandelion
Buddies Royal Red Butterfly bush

Sage

I believe this is cotton and not sure how to use this but it was cool that Park and Rec had a lot of plants to choose from.
I came across a fig tree which was not in full bloom. I found many great oak trees, and even pine which had a bunch of pine sap and always wondered what I could use the sap for and found out I can use it for grounding purposes and using it for incense. Can’t wait to use it it smells really great!

Jeannie

[julie8]

CHALLENGE ENTRY

I collect anything and everything. I love nature and what nature has to offer. If we respect our environment, it will respect us in return.

I live in the country but also go to the coast where I have a second home (motor cruiser moored at the marina). I have collections of bones, skulls, birds feet, feathers, shells, hag stones, driftwood, stones, rocks, twigs, dead roots (which I make into a display piece), and lots more. I also love foraging for mushrooms after the rain; I restrict myself to the common mushrooms which I can identify but don’t go any further than that.

Foraging in nature is not just about finding food; it is a journey that connects us to the environment, teaches us about the world around us, and emphasizes the importance of respecting nature’s balance. It allows us to experience the rhythms of the natural world, observe the changes of the seasons, and appreciate the beauty of the wild. Foraging also fosters a sense of gratitude for the resource’s nature provides and encourages us to leave enough behind for others to thrive. It is a practice that promotes sustainability, self-reliance, and a deeper connection with the land and its inhabitants. (wildharvest.com)

[Jeannie1]

Wow I’m in love with your alter space it’s so beautiful!

@julie8

. It is a practice that promotes sustainability, self-reliance, and a deeper connection with the land and its inhabitants.

Mines was a joke compared to yours but honestly I was just going for a walk in nature! I’ll have to find my twigs and my collection of the land and inhabitants. I really appreciate your input though. Your Witch is really beautiful!!! I’m drooling over all of these!!
@georgia
Jeannie

@georgia

I was gifted with a ton of foraged items just as I was packing to move, so I dried and kept them.

Lucky

@georgia

I don’t really know why I had this sudden change, but I accept it.

I know what you mean I’m in the same situation but I’m waiting here in limbo !

@georgia

What a perfect way to be held accountable!

I totally agree it’s holding me accountable lol
Funny you brought up that website about the dream interpretation. I had a woman give me a pomegranate yesterday well she didn’t know how much I have worked with the pomegranate because of the myth and Persephone. It gave me a dream last night and I’m not sure but it was a truly mind tripping experience. I actually picked the pomegranate seeds out last night. So thank you for that website!! I just love your correspondences! You did a wonderful job and I’m going to step it up! I’m in a healing journey and it’s not easy but I always have you and all and the land and let’s not forget the animals!!
Jeannie

[veronica1]

CHALLENGE ENTRY

I’ve been foraging for about 5 years. So when I saw this challenge I decided to do something fun. I went out into my yard on 10/11 and foraged for everything I could find whether it was edible, useable in my practice, for my Samhain altar, medicinal or I just liked it. I hadn’t had much time to forage this growing season as I had planted so many new plants, just watering them took most of my free time. I have a little over 3 acres so I had some ground to cover (and I didn’t even walk the whole thing). I grow a lot of stuff so that is included here.

So here’s what an hour and a half produces:

My foraging basket which is a shower caddy with a plant motif (from Home Goods)

Nope didn’t forage him, but I love a Wooly Bear.

Even if I hadn’t found anything to forage, it was just a beautiful day.

A portal to somewhere?

Pretty sure this is a fairy house. I’ll have to leave them an offering.

