John Rensten (author of The Edible City) discusses how to keep foraging in a city during the coronavirus lockdown. How to stay safe, keep your distance and why foraging is vitally important for mental and physical wellbeing.
Show Notes
- Forage London website.
- The Edible City by John Rensten.
- John’s Facebook page.
- John Rensten’s Instagram page.
It is not just that I learn much when I listen to your podcasts–which I do–it is that your assumptions feel good down deep and ‘nourish’ me. Inherent in much of the muck attacking you is the idea that adults need to be herded as the worst kindergarten teacher micromanages…we need to rebel. “Delete”…lovely resonance and if words had aroma I would smell a rose;)
I know you don’t need to hear it from me Robin, but please keep on doing what you’re doing. More awakened Souls are needed! You are doing a great service and I appreciate you. Your podcasts are always excellent and refreshing. Thankyou x
Excellent podcasts and very interesting. Thankyou Robin.
Excellent Robin keep it going I love the articles and stuff
Hi Rob just got your book and going to get in to that new to this I love listening to your pod casts
Hi Rob live in seaham so we’re not in city I would like to know more about city foraging
I have just spent a more than pleasant hour listening to you chat away with John about the ‘dos’ and don’ts’ of foraging. It has certainly made me step back and look more at what I may be about to grab and eat. I was amazed to hear the edible quality og cherry blossoms. There’s a huge tree in my neighbours garden full of blossom right now… and the wind will just take the blossoms and scatter them to them. The point about gathering wild garlic, too, is helpful. I will be buying John’s book so that I can re-educate myself beyond gathering the simple dandelion.
Fantastically heart warming as always Robin! Really enjoyed listening to that episode as with all the others in the past! Loved what John said about facial recognition and greeting and knowing plants like an old friend! If he’s got no copyright on that I’d love to use it in my own blog for an article this episode has inspired me to write?
Can’t see why not…
What a lovely introduction to foraging thank you so much, I feel so enlightened – particularly the idea that foraging is not like visiting a supermarket! Having grown up as an urbanite, I am so accustomed to having stock available at my fingertips. I imagine foragers have so much more patience, and respect for nature and an open-mindedness, while I am such a creature of habit and seldom try new fruits and flavours. My fiancé has recently introduced me to coastal/wild spinach, and I LOVE it. We have now made a habit of collecting a few leaves on our exercise route home and enjoy them lightly fried with garlic and onion. Visually it has such a lovely intense green and I always imaging I’m digesting this wonderful salty, mineral rich goodness – sans chemicals.
I am over the moon that I can go and pick and eat from “Nature’s garden”. Yesterday I picked a beautiful spray of Hawthorn blossoms and on researching their identity, came across your blog and was delighted to see that Hawthorn is a food too. There are rows and rows of hedgerows on the route we run, I’ll be carrying a little backpack from now on so we can enjoy a cup of hawthorn blossom tea afterwards. Also looking forward to trying the Dragon’s Breath Relish once the berries are out.
Thanks Robin we are very inspired!