EP42: Medicinal Forest Gardens

EP42: Medicinal Forest Gardens

Author: Robin Harford September 16, 2022 Duration: 41:48
In this episode, I talk with Anne Stobart, who set up the Medicinal Forest Garden Trust, about why we need to grow medicinal and food trees instead of just ornamental trees and shrubs.

There's a quiet revolution happening just outside our doors, in the hedgerows, parks, and forgotten corners of the landscape. Eatweeds Podcast: For People Who Love Plants is your guide to that green world, hosted by forager and ethnobotanist Robin Harford. This isn't just a list of what's edible; it's a deep, sensory dive into our relationship with the flora around us. Each episode feels like a walk with a knowledgeable friend, one who points out not just the names of plants, but their stories, their historical uses, and their place in both ancient traditions and modern kitchens. You'll hear conversations that weave together practical foraging tips with cultural anthropology, exploring how plants have sustained human life for millennia as food, medicine, and material. Robin brings on experts and practitioners who share their hands-on experiences, from turning acorns into flour to understanding the medicinal compounds in a common weed. The podcast moves seamlessly from the science of plant identification to the folklore buried in their old names, creating a rich tapestry that connects listeners directly to their environment. It’s for anyone who has ever looked at a plant and wondered, "What's your story?" This series provides those answers, fostering a deeper appreciation for the wild, often overlooked bounty that grows all around us, making every walk an opportunity for discovery and connection.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 58

Eatweeds Podcast: For People Who Love Plants
Podcast Episodes
EP17: New York's Notorious Vegan Forager [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:56
Notorious New York vegan forager Steve Brill was busted by the cops for picking a dandelion. In this interview the father and daughter double-act discuss their foraging antics around New York. While revealing how to craf…
EW16: Herbalists Without Borders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:54
An interview with Becs Griffiths and Annwen Jones from Herbalists Without Borders (Bristol) - talking about social justice, radical herbalism and providing free healthcare to people fleeing conflict, persecution, and int…
EP15: The Handmade Apothecary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:37
In this episode I talk with two amazing herbalists about why we need to build ‘health resilience’ using herbal medicine, in an age of NHS cuts and a national health crisis. When is the best time to self-medicate, and whe…
EP11: Nathaniel Hughes On Intuitive Herbalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:35
Nathaniel Hughes discusses intuitive herbalism. How to develop deep relationship with the healing plants that live around us. How to know plants beyond the intellect, and meeting plants as friends. Lay-herbalism; the con…
EP10: The Wild & Wonderful World of Fungi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:07
A walk in the woods fungi foraging with the wild and wonderful Craig Worrall from Edible Leeds. I recently visited Craig at his home in Leeds, and he kindly took me out to one of his favourite fungi patches to talk all t…
EP09: Foraging With Europe’s Grand Master [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:29
A very special interview with foraging grand-master Francois Couplan. In this podcast Francois talks about his early influencers, animism, human and non-human relationships, plus the new wave of using wild edible plants…
EP08: Emma Kidd on First Steps to Seeing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:17
Practical ways to deepen your relationship with plants, by enhancing your ability to 'see' plants more fully, in a way that no mainstream botany class can ever teach you.