My mother and I joined you on a seaweed forage near north Berwick Just before lockdown, we thoroughly enjoyed it, I could walk with you along sea shores and through woodlands every day! It’s really wetted my appetite to learn much more especially herbal medicine/ medicinal plants. I really hope we can join you again in the near future. Kind regards, Zoe
Firstly thank you for your knowledge and for sharing.
Foraging is one of my first loves. I was brought up foraging for wild fruit and flowers to make wine's jams and chutneys. My mothers knowledge was limited bless her so all information greatfully received. Recently I have taken an interest in the healing properties of plants and I would love to forage mushrooms but the only ones I am confident enough to collect are shaggy ink cap and giant puff balls as hopefully I cant get those wrong!!🌝
Thanks Again.
Cathy!
Just thought of something else. I find the Hemlock family and their look alikes very confusing. Please can you shed some light on them all at some stage. Thank you.
I would really like a wee list of what would be most useful and seasonally available on land and seashore, as part of your posts. I’m in Far North of Scotland so I am thinking it might prove geographically challenging but even a few general things.
Hi Monica, everything you write is interesting! But at the moment I am especially interested in medicinal (or especially health promoting) qualities of plants. Tips on mushroom hunting too.:) Thanks for sharing your knowledge so generously
I’ve been on a few of your courses which I really enjoyed, and I learned a lot about flowering plants and mushrooms. And forgot a lot of it too, despite taking copious notes!
I would love to learn more about using plants to help boost the immune system
My heart always gets a wee flutter when I get your newsletter. One preoccupation I have is female health (two daughters and one grand wean) with particular reference to autoimmune disease, female preponderance, testosterone and wild pollen. Any thoughts on this would be very welcome
Hi Monica, thanks for a wonderful foraging day on Saturday ... your knowledge blew me away! Fascinating what is all on our doorsteps and how we can go forward sharing our world in a better way with nature. I would love to know more about both foraging and medicinal benefits ... you REALLY sparked my interest and I'd love to know more! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us ... invaluable! xx
Hi Monica, I only started foraging this year after a serious kitchen accident that ended my chef career. in my restaurant, I always promoted local and local picked(foraging is such a yuppie name) plants etc. I am lucky that I can check with experts who supplied my restaurant but more importantly, as a chef and educator, exploring, tasting and appreciating the natural world has really helped me come to terms with never been able to work in a professional kitchen again. I was lucky enough to survive 3rd-degree burns over 15% of my body (10 days in ICU), accepting that I needed to find another way to express my passion for food. Walking for me was a necessary evil after the accident until I started to examine my surroundings, the passion I carried into the kitchen now makes my medically mandated enforced walks into a child-like experience which means I start with a blank slate but question everything
I really want to work on foraging for children as I am preparing a proposal for my Phds on a critical pedagogical approach with primary school children that will incorporate foraging, the sapere use of senses, culinary induction but most importantly that the children involved in the study have a say(their voices heard) with participatory research, any help or advice you can give is appreciated, cheers paul
My fathers people left Skye with the first load of Selkirk settlers. They came to PEI (Canada) and I’m in the Quebec townships where Gaelic was spoken until yesterday. I was in Skye a couple years ago and visited Flora MacDonalds grave site. It’s right next to a reconstruction of village where folks lived on the shores of the ocean - A tough life my ancestors left behind!! Kinda thought maybe those Selkirk people were lucky.
Anyhow, they ate a lot of seaweed and must have harvested - could you tell me how they did all that and what it was all used for. Over in Norway they had commercial operations, think some was used in agriculture?
The Bay Of Fundy has the best tasting Dulse. Is that the same as what you have in Scotland? So many varieties.
Hi Monica, so glad to find you! How wonderful you love your work. I have used herbs medicinally for decades- always want to learn more, and love fermenting veggies, water kefir, and whole grains for sourdough. Foraging is a definite interest too! I have grandchildren, and we are near the beach. Seaweed is highly valued in our home. Anything to do with eating and wellness. Looking forward to your newsletters!
