5 Fruitful Online Resources for Foragers & Adventure Lovers
Some of the platforms that I spend my time on as a forager and food lover...
A lot of articles we read that have lists of resources spend multiple paragraphs highlighting why they chose these resources and what are the benefits of learning more about these sites. I am not going to do that. It is probably the biggest problem with great recipe sites today. Just get to the point guys and give us the goods. So here are the resources that I use and platforms where I love to hang out:
Falling Fruit Map
The most wonderful thing about this platform is that it is built out of a passion and a want to share the world of wild food with the world.
Fallingfruit.org was created by Welty and Caleb Phillips, a computer scientist and fellow forager, with the aim of promoting urban foraging by providing an open-source map that documents the locations of edible plants in cities worldwide. They recognized the abundant food resources available and the potential interest in foraging, and thus sought to develop a more effective tool for recording the locations and fruiting schedules of these plants.
This is a fascinating resource, especially for urban foragers that may not know where to start looking for wild edible foods. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Pick Your Own
This year I wrote about why Europe needs to jump into the world of Pick Your Own as I saw first hand in Canada. This site is packed full of pick your own farms dotted around the world. Pick-your-own farms, also known as “U-pick” or “PYO” farms, are farms where visitors can go to pick their own produce, such as fruits, vegetables, or berries, directly from the fields. These farms provide an opportunity for people to experience agriculture and learn about where their food comes from. They also offer the freshest, local ingredients and an alternative to supermarket chains that often bring in produce shipped from around the world.
Many pick-your-own farms have different types of products available at different times of the year. Additionally, many farms offer extra activities, such as wine tasting, pumpkin picking, jam making, petting zoos and family days out.
Why should we cultivate a pick-your-own culture in Europe?
Pick-your-own farms typically operate seasonally, which is another reason to love them. What happened to wait until it was berry season to pick berries, holding out for Autumn to get the best chanterelles or making apple tart in September when the kids go back to school? The food we eat is undoubtedly connected with our family traditions and identity. Increased demand for a year-round supply of all foods from everywhere threatens the very enjoyment of eating, tasting, and valuing the foods we grow up alongside.
Paul Stamets on Mushrooms
Stamets is the most famous mushroom lover, researcher and enthusiast. He is an original influencer in the world of mushroom hunting and foraging. Check out his projects, his research, his TED Talks and his articles on his own website. His TED talk ‘6 ways mushrooms can save the world’ has been viewed over 22 million times and is worth a watch for anybody interested in learning more about our natural world.
Time Sensitive Podcast for Tuning In to Slowing Down
I have only recently discovered this podcast series for anyone who feels that they are constantly scrambling for more time these episodes will register a special place in your heart. I truly believe that connecting with nature and the act of foraging are two of simplest ways to slow down for a few hours of your week. Enjoy a few hours in the woods or the mountains, observing the leaves on the trees, hunting for mushrooms and discovering new landscapes. This connection with the environment around us is what makes us part of it as humans. The following episodes are worth listening to when you have some free time:
Orchards near me for foraging tours and recipes
Last but not least little old me. I have been writing and sharing my adventures for over 5 years now. Before that I managed to walk the Camino de Santiago a few times across Northern Spain, completing a Masters in tourism to connect nature and travel enthusiasts. I am here and willing to share all of my experiences with any budding adventurer, outdoor lover and wild food enthusiast. Although I promote a hybrid approach to travel these days as we try to tackle the larger scale issue of climate change I still feel like you need to physically experience the food around you, visit the farms, walk the trails and meet the locals to fully understand the culture of any place you are passionate about. All of the tours and the recipes on the site have either been tested by me or my very close friends so you can trust from experience.
Just one more little treat from me to celebrate National poetry month. As a girl from the city of Limerick I love writing limericks and supporting the limerick poetry community so here is a special little 5 liner to celebrate the quirky food lovers out there and the funny limerick poem.