Why Forage?
Because it opens us up to bounties beyond annual crops and introduces us to true seasonality and diversity. It breaks the monotony of monocultural agriculture. It creates a connection beyond the supermarket shelf and the tidy fields sprayed with pesticide.
Education
There is no YouTube tutorial or book that will impart its secrets in totality, to learn those you must spend time with people, people who have spent years learning the craft of gathering wild ingredients. To do so is to educate yourself about the land in which we live and begin to see that this land has a personality, ever shifting yet constant.
Respect for Nature
Foraging teaches us to be respectful, to take only what we need and no more. It takes us out of the short term mindset of the present tense, insisting we imagine a long term sustainable, ecologically minded economy. It shows us both the fragility and robustness of nature all in one.
It's Fun!
But why forage? Because there are so many tasty things you will never find on a supermarket shelf. Because you get to walk in the sun. Because you get to play in the mud. Because you will explore the rock-pools and sandbanks, the rivers, streams and lakes, we are so lucky to have. You will discover that even in the midst of urbanity, true wilderness and nature can still be found and that we are more the richer for it. It allows us to forget about those emails and text messages and focus on a simple meditative task. Most importantly, because everything, always tastes better cooked outside, over a wood fire in the wild.
The purpose of idyll is to create a platform that demystifies foraging, giving industry professionals and consumers a resource to learn how to forage safely and practically.
Idyll will curate a selection of experiences that get people outside, having fun and learning practically rather than from behind a computer screen. These experiences will be curated alongside a network of professionals and reputable foragers.
Idyll seeks to bridge the gap between foraging for recreational and individual purposes with that of industry professionals who have commercial needs. As stated by the law, foraging for home consumption is legal given the landowners consent, permitting individuals to gather enough for what they need and no more. For any commercial enterprise it is necessary to seek out professional foragers, who understand the husbandry of the land and acceptable quotas for what can be harvested. These commercial foragers operate in a respectful manner, ensuring that ecosystems are respected and cared for. They also work with full permission of the landowners.