Hi Monica, thank you very much for your interesting newsletters, so lovely to read them and I'm learning a lot! I live in the Netherlands, but would really love to come for a course/foraging walk someday.
Besides learning about medicinal plants and foraging in general, for me it would be nice to learn more about edible plants that can be foraged in late fall, winter and very early spring. And also about buds (and bark) of common trees and shrubs that are edible and what to do with them. Oh and something about edible ferns would be interesting too :) Okay wauw that's a lot. Thank you. Tanja
Other things I’m often unsure about are practical considerations like when to sterilise and when not, to wash or not to wash foraged plants. Preservation methods such as with alcohol, vinegar, glycerin. How to store? Shelf life? All of the above in relation to medicinal plants.
Can you tell us how to make elderberry syrup and/or tincture. I’m also interested in food preparation outdoors meaning outdoor cooking with foraged ingredients.
Hi Monica, I'm interested in all of it! Ferments, medicines, mushrooms, recipes.... I don't think that will help you narrow down the newsletter though!
Identifying at least one mushroom that I could pick. And I don't mean for Tesco! I would also like to use more herbs and spices in cooking. Looking forward to getting back outside.
Hi Monica, thank you for sharing your knowledge, and giving us wild loving people opportunities to learn more. Herbal medicine and mixing the right herbs is my topic. I also like to walk around the nature and knowing what plants are growing where. Really like to take people out or give them advice where to find the plant they are looking for. so foraging is my way too. best wishes Jana
There's so much seaweed along the coast and I'd love to know more. I know you do some coastal foraging courses but maybe a newsletter article would be good too. Types of seaweed, when to harvest, how to use-and the benefits. Thank you!
My old dog has taken to foraging his own remedy along the riverbank .
Every day he searches out the choicest leaves of the comfrey plant. He seems to really enjoy eating them. He is 12 and starting to slide down the hill and is troubled by sore limbs ,shaky legs ,aches and pains,nausea and tiredness, much like his owner. He has had terrible experiences with medication from vets, so we don’t do that anymore. Lurchers have very sensitive stomachs . and I wonder if you have any ideas about herbal remedies I could make for him which might ease his pains and bring him comfort. A soothing lotion for itchy bits perhaps , or a wee potion to aid anxiety might be really helpful, he’s become more nervous and vulnerable as he ages.
Hi Monica, I would love to know of the berries, mushrooms and wild foraging ingredients around us to eat for our well-being. I am in West Lothian born to UK with an Indian great grandfather who was famous in his community local in India as the the herbal doctor. I never met him but the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in that I naturally have grown up walking in nature looking at the wild plants growing wondering what healing benefits they have for humans. I would also love to attend a foraging course that gets run at times? Thanks Saima
Hi Monica, yesterday I read a post where a woman uses dried linden leaves instead of flour. I never though they could be used other than for salad. Could you write about wild alternatives to flour please?
Both herbal and medicinal plants. And more about birch. Birch has come up a lot for me in the last 2 weeks and never really before. Feeling that something is telling me to find out more. Thanks so much.
I have recently subscribed to your weekly newsletter and I am so glad I did: your articles are fascinating, thorough, well written and can even be thoughts provoking.
I have a keen interest in mushroom hunting and foraging in general so would love to read more from you on this. Me and my children would also be very interested in going to one of your foraging course / walk when you restart them.
Hi, at the moment by main interest is being able to identify the plants which naturally grow in my allotment in Edinburgh, and some of their uses.
Thanks
Hello Monica,
My mother and I joined you on a seaweed forage near north Berwick Just before lockdown, we thoroughly enjoyed it, I could walk with you along sea shores and through woodlands every day! It’s really wetted my appetite to learn much more especially herbal medicine/ medicinal plants. I really hope we can join you again in the near future. Kind regards, Zoe
All of these Monica, particularly Medicinal plants please.
Dear Monica.
Firstly thank you for your knowledge and for sharing.
