Foraging new roots

Michael Alexander discovers how a renewed interest in foraging is helping people reconnect with nature, improve their wellbeing and learn about medicinal plants

It’s that time of year when glistening brambles, hanging heavy with their autumn fullness, tantalise the taste buds of ramblers and wild animals alike. From the bushes that cling effortlessly to wild clifftops, to those juicy clusters of berries that remain ever so slightly out of reach down country lanes, there’s something timeless about the sweet sensation of wild berry picking – so long as autumnal pickings are plucked higher than the potential dog wee zone, of course.

But while the traditions of foraging for local wild produce to supplement diet would once have been a much greater part of everyday life in our rural communities, the year 2019 is seeing a growing interest in the joys of foraging that’s allowing people to explore Scotland’s natural places and increase their knowledge of wild food and medicinal plants.

Scrambling onto the rocky shoreline near St Monans in Fife, New Zealandraised seaweed forager and selfconfessed hippy Jayson Byles is in his element as he leads a small group down to his “office” – the beach.

The dreadlocked former chef, who moved to the East Neuk four years ago after being offered a management position for a commercial seaweed company, set up his own sustainable seaweed company, East Neuk Seaweed, this year.

“My favourite seaweed is sea spaghetti,” explains Jayson, who has been foraging since he was a child. “What I like about it most is that you can eat it straight off the rocks. It’s got a really nice texture. You can have a little nibble.”

Jayson emphasises that people need to keep safe at the beach and know that what they are picking is edible. But if you know what to look for, there are some “wonderful seaweeds”. He particularly likes the flavour of the pepper dulse and is also attracted to some of the more elusive seaweeds – particularly if he finds one out of season.

“For me it’s not just about the seaweed, it’s about the whole thing,” he explains. “Seaweed plays an important role in the coastal ecosystem down here.

“Seaweed really links lots of stuff together. It’s a link between the ocean and the land, hence one of my catchphrases is: ‘Where Earth, Sea and Sky Meet’.

“If you are standing down here on the low water mark at 7pm with the sunset, your feet in the sea, it’s very magical.

“For me it’s important that people keep safe, but what I really want is for people to reconnect with the amazing environment that’s out there, and if we can all do that, then hopefully we can all have a greater understanding of nature and make those changes in life that need to be made right now.”

Scottish Food Guide director Wendy Barrie, who lives in Aberdour, is also a strong advocate of improving human wellbeing through engagement with open-air activities and a reconnection with local foods.

Wendy recently managed Foraging Fortnight, which was designed to encourage people of all ages to

If you are standing here on the low water mark at 7pm with the sunset, your feet in the sea, it’s very magical.