My name is Lucy, The Wild Cooke and I run foraging experiences across the UK.I can be found teaching regular classes and running collaborations near home in Argyll, Scotland, further afield in the Highlands, and my motherland- Shropshire in England. 

 

Whilst I have nibbled on brambles since childhood, the fascination with food and the environment began to grow in my teens. I gained a Master of the Arts degree in social anthropology and archaeology at the University of Edinburgh and enjoyed exploring cultural and community contexts of how we interact with nature.​

 

2016 marked the beginning of my captivation with foraging. I was astonished by the variety of edibles we have all around us. In the garden alone I unveiled a treasure trove of nutritional greens, medicine and delicious flowers. Everywhere I looked there was something. I can remember the feeling of discovering my first ever chanterelle… Just magic. But what I couldn’t understand was why I didn’t know about it before? Why was this fundamental knowledge so hard to come by? How far away from nature had our culture come to be this clueless, this disconnected? 

 

As the need to find and learn continued I explored the subject further with my mentor- the foraging legend Mark Williams of Galloway Wild Foods. I launched the business in the Highlands in 2020 and now I am in the fortunate position of introducing others to this fascinating world of wild foods too. As an Active Member of the Association of Foragers I abide by their Principles of Practice and believe whole heartedly in their mantra “Restoring Vital Connection”. It really does feel like returning lost knowledge to people. 

 

So come with me and become a forager. I will encourage you to play with your food and to regularly use wild ingredients in your kitchen. These skills allow us to grow, feel at home anywhere and ultimately be more self-sufficient. They give us perspective, focus and defence against some of life’s troubles. Learning about wild foods highlights how disengaged with nature our culture has become and gives us the tools to rebel against our broken food system. One sorrel leaf at a time. So, let’s get cooking!