Earth Pathways Showcase

Gathering wild plants is our botanical birthright, it’s rooted within our bones to harvest the gifts of the earth. The woodland was my first love and safe haven, a place where I could steal away to conjure up whimsical stories and brew blackberry tea for the faeries. I was captured by the woodland’s feral nature, the crabapples that hung like Christmas baubles in the barren winter landscape, the stinging nettles that tickled my feet and the vines that wove their spirit around me. The woodland inspired my imagination to experiment; the thrill of roasting hazelnuts until their shells inevitably exploded was how I learned to cook my foraged fares. Returning home at dusk, my woodland always came with me, her thorns embedded in my skin and her sticky seeds in my hair.

Thirteen years ago, I moved to a magical island, to a place with enchanting hedgerows and a field full of sheep. Yet the land was weary and called out for a new community, so with the sheep safely moved, I planted a woodland of 5000 trees. Foraging became my life again and the tasty snacks that accompanied my events became very popular. The recipes were in constant demand, by people wanting to experience a bit of wild food magic. So eventually I put a little book together…

Seasonal Wild Plant Recipes © Julia Cooper