Going On A Wild Food Foraging Walk
14th September 2024 - New Experience Number 23.
I LOVED going on a wild food foraging walk! We learnt so much in just a short time, and surprisingly we were right in the city centre!
If images of Tom and Barbara from the Good Life spring to mind, or if you think it’s something that only new-age hippies do, you’ll be surprised at just how accessible and easy foraging can be for anyone.
As I’d also tried whittling, beeswax candle rolling, and dry stone walling as part of my 52 new things for 2024, it feels like I’m gathering skills to prepare for the apocalypse!
Short Distance, Big Learning
Covering just over 500 metres, on a well used path close to the city centre, in just over two and a half hours, we discovered 18 different plants what we can eat!
That fact alone was astounding enough. However, learning from the expert about the amazing properties of plants that are usually ignored, was an amazing eye-opening experience.
Like a science lesson with a dash of history and a sprinkling of geography, nature has blown my mind yet again!
Eat Your Greens - But Only The Safe Ones!
There’s a lot of goodness in greens, but not everyone is a fan. I genuinely love vegetables and salad and don’t need to be coerced into eating them.
Having said that, I only eat fruit and vegetables from the shops. I have attempted to grow some of my own, but I’m not naturally blessed with green fingers. The results were barely edible.
The closest I’ve got to foraging before, was picking a bramble from a bush when I’ve been out walking. The only other thing I have tried which is less mainstream in the world of greens, is nettle tea. I can’t say I’m a convert.
Of course, not everything that grows can be eaten. Well, technically we could eat it, but the results can be deadly. Whilst I was keen to try foraging, I didn’t want to die. Booking onto a course seemed like a sensible, and fun, option.
Reasons Why Foraging Is So Good
Plants are superfoods containing so much goodness. Yes, even those thorny thistles and stinging nettles can provide lots of goodness for the body when consumed in the right way!
Most of us will have heard about food miles and the impact the distance our food travels has on the planet. With foraging, we’re talking about food metres!
Many of the plants that we can forage and eat are not only free, but also in abundance! Whilst nettle may not sound like the most pleasant plant to put in your mouth, there are lots of things that you can do to make it more palatable!
What It Was Like Going On A Wild Food Foraging Walk
On a crisp September morning, around 14 of us met Di from Wild Harvest School Of Self Reliance. Just a short walk from the city centre, we gathered by the River Ouse at a place I regularly run past.
I had never for a minute thought this would be a good foraging spot as it’s so busy. I’d always assumed you’d need to go somewhere more rural to find free wild food to eat.
We all had our own ideas about what foraging was, but the session began with an explantation of what it actually is so that we all shared the same understanding.
You might be wondering if foraging is stealing. Di had us covered – sharing the law around taking wild food, and how to stay on the good side of farmers. We also found out about a group who regularly break the law with foraging! It was a shocking revelation!
Arguably the most important thing we learnt were the excellent tips Di shared so that we won’t die. She was really passionate in sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm of foraging. She also wanted to make sure we all knew how to do it safely.
Meeting The Plants
We began our walk along the path by the River Ouse. Di introduced us to each plant as we arrived at them, telling us their latin name, and then the more common name we hear day-to-day.
Starting at the root, she would tell us which parts of the plant were edible, and how we could eat them, giving us some some brilliant recipe tips along the way.
We were introduced to some native smells and flavours which were incredibly aromatic. One plant in particular produced seeds which gave off the most wonderfully rich and deep fragrance of roasted oranges, whilst another had a powerfully pleasant pungency of pineapple! I can’t wait to try these in some of my cooking!
Like a mini lesson for each plant we met, Di expertly weaved together the science, history, Latin names and recipe suggestions. There was so much to learn!
The Science Lesson - Going On A Wild Food Foraging Walk
You know you’re in safe hands when your teacher really understands the science of the plants. It’s not just hearsay and handed down tales when it comes to foraging.
This was so insightful! From learning about the different nutrients of the amazing super foods that grow beneath our noses, to how the plants deal with toxins and why they grow where they do.
It was also fascinating to hear how some of them pollinate and interact with the rest of nature around them. I’ll never look at these ‘common’ plants in the same way again; they’re phenomenal!