Foraging is one of my first loves. I was brought up foraging for wild fruit and flowers to make wine's jams and chutneys. My mothers knowledge was limited bless her so all information greatfully received. Recently I have taken an interest in the healing properties of plants and I would love to forage mushrooms but the only ones I am confident enough to collect are shaggy ink cap and giant puff balls as hopefully I cant get those wrong!!🌝
Thanks Again.
Cathy!
Just thought of something else. I find the Hemlock family and their look alikes very confusing. Please can you shed some light on them all at some stage. Thank you.
I would really like a wee list of what would be most useful and seasonally available on land and seashore, as part of your posts. I’m in Far North of Scotland so I am thinking it might prove geographically challenging but even a few general things.
Hi Monica, everything you write is interesting! But at the moment I am especially interested in medicinal (or especially health promoting) qualities of plants. Tips on mushroom hunting too.:) Thanks for sharing your knowledge so generously
I’ve been on a few of your courses which I really enjoyed, and I learned a lot about flowering plants and mushrooms. And forgot a lot of it too, despite taking copious notes!
I would love to learn more about using plants to help boost the immune system
Thanks
I'm not really a mushroom / fungi lover but appreciate the nutritional benefits. However I'd like to see herbal medicine included.
My heart always gets a wee flutter when I get your newsletter. One preoccupation I have is female health (two daughters and one grand wean) with particular reference to autoimmune disease, female preponderance, testosterone and wild pollen. Any thoughts on this would be very welcome
Hi Monica, thanks for a wonderful foraging day on Saturday ... your knowledge blew me away! Fascinating what is all on our doorsteps and how we can go forward sharing our world in a better way with nature. I would love to know more about both foraging and medicinal benefits ... you REALLY sparked my interest and I'd love to know more! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us ... invaluable! xx
I'm interested in foraging, mushroom identification , berries . Leaves garlic etc.
Thank you for the amazing content! Mushrooms and Berries, please!
Hi Monica, I only started foraging this year after a serious kitchen accident that ended my chef career. in my restaurant, I always promoted local and local picked(foraging is such a yuppie name) plants etc. I am lucky that I can check with experts who supplied my restaurant but more importantly, as a chef and educator, exploring, tasting and appreciating the natural world has really helped me come to terms with never been able to work in a professional kitchen again. I was lucky enough to survive 3rd-degree burns over 15% of my body (10 days in ICU), accepting that I needed to find another way to express my passion for food. Walking for me was a necessary evil after the accident until I started to examine my surroundings, the passion I carried into the kitchen now makes my medically mandated enforced walks into a child-like experience which means I start with a blank slate but question everything
I really want to work on foraging for children as I am preparing a proposal for my Phds on a critical pedagogical approach with primary school children that will incorporate foraging, the sapere use of senses, culinary induction but most importantly that the children involved in the study have a say(their voices heard) with participatory research, any help or advice you can give is appreciated, cheers paul
Nice website, thanks & hope you are well.
My fathers people left Skye with the first load of Selkirk settlers. They came to PEI (Canada) and I’m in the Quebec townships where Gaelic was spoken until yesterday. I was in Skye a couple years ago and visited Flora MacDonalds grave site. It’s right next to a reconstruction of village where folks lived on the shores of the ocean - A tough life my ancestors left behind!! Kinda thought maybe those Selkirk people were lucky.
Anyhow, they ate a lot of seaweed and must have harvested - could you tell me how they did all that and what it was all used for. Over in Norway they had commercial operations, think some was used in agriculture?
The Bay Of Fundy has the best tasting Dulse. Is that the same as what you have in Scotland? So many varieties.
I love dulse! Thanks, jane
Hi Monica, so glad to find you! How wonderful you love your work. I have used herbs medicinally for decades- always want to learn more, and love fermenting veggies, water kefir, and whole grains for sourdough. Foraging is a definite interest too! I have grandchildren, and we are near the beach. Seaweed is highly valued in our home. Anything to do with eating and wellness. Looking forward to your newsletters!
Many Thanks,
Pat in California
Hi Monica, thank you very much for your interesting newsletters, so lovely to read them and I'm learning a lot! I live in the Netherlands, but would really love to come for a course/foraging walk someday.
