About ‘The Forager’s Guide’ – A Mission Statement of Sorts
Right then. What is this here ‘Forager’s Guide’?
Well, as the bold subtitle states, it aims to be “The complete guide to the edible flora, fauna, and fungi of the UK
The simple concept behind this Blog, and indeed the whole Forager’s Guide project, is that there is simply masses of tasty and healthy food waiting to be foraged in the wild – a simple, easy to use guide and a little encouragement is all that is needed to get people out there.
A Green and Pleasant Land
We in the British Isles live in one of the greenest and most fertile lands in the world, surrounded by many many edible plants, fungi and animals. Yet every weekend we are happy to spend a few hours in a sterile, artificially lit and air conditioned, supermarket, picking up the same expensive meat and vegetables, with very few of us giving any thought to what is available in out native landscape. This is a shame, but there are two, perfectly valid and understandable, reasons for it.
The first, and probably the most pervading, is drilled into us from childhood – don’t eat what you don’t know. Now, this is actually good advice; although a good proportion of the wild plants and fungi are edible, many more are inedible (that is they contain no nutritional value or taste), and of those, a small, but significant, proportion are poisonous (having a negative effect on our bodies). But that does not mean that all wild food is deadly! This fear is a big one to get over – it is, in effect, a fear of the unknown, and it can only be overcome by knowing what to eat and when. Taking my daughter to school a few years ago, I heard one mum say to her child, who had innocently picked a Blackberry, “put it down, I could be poisonous”. Could be, but isn’t. It’s all about knowledge – and this is where the Forager’s Guide comes in.
The second is laziness! It is, of course, far easier to do the weekly shop. I admit that, and also use my local supermarket - one cannot, easily and conveniently, live off the land… and more importantly coffee does not grow wild in the UK
We at the Forager’s Guide believe that it is important to get out and forage your own for the following reasons.
It’s healthy! Fresh, free range, and organic, it doesn’t get better! Eat immediately, or, by following the Blog or website, processing and storing. Plus, there is the added benefit of being outdoors, walking, hiking, foraging and, if you are like me, getting lost in the woods!
It allows an understanding where food comes from. Real food is not pre-packaged, plastic-wrapped trays of greens all the same, or perfectly uniform fruits, unblemished and clean. It has to be sought, found, uncovered, dug up, shelled, picked, harvested, plucked, cleaned, scrubbed, checked, and felt, smelt, and prepared.
It’s great fun. Out in the countryside, enjoying it, and, in a sense, reconnecting with it. We have been removed from the land by convenience and ease, let’s get back into it again! Rain or shine, winter or summer, it’s beautiful. Go on, go for a walk. Have fun, enjoy the outdoors, take a new path, explore, ask yourself “what’s down that path?” and remember – always take a guide and a bag or a box, you never know what you might be eating for dinner!
It’s immensely rewarding. Honestly. Sitting down and eating a meal containing ingredients found by you, tucking into a salad that was, 20 minutes earlier, growing innocently in a field, or helping yourself to a third glass of wine that you made yourself, or even spreading home-made jam onto your morning toast - it all gives a real ‘feel good’ sensation – triumph and satisfaction mixed with a sense of well-being… of course that may just be the wine talking!
The last reason... well, ultimately, it’s free food! It costs nothing to collect, and is there for the taking.
Go on, what’s stopping you?
