The benefits of foraging

When I gave up my allotment, i knew that I wouldn’t be able to grow the same amount of food in my suburban garden. Being on a fixed low income, I needed to subsidise for my lost produce, some how, in order to make sure that I had enough nutrition. I therefore turned to foraging. I had always foraged blackberries and a few apples, but hadn’t really realised all the benefits of foraging.

1.  It made me walk more steps. I had a reason to walk as I was hunting for more sources of food. I would walk in various seasons and make a map of what I found. If I saw blossoms on trees it might indicate a food source later, and I would research and go back when in season.

2. The nutrients in foraged foods are of a higher quality than bought, or most grown food.. The seeds we grow have been tampered with (F1’s etc), food has been modified to have less seeds, and be disease resistant, and this has impacted on the nutrition.  Chemicals in fertilisers, weed killers, and preservatives, etc, are unfortunately also present in our supermarket food. As long as I am careful where I forage (away from pollution, and where it might be sprayed, and off dog walking routes), the quality of my foraged food is superior.

3. I now feel a much deeper conection with nature. I am more aware of the seasons, the impact of the weather, how clever and resilient Mother nature is, and I have greater knowledge and respect for my surroundings.

4. Seeing the connection between food and it’s medicinal properties was a game changer for me. Once, I just fed my face with things I liked. Now I understand the impact of what we eat on our health, and the way that different plants can impact on our bodies. I am buying less off the counter drugs and using natural, free, remedies provided by nature.

5. It may sound silly, but I feel this enormous sense of doing what I am meant to be doing. Our ancestors lived by foraging, and it feels so natural and spiritual. The more that I learn about plants the more I am in awe of how those ancestors lived. Mother Nature provides so much of what we need.

6. My carbon foot print is small. By foraging responsibly, and growing my own food, I am eating in a sustainable way.

7. Whenever I am out and about, I am more mindful of my surroundings. When out walking, or even in the car, I spot apple trees, or other items, without even looking or trying. People with me don’t even notice them.

8. Spending more time in nature collecting food helps to boost my mood and so improves my mental health. I get a real buzz from filling a basket with free food and then preserving and cooking with it later. Being in nature also reduces my stress levels.

9. I am in my senior years but the research and learning that I do to forage safely, improves my memory, and keeps me wanting to carry on learning. I have to keep using my brain.

10. I am outside more and so I am getting a big boost of vitamin D  (as well as all of the vitamins and minerals provided by the plants).

11. I do a free work out when I forage. I am often bending, stretching, balancing, carrying a  bag full of produce, and have to climb down banking or a gully to get the best specimens. Foraging therefore benefits my over all fitness and flexibility.

12. Foraging provides me with free, good quality food. The nuts and fruit, especially, are things that I would not be able to afford on my budget. They provide us with treats and nutrition during the winter, and help with the cost of the festive season. The wild garlic in spring adds taste and flavour to our food for free, all year round when preserved.

13. One of the benefits of foraging is that it has made me be more creative in the kitchen. I have learned new recipes, learned to preserve in different ways and learned to use foraged items in my weekly meal plan. I am eating more seasonally.

14. Foraging is something that I can do with friends and family and pass on my knowledge. It is a fun activity. Mr S and I have some lovely memories of us foraging Mirabelle plums on a break in Aberdeen, or collecting 3 cornered Leek in Cornwall. My daughter remembers holidays when I would put her on my shoulders to pick apples on the side of canals, or we would collect blackberries on cliff tops.

15. Some of the berries, mushrooms, and nuts are very expensive in the shops and so it gives me a buzz knowing that I have found them for free. I get to cook with ingredients that chefs pay a fortune for.

16. The foraging community are usually kind and happy to share their knowledge. I enjoy being part of a community that has those values and is connected with nature.

17. I love learning about folklore and spells, and old remedies and recipes. I feel closer to my ancestors and have a greater understanding of the history of those that walked the earth before me.

18. Foraging has helped me survive and thrive in so many ways, and not just by providing food. It has made me feel more secure as the world changes. The unknown future seems less scarey as I learn more survival skills.

Word of warning.

Don’t eat anything that you have foraged unless you are 100% sure what it is.

If you are on any kind of medication, or have health problems, it is best not to eat foraged plants without consulting a doctor.