Did not forage the sugar but here are the results:

Green Twister Cone Flower Seeds

Blue Lobelia Seeds

Maple leaves

Hydrangea flower

Rose Hips

False Indigo seed pods

New England Aster

Birch twigs

Apple twig

Oak twig

Sage

Peony leaves

Lichen

Yarrow leaves

Lemon balm

Clematis flowers

Clematis bud

Clematis seed heads

Solomon’s Seal leaves

Common Mullein leaves

Dog bane flowers & leaves

Thread Leaf Coreopsis seed heads & leaves

Artemesia Silver Mound leaves

Perennial Sunflower seeds

Rusty screw

Emperors New Clothes Hosta leaf (just a piece of it, the deer got the rest)

Green fern

Fall colors fern

Milkweed pod

Chives

Witch Hazel leaves

Burning Bush leaves and berries (berries are toxic, so definitely not for eating)

Pine branch covered in lichen

Birch bark

White Pine needles

Blackberry leaves

Wood sorrel

Plaintain leaves

Horseradish leaf

St. John’s Wort leaves

Pineapple mint leaves

Hosta seed pods

Cherry tomatoes (the last few that are still green but hopefully will ripen on my counter)

Garlic chives

Borage seed heads

Lemon Thyme

Feverfiew leaves

Valerian leaves

Black Eyed Susan seed heads

Willow branches (not shown in the photo, they’re outside waiting for me to strip the leaves and turn them into a wreath)

Trigger Warning-dead animal discussion

And a dead doe which had been hit by a car and thrown onto the edge of my property. It had been there for quite a while. It was mostly bones, skin and fur. I ended up moving it into a little open space in some of my maples. Once she has been able to complete her decomposition with a little more dignity, I will collect her bones and use them in my practice as a way to honor her.

[jennifer18]

FORAGING CHALLENGE ENTRY!!!

Hi there my witchy friends! These are my goodies so far that I have foraged in my own back yard for and also where I work. ( I’m a supervisor at a very prestigious country club that has a huge golf course) . This country club has been here since 1854 ….with that being said there are MANY great trees and plants growing for decades and it adds such a great historic feeling when I forage there. My back yard has so many herbs and plants I grow myself and make goodies with. Blessed be!

[georgia]

@veronica1

love a Wooly Bear.

Looks like rough winter weather at the beginning and end, with a long stretch of nice weather in between. Good to know.

[BryWisteria]

One week to go!

Look at all the beautiful goodies and gifts from nature - you all have a good eye for finding treasure!

For those still pondering about the theme, rest assured that plenty of time remains on the challenge clock. There is one more week until this challenge closes.

Looking forward to seeing your entries!

Blessed be

[Artemisia]

@Mystique

have so many great trees around you to forage from

@Susurrus

several different types around you & can collect them so easily

I’ll admit that I’ve been in North Carolina for over 15 years and haven’t paid any attention to the tree species until the past two years. I was surprised at what was right in my own neighborhood.

Challenge Update

I had some time to roast the beech nuts and the chestnuts. The beechnuts were harder to peel out of the inner shell to prepare for roasting, but super easy to cook.

They’ve pretty tasty and remind me a bit of pinenuts. Add a little salt and they’d be great to snack on (despite being high-fat like most nuts). Only downside is that while there are a ton of nuts per tree, maybe 1/3 of what I collected either had anything in it or weren’t buggy. The float test before roasting eliminated most of the harvest. FUnny thing is I read a reddit post about foraging for Beechnuts and one poster said they’ve sworn off them several times before and then find themselves being drawn back in by the triangular nuts I’m not sure they are worth my effort but given the tree is steps from my house, I can’t promise I won’t try again next year.

The chestnuts… goodness, they are a bugger to prep for roasting without cutting yourself! Used a serrated knife and wore oven mitts to carve the X’s into the sides to keep them from exploding while they roast in the oven.

The shells peel back while the chestnuts roast.

I found my harvest had more “not so great - bad” ones than I would have expected, given they passed the float test. I did have a few that were perfect. And really yummy!

Honestly, I’m not sure I’d go through the hassle to collect, process, and roast chestnuts again for so few edible. I was surprised, given what I’d read, I would have figured I’d have fewer good roasted beech nuts than roasted chestnuts.

In any case, it was thoroughly enjoyable! Maybe next year I can find a good stash of acorns and try making acorn macaroons with them!