S2 Ep16: Norfolk Folklore Society presents Edible Plants and their Magical Uses with Val Thomas

S2 Ep16: Norfolk Folklore Society presents Edible Plants and their Magical Uses with Val Thomas

Author: Norfolk Folklore Society January 14, 2024 Duration: 1:02:56
Our December 2023 talk was given by the wonderful Val Thomas. Val, a good friend of the Norfolk Folklore Society (she was the first ever speaker the NFS had at our monthly talks!), shared some recommendations for a magical Yule or Christmas dinner  with our guests.

About Val:
Val Thomas is a witch, a craftsperson, herbalist and a teacher. For more than a quarter of a century she has lived in Norwich, working with the magic of the land – its plants and creatures, its gods and its spirits – and exploring the ways of Norfolk’s Nameless Tradition of witchcraft and magic. During this time, Val has played a prominent role in the magical and Pagan community in Norfolk, helping to run public events, workshops and rituals and guiding many seekers upon the winding paths of the Quest.
Val wrote her first book, A Witch’s Kitchen, in 2001. Since then, she has written articles for The Cauldron, has a regular column about Norfolk magic in Quest, and another about magical herbalism in Pagan Dawn.
Her most recent books are Of Chalk and Flint: A Way of Norfolk Magic and Bounded in a Nutshell: Lockdown, Magic and Infinite Space. Her newest book, Hallowtide: A Dark Devotional, is available on pre-order at www.troybooks.co.uk.

You can also support Val via her Patreon, which we can highly recommend - Val Thomas | creating a tapestry of magic: books, spells, charms and herbs. | Patreon

Hosted by Siofra Connor and Stacia Briggs, the Norfolk Folklore Society podcast is a series of audio expeditions into the weird and wonderful layers of England’s most enigmatic county. Each episode is a deep dive, moving beyond well-trodden tales to uncover the living strangeness in the landscape-from whispered ghost stories in forgotten churches and encounters with elusive big cats in the fens, to the peculiar history of village witchcraft and modern accounts of lights in the Broads sky. The conversations feel like joining two deeply knowledgeable friends on a long walk down a muddy lane, where every crumbling wall or oddly shaped tree might have a story. This isn’t just about cataloguing the past; it’s about listening to how these old currents of belief, fear, and magic still ripple through the present. Whether you’re someone who instinctively scans a field for fairy rings or you simply enjoy a compelling, atmospheric story, this podcast offers a unique and grounded perspective. The tone is one of genuine curiosity and respect, treating each subject, no matter how uncanny, with thoughtful consideration. You’ll hear firsthand accounts, historical research, and lively discussion that connects ancient folklore to contemporary experience, all centered on the rich, eerie soil of Norfolk. It’s for anyone who suspects there’s more to a place than what appears on the map.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Norfolk Folklore Society
Podcast Episodes
S2 Ep10: Tales from the Black Shuck Festival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:08
This episode takes us back to the Black Shuck Festival on August 5. Thank you to everyone who attended and to the festival for having us: we had such a magical time and hope to be involved with next year’s Shuck shenanig…
S2 Ep8: Encounters with Black Shuck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:53
We’ve got a very special podcast for you today: we travelled across the border to Bungay to speak to two eye witnesses who have seen – or heard – everyone’s favourite cryptid canine, Black Shuck. Another eye witness acco…
S2 Ep6: The time slip in a toilet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:04
Today’s podcast is all about the slightly unusual story of time travelling…in an abandoned Norwich underground toilet which has now been demolished. So this isn’t one you can try at home… This curious tale is courtesy of…
S2 Ep5: Norfolk Folklore Society presents Our Favourite Stones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:11
Last week Stacia and I shared some of our favourite stones in Norfolk with the Norfolk Folklore Society. We told tales of stones said to increase fertility, stones with curses attached to them, stones where offerings are…
S2 Ep4: The Callow Pit Coffer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:17
Today’s podcast is a classic bit of Norfolk folklore that takes us along the country roads near Cantley, past dykes and low-lying marshland, fields and hedgerows, ancient villages and hidden treasure. We are talking abou…
S2 Ep2: A haunting near Fakenham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:38
Today’s podcast is a brand-new story (for us!) about a well-documented haunting close to Fakenham in the 1970s in two flats built on the site of a village lost to time many centuries earlier. Ghosts seen included a figur…