Community Foraging Circle
A collective exploration of plant identification, wild foods, medicines and ecology. Bringing together elements of folklore, nutrition, ethics, responsible practice, mindfulness, land connection and care.
A Community Foraging Circle is an invitation to deepen in intimacy with the land through our shared fundamental need to eat. Foraging is an accessible way of tending to our relationships with the world around us, and enhancing our appreciation for the earth that sustains our lives. It is a pathway into a fuller appreciation of where all food comes from - whether we are eating dandelions we have gathered with love and care, or food we have bought from the shop.
At a time of ever increasing food insecurity in the UK, and significant inequalities in access to fresh and nourishing food, these circles offer skills and knowledge that can empower us by revealing what is gifted by the land that can nourish us. The circles offer pathways into increasing food resilience, showing care for ourselves and the land, enhancing our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, bringing us into closer relationship with the seasons and with change, and connecting us with a sense of gratitude for life.
Sessions can last between 90 minutes and three hours, and can be spread between multiple days or blocks; depending on the elements woven together, the depth of the exploration and the needs of the group.
Offerings are primarily held in South Devon, however for longer group explorations, sessions further afield in the UK are possible.
“I really enjoyed learning lots about the health and nutrition benefits of the different plants. The teacher made me feel comfortable from the beginning and had a very calming way of passing on information.”
~ Volunteering In Health participant
WHAT’S A SESSION LIKE?
Standard sessions include :
Group welcome, introduction and landing together
Gently moving around a familiar or new patch of land, in a rural or urban setting
Introducing plants that we meet on our travels; including how to identify them, exploring traditional and historical human-plant relationships, their nutritional qualities and healing benefits, ways of working with them and ways to show care for them
Exploring how to take care of ourselves in identifying plants correctly and navigating challenges of pollution
Exploring how to take care of the plants and the wider ecosystem through responsible and ethical harvesting techniques and wider actions and behaviours of care
Introducing avenues of reciprocity - inviting practical explorations of how we can give back to the land
Optional tasting of plants that we find where appropriate
Sharing plant histories, folklore, stories and welcoming stories and experiences from the group
Space for curiosity, questions and learning from one another
Adaptable structure and design of the session depending on the needs of the group, such as different mobility, sensory and accessibility needs.
Sessions can also include:
Group grounding exercises and practices in mindfulness
Nature-based meditations
Meeting one particular plant in-depth and exploring different ways of developing a relationship with this plant - through our noticing and curiosity, our senses, drawing the plant, eating/drinking them and telling stories about them
Herbal tea exploration working with intuitive herbalism principles
The opportunity to taste carefully pre-prepared seasonal snacks and drinks created with some of the plants growing around us; giving the group ideas and experience of the creative and delicious ways we can welcome wild food onto our plates.
You can pair this workshop with a Wild Food gathering: following our foraging together, we then prepare and share a feast using some of the treasures we have foraged.
If you have any questions or would like to explore working together, please reach out.
COST
FOR ORGANISATIONS
Cost varies depending on the size of the group, the length of the session and the number of elements woven in.
Starting cost for a standard two-hour session with 10 people is £200.
FOR INDIVIDUALS
Individual sessions are offered on a sliding scale basis.
Standard hour-long sessions cost from £20 - £100.
FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS
Community group sessions are offered on a sliding scale basis with some pay what you can places.
A standard two hour long session costs £10 - £40 for each person.
Does the pricing feel limiting to you being able to access this offering? Nothing is fixed or set in stone, and if you feel able to reach out, let’s have a conversation to explore different possibilities.