Besides learning about medicinal plants and foraging in general, for me it would be nice to learn more about edible plants that can be foraged in late fall, winter and very early spring. And also about buds (and bark) of common trees and shrubs that are edible and what to do with them. Oh and something about edible ferns would be interesting too :) Okay wauw that's a lot. Thank you. Tanja
Hi Monica. Any plans for next courses or walks that my wife and I can sign up for? Steve
Other things I’m often unsure about are practical considerations like when to sterilise and when not, to wash or not to wash foraged plants. Preservation methods such as with alcohol, vinegar, glycerin. How to store? Shelf life? All of the above in relation to medicinal plants.
Can you tell us how to make elderberry syrup and/or tincture. I’m also interested in food preparation outdoors meaning outdoor cooking with foraged ingredients.
Hi Monica, I'm interested in all of it! Ferments, medicines, mushrooms, recipes.... I don't think that will help you narrow down the newsletter though!
I would love more recipes for how to include medicinal herbs and mushrooms into our diet. I love the Fermentation and traditional food recipes!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am a relatively new forager therefore I am interested in foraging, hunting mushrooms and herbal medicine too.
Hi Monica, Herbal medicine please
Identifying at least one mushroom that I could pick. And I don't mean for Tesco! I would also like to use more herbs and spices in cooking. Looking forward to getting back outside.
Hi Monica, thank you for sharing your knowledge, and giving us wild loving people opportunities to learn more. Herbal medicine and mixing the right herbs is my topic. I also like to walk around the nature and knowing what plants are growing where. Really like to take people out or give them advice where to find the plant they are looking for. so foraging is my way too. best wishes Jana
There's so much seaweed along the coast and I'd love to know more. I know you do some coastal foraging courses but maybe a newsletter article would be good too. Types of seaweed, when to harvest, how to use-and the benefits. Thank you!
Herbal medicine, tonics, medicinal plants please 💛💜💚
Dear Monica,
My old dog has taken to foraging his own remedy along the riverbank .
Every day he searches out the choicest leaves of the comfrey plant. He seems to really enjoy eating them. He is 12 and starting to slide down the hill and is troubled by sore limbs ,shaky legs ,aches and pains,nausea and tiredness, much like his owner. He has had terrible experiences with medication from vets, so we don’t do that anymore. Lurchers have very sensitive stomachs . and I wonder if you have any ideas about herbal remedies I could make for him which might ease his pains and bring him comfort. A soothing lotion for itchy bits perhaps , or a wee potion to aid anxiety might be really helpful, he’s become more nervous and vulnerable as he ages.
Hi Monica, I would love to know of the berries, mushrooms and wild foraging ingredients around us to eat for our well-being. I am in West Lothian born to UK with an Indian great grandfather who was famous in his community local in India as the the herbal doctor. I never met him but the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in that I naturally have grown up walking in nature looking at the wild plants growing wondering what healing benefits they have for humans. I would also love to attend a foraging course that gets run at times? Thanks Saima
I have a wide ranging curiosity. It is going to be verrrry interesting to follow wherever you lead.
Hi, Do you ever do foraging walks in the Highlands? I would love to learn more about Fungus Medicine. Thanks ☺️
I’m interested in all of this. Thank you for creating a forum to share. I’m looking forward to being here :)
Hi Monica, yesterday I read a post where a woman uses dried linden leaves instead of flour. I never though they could be used other than for salad. Could you write about wild alternatives to flour please?
Do you do any courses or workshops anywhere near Edinburgh? I have been enjoying your newsletter and weekly information and begining to forage more!
Both herbal and medicinal plants. And more about birch. Birch has come up a lot for me in the last 2 weeks and never really before. Feeling that something is telling me to find out more. Thanks so much.
Hi Monica,
I have recently subscribed to your weekly newsletter and I am so glad I did: your articles are fascinating, thorough, well written and can even be thoughts provoking.
I have a keen interest in mushroom hunting and foraging in general so would love to read more from you on this. Me and my children would also be very interested in going to one of your foraging course / walk when you restart them.
Thank you.