EP55: The Wild Power of Mushrooms

EP55: The Wild Power of Mushrooms

Author: Robin Harford July 2, 2025 Duration: 55:30

Tom Baxter is the founder of Bristol Fungarium, the UK’s first organic-certified medicinal mushroom farm. A former organic vegetable grower and forest school leader, Tom has spent years foraging in the wild across the Pyrenees, Siberia, and the forests of Somerset. Today, he leads a pioneering operation that not only cultivates native strains of mushrooms but also funds neuroscience research and runs the only dedicated analytical lab for medicinal fungi in the UK.

In this episode, Tom joins Robin Harford for a rich and far-reaching conversation about the power, mystery, and challenges of working with medicinal mushrooms. They explore the rise of lion’s mane, the pitfalls of the supplement industry, why most mushroom powders are misleading, and what makes a mushroom extract genuinely effective. It’s a frank and passionate look into one of nature’s oldest and most complex kingdoms.

🎧 Listeners get 15% off at https://bristolfungarium.com/ — use the code WILDPOWER at checkout.


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
EP07: Miles Irving on Foraging & Sustainability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:23
Miles Irving from Forager Ltd, talks about commercial foraging and sustainability, and why the old conservation paradigm is now obsolete.
EP06: How To Make Nettle Leaf Protein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:19
Michael Cole the creator of Leafu a commercially available leaf protein product, discusses why it is so beneficial to humans and the planet.
EP05: Remembering Frank Cook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:57
On the anniversary of Frank Cook's passing, friends remember him and how his work continues through the organisation Plants & Healers International. Includes interviews with Sandor Katz, Mary Morgaine & Marc Williams.
EP04: Plant Observation & Goethean Science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:27
An interview with Craig Holdrege from the Nature Institute on "Plant Observation & Goethean Science". How to truly know a plant beyond the traditional classification & pattern methods of plant identification.
EP03: Revisioning Herbal Medicine For The People [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:50
An interview with Simon Mills, herbal practitioner and author of Principles & Practice of Phytotherapy, The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety, Dictionary of Modern Herbalism. In this interview Simon's talks about : Why pl…
EP01: Wild Dolmades, Is Comfrey Safe To Eat, Self Care Using Plants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:22
In this episode wild food chef Paul Wedgwood from Edinburgh talks about using Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata) leaves as a dolmades wrap. Research herbalist Monica Wilde takes us through the latest research on whet…