Ep. 54: Woodland Cravings - Permaculture, Agroforestry & the Sacred Act of Foraging (feat. Scott Stimpson)

Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to chat with Scott Stimpson. Better known for his incredibly popular social media accounts “woodlandcravings”, Scott has been foraging for over 8 years across 18 different states in the US. Growing up in Broward County Florida, Scott was immersed in a diverse culture and developed a love of foods from all over. His love of food naturally led to a love of cultivation and appreciating the culinary abundance that is all around us in nature. Not until Scott learned the word “permaculture” did he know the path he had to take.  His passion for agroforestry, foraging and mushrooms eventually led him to the mushroom mecca, the Pacific Northwest. As a student of working with the land in all these varied disciplines, Scott has developed an intimate relationship with natural systems. His lifestyle revolves around a symbiosis with the land and he is keenly aware of a responsibility to act as a shepherd of our Earth. As part of his great work, Scott shares his knowledge about permaculture techniques and ethical foraging with others, both online and in-person. For anyone who has followed Scott’s work, it is clear his passion and gratitude for nature’s culinary bounty are present in equal measure. I’m excited to learn more about this sacred relationship we have with the land that provides for us and how to give back as much as we receive. 

Topics Covered:

• Scott’s Early Influences & Love of Food   
• Path Towards Permaculture  
• Florida Foraging Safari – Citrus, Smilax, Hog plums & Lactarius Indigo  
• Primal Connections to Foraging for Food   
• Shift from Florida to the PNW   
• Foraging as a Sacred Practice   
• Understanding Ecology & Sustainable Foraging  
• Integrating Agroforestry   
• Responsibility that Comes with Sharing Wild Food Information  
• The Importance of Hidden Knowledge  
• Honoring Indigenous Space  
• Mushroom Recipes & Preservation Techniques  
• Wild Food Inspiration in the Restaurant Industry  
• Future of Woodland Cravings  

Episode Resources: 

• Woodland Cravings Website: https://www.woodlandcravings.com/  
• Woodland Cravings IG: https://www.instagram.com/woodlandcravings/  
• Woodland Cravings Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@woodlandcravings  
• Smilax (Plant): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilax  
• Hog Plums (Plant): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spondias_mombin  
• Catathelasma ventricosum (Mushroom): http://www.mushroomexpert.com/catathelasma_ventricosum.html  
• Fungi for the People (Inspiration): https://fungiforthepeople.org/ 
• Leah Mycelia (Inspiration): https://www.instagram.com/leah_mycelia/ 
• Chef Virgilio Martínez (Inspiration): https://www.starchefs.com/cook/chefs/bio/virgilio-martinez
• Hericium (Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium
• Clathrus Ruber (Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clathrus_ruber