Today on Mushroom Hour we are graced by the presence of woodland spirit Fergus Drennan aka Fergus The Forager. Fergus has been gathering and learning about wild plants, seaweeds, and fungi for over 40 years. His journey begun on Wimbledon Common, aged 3 years, collecting dandelions for the family’s pet tortoise. Since those early days, and through much creative and experimental exploration he has continued his foraging practice, not only as a means to understand and to discover the practical relevance that foraging has in the modern developed world, but also in terms of what it means to be an environmentally conscious human in relation to the natural world. “Can foraging ever be considered a truly sustainable practice, and if so how?”, is a question that always orchestrates his foraging activity. So too does a pursuit of foraging’s playful and creative possibilities. Truth be told, Fergus just loves being outside, admiring nature as part of nature, living in touch with her reassuring seasonal cycles, awake to her sensuality, her surprises, opportunities, and endless gifts, in pursuit of the good life.   

TOPICS COVERED:   

• Trips with Mom to Wimbledon Common   
• Tortoise Teacher, I Spy Insects   
• Play, Creativity and Foraging    
• Brambles, Pine Pollen & Jelly Ears   
• Foraging “Nose to Tail”   
• Foraging as a Subversive Act   
• Life Stacking   
• Avoiding Neurosis & Being Saved by Others   
• Reciprocal Dialogue with the Natural World   
• Developing a Relationship with Local Open Space   
• Complicity in Industrial Systems   
• Amanita muscaria Workshops   
• Amanita muscaria as Food & Medicine   
• Foraged Books & Making Paper from Mushrooms    

EPISODE RESOURCES:   

• Fergus the Forager Website: https://fergustheforager.co.uk/ 
• Fergus IG: https://www.instagram.com/fergustheforager/ 
• Pine pollen: https://nutrawiki.org/pine-pollen/ 
• Auricularia auricula-judae (AKA Jelly Ear): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auricularia_auricula-judae 
• Plantago major: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_major 
• Pascal Baudar: https://www.urbanoutdoorskills.com/ 
• Fergus Henderson (author): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Whole_Beast  
• Jason Hickel (author): https://www.jasonhickel.org/  
• Katy Bowman: https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/  
• Fomitopsis betulina (AKA Birch Polypore): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomitopsis_betulina  
• David Arora article on Amanita muscaria: https://williamrubel.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/rubel_arora_muscaria_economic_botany3.pdf&#8221  
• Merck Index: https://www.rsc.org/merck-index  
• Phallus impudicus (AKA Stinkhorn): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus_impudicus