Full-day Foraging Course (multiple locations)

Description

Foraging Experience Days – Sheffield, Huddersfield, Northallerton and Manchester.

I run full-day foraging experiences in Sheffield, Huddersfield, Northallerton and Manchester between (and including) April and October. This course is designed to be an introduction to foraging focusing on giving you the knowledge and confidence to start and fast-track your foraging journey, but covers many more species than on a half-day course, and goes into greater depth. It also comes with a delicious 3-course foraged lunch! As always with my courses, children under 12 come free (within reason, and please let me know in advance), and well-behaved dogs on a lead are more than welcome.

The day begins just before 10 AM with a casual and relaxed meet and greet. We then take a two-and-a-half-hour walk (covering one to two miles) around some woodland and grassland, stopping regularly to discuss, gather and/or eat the many edible goodies we find along the way, whether that be foliage, flowers, fruits, nuts or mushrooms! What we’ll find depends on the time of year. The morning session will cover:

• A brief introduction to myself and foraging in general.
• Finding and discussing around 20 species common across the UK that have food uses.
• How to identify the species we come across.
• Information about toxic species to avoid.
• Foraging laws and principles to ensure you forage legally, safely and responsibly.
• Trying a couple of pre-prepared wild food-based samples!

 

We’ll then have a 3-course lunch, which will include some foraged goodies and may even include some of what we’ve gathered from the morning!

After a delicious taste of the wild, we move on to the afternoon session which includes:

• A practical walk-through of my favourite foraging books and how best to use them.
• Finding and discussing at least 10 further species common across the UK that have food uses.
• Foraging for non-food uses, such as medicinal uses, and finding natural plant fibres to make your own natural string or rope!
• Learning about “forest bathing” and the importance of trees from a foraging perspective.
• Going deeper on some of the topics we covered in the morning including identification skills and toxicity.

 

Across the day we will cover around 3.5 miles and certainly no more than 4 miles. We will aim to finish around 3:30 – 4:00 PM. After the course, I will send a follow-up email to participants with a summary of the species we found and other useful information, including a summary of my recommended books for further reading.

In wet weather, it is important to ensure you have waterproofs, but for the lunch part of the day, a tarp shelter is provided if raining.

Making foraging fun and safe

Foraging is fun and fascinating, with so many benefits it’s unbelievable. It’s as safe as anything when approached with the right level of caution, awareness, and knowledge. It’s important to realise however that foraging can be dangerous IF you approach it with a lack of caution (recklessness), and/or a lack of awareness of the risks and without the respect nature deserves. During the course, I will show you how to approach foraging in a way whereby you don’t just minimise but eliminate all risks, so you are free to enjoy the multitude of benefits that foraging brings into your life – and there are many!

Log in to nature

The experience has foraging at its heart, but it will also immerse you in nature and facilitate a connection to nature that will lead to many physical and mental health benefits.

Humans have been foraging as a way to survive for hundreds of thousands of years. Before farming, this was how we survived – finding what nature provided in harmony with the seasons and the land. This period before farming forms over 95 per cent of our existence as a species, so to our brains and bodies, foraging is incredibly natural – this is one of the reasons it feels so good!

I believe that people and society would benefit enormously from taking a subtle step towards nature and a simultaneous step back from technology and our digital world. Foraging is one of the best ways to disconnect from our busy modern lives of emails, social media and technology, and reconnect with nature and our ancestral roots. During this course we will log off from the modern world and log in to nature!

Meeting point and parking

A few days before the course date you have booked, I will email you with exact details of where we will meet in the location you have booked, along with any other useful information such as where to park, what to expect, etc. If you book at the last minute, then as long as you have booked before 6 PM the day before, I will still email you the details. If you book after 6 PM the day before or even on the day itself, then please message or ring me on 07712 213470 for the details.

Group bookings and discounts

If you’d like to arrange a private group booking for friends, family, club/community group, or business, please contact me on 07712 213470 or email me at [email protected]. Discounts available depend on group size.

I run private courses anywhere in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and potentially other areas of the UK – please contact me to check if I can do your location if outside of Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

FAQ

What if I want to buy this course as a gift?

Book using the Gift Voucher option, and I will email you the voucher to give to the recipient. The recipient can then use the voucher code to book the course date of their choice.

What’s the best time of year to go on a foraging course?

When I’m running the courses from March to November, there is no “best” time to come as they are all good, just for different reasons. Each month and season offers things that are unique to that month and season, so if you are interested in learning foraging in general, then any course in any month will be good.

That said, if you are particularly interested in things that can be used in salads and as vegetables, Spring and early Summer are best. If you are interested in learning about mushrooms specifically (and aren’t bothered about much else), then Autumn (September – November) is best.

Can I bring my dog?

Well-behaved dogs on leads are more than welcome.

Is the route suitable for pushchairs?

Some areas will be tricky for a pushchair. A baby carrier would be a better option.

What do I need to bring?

A few days before the course, I will email you a short list of what you need to bring. After the course, I will email you a summary of the species we found to help you remember what you have learned.

What if I change my mind or can’t make it?

If you change your mind after booking a course or can’t make it on the day, please let us know as soon as possible, and a full refund will be issued, or if you prefer, you can re-arrange to book on a different available date.