The Merry Month of May

Well, here we go, another month has begun - what will it hold.

stinging nettles

Folklore states that nettle leaves should be picked before May Day because after that the Devil uses the leaves to make his shirts.

elder

 While some people believed that elder protected them against witchcraft (especially on May Day when the leaves were particularly powerful) and were happy to have it in the gardens, other thought it was a wicked plant (it was known as the 'Devil's wood' in Derbyshire) and wanted nothing to do with it.

maypole dancing

Traditionally, a day of great celebration and festivities, including Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen and Maypole dancing.  Seeding had been completed by this date so it was convenient to give farm workers the day off.

mead - made by fermenting honey and water

Mead was drunk, this is a potent alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey and water, and all over the   world people have been getting drunk on it for centuries.