The History Lesson
Foraging is not a new thing. Our ancestors were living off the land long before we knew how to process ingredients and package up products.
They had to learn about the plants; what they could eat; when they could eat them, and how to store them. They had to understand plants and the seasons in order to survive during the harsh winter months.
As we learnt about foraging traditions and how some foods were discovered, we also uncovered the meaning behind some old sayings too.
The Languages Lesson - Going On A Wild Food Foraging Walk
I can’t even remember the common names of all of the plants which we were introduced to, never mind the Latin ones! Di, however, fluently shared them all for each of the edible food sources we met.
Often the literal translation from the Latin provides some sort of indication of a feature of the plant, such as the shape of the leaves or where it might be found.
It’s not essential to know the names, but it was really interesting to find out the origins of them.
The Cookery Lesson
There were opportunities to nibble as we went along the walk, but most plants need to be prepared in some way in order to be eaten.
It was never suggested that we would only eat foraged food. In fact, most of the recipe suggestions involved other shop-bought ingredients to create some mouthwateringly delicious sounding meals.
Sharing tips on how to prepare the different parts of the plant, and how to use them in a variety of recipes, I think we all came away from the walk brimming with ideas and definitely feeling ready for lunch!
Why You Should Consider Going On A Wild Food Foraging Walk
Firstly, if you’re interested in foraging, I’d highly recommend learning from an expert.
There are so many potentially poisonous plants that it’s hugely important to make sure you only forage for the ones which won’t give you an upset tummy, or even worse, kill you. Find out from someone reputable who’s been doing it safely for several years and really knows their stuff.
If you want to cut your food miles, and eat a bit more sustainably, learning about foraging is a great skill to have to help on both these counts.
It’s free food! In a world with ever rising costs, it’s helpful to know ways that you can save.
Whether you’re considering living off grid, or taking an extended adventure into the wilderness, learning the basics of foraging could be really useful.
It’s also a great thing to do for some team building with a difference, or any nature themed events you might have coming up.
Why I Loved Going On A Wild Food Foraging Walk
It was a really well thought-out and considered session.
Rather than a lecture, Di combined the captivating science, history and nature, for my first fascinating foraging experience.
I’d never expected to find so many edible plants in places that I regular pass, and I had no idea about the amazing things that you can cook with them.
From stir fry’s, to crisps, to wine, it is truly incredible what we can make with these plants. I’m really looking forward to trying something with oak in the spring.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- The 2 hour wild food foraging walk was with Wild Harvest School and took place in York.
- You can find more information about the foraging walk and other experiences from the Wild Harvest School Website, Facebook, or Instagram.
- Wild Harvest also offer various on-line courses, so if you aren’t near York you can still learn about foraging from them.
- Take a look online for other providers who might offer a session near to you.
Cost Of Experience
- The session that I booked onto cost £18.99 for the two hours.
- Prices will vary depending on where you try your foraging experience, and the provider. Full day sessions can cost from £70 upwards per person.
Recommendations
- Go on a guided forage. You’ll learn lots and you’ll stay safe.
- Take a note pad. You’ll learn a lot and there’s no way you’ll remember it all.
- Alternatively, use your phone to make notes and take pictures of the plants you learn about.
- Check the forecast and dress for the weather.
- Don’t forget the sun cream, especially if you’re on a live foraging experience, rather than a virtual one.
- Ask questions – your teacher or instructor will usually be happy to help you learn as you go.
- Have fun and let me know how you get on if you give it a go!
This would be so great to try, I love that you are doing this and sharing some great advice/tips about it all. Wonderful!
Thank you so much! I absolutely loved how much we learnt in such a short space of time, and in such a short space too! It was so brilliantly run. Thank you as always for the kind comment, I really do appreciate it! Hope you have a great week ahead :o)
I’m very surprised that there we 18 plants that were edible found close to a city centre. You just don’t think a urban area would have that much variety
I couldn’t believe that either! I thought we’d have to go out to the countryside, so that was an amazing discovery.
Thank you so much for reading, and taking the time to comment too.