Eatweeds Podcast: For People Who Love Plants

In Episode 43, "Plants, Enchantment and Wild Words," Robin and Zoe delve into the enthralling world of plant lore and explore how enchantment and folklore have shaped our connection with the natural world. Zoe shares her unique insights into the role of plants in mythology and how anthropomorphism and gender have influenced our understanding and stories of the plant world.

This episode also uncovers the magic of wordsmithing and the art of storytelling, revealing how the power of language can evoke a sense of wonderment and help us foster a closer bond with nature. Robin and Zoe discuss the significance of writing as a form of ritual and ceremony, demonstrating how creative expression can lead to a more profound connection with the earth and its stories.

Highlights:

• Uncover the mesmerizing world of plant lore, enchantment, and folklore.
• Delve into the role of anthropomorphism and gender in our understanding of plants.
• Learn about the magic of wordsmithing and storytelling as a way to connect with the natural world.
• Discover writing as a form of ritual and ceremony.

Join Robin Harford and Zoe Gilbert in Episode 43 of the Eatweeds Podcast, and let them guide you through a fascinating exploration of plants, enchantment, and wild words. Ignite your imagination and enhance your relationship with nature through the transformative power of storytelling and creative expression.

• Folk: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/folk/9781408884317
• Mischief Acts: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/mischief-acts-joyous-the-times-best-summer-reads-2022/9781526628800
• A Wild and Precious Life: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/a-wild-and-precious-life-a-recovery-anthology/9781783529643
• London Lit Lab: https://www.londonlitlab.co.uk/
• Zoe's website: http://zoegilbert.com/
• Zoe's Twitter: https://twitter.com/mindandlanguage

About Zoe Gilbert

Zoe's first novel, Folk (Bloomsbury), was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize and adapted for BBC Radio (read by the brilliant Samantha Spiro). She has just finished turning some of the chapters from Folk into a libretto, for a song cycle that will have its world premiere in 2023.

Her second novel, Mischief Acts (Bloomsbury), is released in March 2022, and is inspired by the past and future of the Great North Wood, which used to cover a large swathe of South London.

Since completing Mischief Acts, Zoe has moved from London to the Kent coast, which is (not surprisingly) influencing her third novel. It turns out that place - alongside folklore, nature and social history - is a starting point for her writing.

Besides novels, Zoe has been writing short stories for most of her adult life. You can find a few of them in anthologies by Comma Press, and they have also appeared in books and journals worldwide including The Stinging Fly, Mechanics' Institute Review, and the British Fantasy Society Journal. Some of her stories have won prizes, including the Costa Short Story Award.

Zoe is co-founder of London Lit Lab with Lily Dunn, where she teaches creative writing, and the co-editor with Lily of A Wild and Precious Life (Unbound 2021), an anthology of writers in recovery.

Join us for a breath of fresh air with episode 45 of 'Eatweeds,' a podcast dedicated to celebrating the joy and richness of wild food. Our host, Robin Harford, transports us away from the bustle of daily life, inviting us to pause, reflect, and savor the exquisite moments of being at one with nature.

In this special episode, Robin trades his traditional role as host to become our storyteller, bringing to life his personal essay on the pure, simple beauty of gathering Hawthorn flowers for syrup.

Key topics covered include:

The art and wonder of foraging, in this case, focusing on the hawthorn.
- The transformative process of wildcrafting, turning simple hawthorn flowers into a tantalizing syrup.
- Embracing nature's cycles and the magic of spring when hawthorns bloom.

Robin takes us on a sensory journey, painting a vivid picture of an English spring, when Hawthorn trees burst into life, their branches heavy with cream-colored blooms. As he walks us through the process of gathering these delicate blossoms, we are immersed in a fairy-tale landscape where bees dance joyously around the flowers, and the early morning dew brings a glistening freshness to the day.

But this episode is about more than just the act of gathering hawthorn flowers; it's a meditative exploration of our connection to the natural world. As Robin shares his experience, we learn how foraging becomes a kind of alchemy, transforming not just the flowers into syrup, but the forager into an integral part of nature's narrative.

Robin eloquently conveys the sheer joy and vitality that come from engaging directly with nature, infusing life with a rustic simplicity that's often missing in our urbanized existence. Making hawthorn syrup becomes a meaningful ritual, a way to weave nature into our everyday routines, creating an escape from emails, screens, and the never-ending scroll of modern life.

In this enchanting episode of 'Eatweeds', Robin invites you to join him in saying yes to the delight of gathering Hawthorn flowers and invites you to rediscover a connection that nurtures not just our bodies, but our souls.

Tune in, step out, and allow the wild to feed your spirit with Eatweeds!

Back Matter

Follow me (Robin Harford), for the latest updates and insights around foraging and wild food on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

And if you're ready to discover the secrets of Britain and Ireland's wild plants, get my bestselling foraging book. In it I teach you how to safely thrive from nature's larder.

Masanobu Fukuoka's one-straw revolution inspired Krishna McKenzie to start his own organic farm in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India. In this interview he talks about the importance of nutritional cultural identity, wild food volunteer plants, soil fertility, and collective wellbeing.

In this engaging episode of the Eatweeds podcast, Robin Harford sits down with Pete Yeo from Future Flora to delve deep into the debate surrounding invasive plants and their role in our environment. The hot topic? Whether balsam bashing holds up from a scientific standpoint.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Foraging: How understanding invasive species can enhance our wild food adventures.
• Wild Food: Why invasive plants might just be an unexpected culinary delight.
• Invasive Species: Are these plants truly detrimental, or are they environmental saviors in disguise?
• Wildcrafting: How the world of wildcrafting is influenced by the plants many consider to be invaders.

Episode Highlights:

• Explore the fascinating dichotomy between what reductionist science labels as an opportunist or invader and what a holistic worldview champions as a Gaian first responder.
• Embrace the saying: one person's weed could be another's wellspring of wisdom. What if the invasive plants we've been combating are actually vital for our ecosystem?

Ready for a paradigm shift on how you view the wild plants around you? Tune in to episode 14 of Eatweeds and join the conversation!

Eatweeds: Where foraging meets passion, and the wild becomes a way of life.

Show Notes

• Future Flora (Pete's Facebook Page)
• Future Flora (Pete's website)
• The New Wild by Fred Pearce
• Where Do Camels Belong? by Ken Thompson
• Beyond the War on Invasive Species by Tao Orion

Nicole Rose runs Solidarity Apothecary which materially supports revolutionary struggles and communities with plant medicines to strengthen collective autonomy, self-defence and resilience to climate change, capitalism and state violence. Show notes at eatweeds.co.uk/podcast