In spring especially, just as the world is becoming green again, there are a number of young shoots and leaves emerging which are particularly tasty. At this time of year the undergrowth in woodlands and grass in meadows are still quite low, making it really easy to see and then identify the good wild edibles as they emerge. Below are our top five spring greens,

Throughout the year we get asked to help out with events and projects related to wild food and foraging - and occasionally that requires heading out to explore and survey an area to see if it what we need is actually available in that location.

Something that we always talk about on our foraging courses is the law. This isn’t in a general “don’t do naughty things or the police will throw you in jail”, but a well researched overview of the various laws which apply when you are out collecting plants and funghi. Aside from the well-known factor of protected species, we talk about the less well known protected areas of land, which can even prohibit the landowner from digging a hole on their own patch without the correct permissions...

Where does this phrase come from and what does it have to do with that spiky shrub that's found in every British hedgerow?

As we roll out of a relatively cold winter into the first weeks of Spring - it's time to get out into the woods and fields and find some Wild Food.

A plant with many suggestive names thanks to it’s appearance, Arum is a commonly found, highly toxic plant of woodlands and hedgerows. Despite all parts of the plant being toxic, the root of Arum was once baked, ground and used as a substitute for arrowroot. The bitter taste resulted in it being demoted to use as a starch for ruffs, this isn’t recommended thanks to the skin blistering effects it has.