The Wilderness Cure

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Mo Wilde made a quiet but radical pledge: to live only off free, foraged food for an entire year. In a world disconnected from its roots, eating wild food is both culinary and healing, social and political. Ultimately, it is an act of love and community. Over the course of the year, using her expert knowledge of botany and mycology, Mo follows the seasons to find nutritious food from hundreds of species of plants, fungi and seaweeds. In the process she discovers an even deeper connection with the earth, and learns not only how to survive, but how to thrive, nourishing her body and mind. Wilde, M., & Townsend, L. (2021). The Ethnobiology of Contemporary British Foragers: Foods They Teach, Their Sources of Inspiration and Impact.Sustainability,13(6), 3478. Link Biography Early years With the seductively readable style that comes only from the light poetism of wisdom and knowledge speaking from the heart, Monica Wilde relates the story of a year eating nothing but wild food. The result is a masterly work of information and erudition, one from which I am still buzzing with the pleasure of its reading." Antisocial: Time in nature can help with your personal relationships, too. Natural beauty results in more prosocial behaviors, like generosity and empathy. 8

The Wilderness Cure by Mo Wilde | Waterstones The Wilderness Cure by Mo Wilde | Waterstones

There’s so much in this book which is inspiring and exciting and daunting (will we all be relying on these foods in the near future? I also think the answer is yes) . All I can say is go out and buy it, read it and keep it close to your heart. I’ve also bought a foraging book now and am planning to do a course in my local area as soon as possible. I think a lot of us would like to think we eat seasonally and locally, but this book showed me that there's a lot more I could be doing to tread more lightly on the earth. One scene from the book has had a profound impact on me - when Mo floats the idea of making a video to encourage people to eat organic food. She proposes making a gorgeous dinner full of organic produce, then placing it in front of people who aren't convinced of the benefits organic food, along with a shot glass of the legal amounts of pesticide and herbicide that you'd typically ingest with non-organic food, to pour over their food like a dressing. What a brilliant idea. I think such a video would go viral and have an incredible impact. Mo, if you're reading, crowd-fund for this video to be made! The writing is beautifully descriptive; however, I did find it a little repetitive in places (we’re told several times at the start that she won’t eat butter) and I also felt that it was a little ‘preachy’ in places too, which was off-putting at times. Further to this, I think that some people might be put off by the many extraneous historical details, but I really, really enjoyed them (especially as I live near to the areas being described). I am a lecturer on the RBGE Herbology Diploma course (the medicinal uses of seaweeds, mushrooms, trees, lichens) and have also taught the mushroom module for Grassroots Remedies. Public lectures include the annual U.K. Medicinal Mushroom Conference. Media, Podcasts and Articles You certainly learn a lot reading this book and it really highlights how as a society we have lost touch with nature, there is much reflection and reverence for our ancestors, our rich history of food and culture and a deep respect for gaiawhich I really appreciated.Having said that, a few times I found I was drifting a bit. There were a few points which seemed slightly repetitive. I was also a little disappointed that the lab results of the tests exploring the effects of this wild diet on the author's microbiome were not more thoroughly explained. This is why I rated the book as a four star rather than five star read. The book is a joy and can be dipped into, used as a resource to inspire foraging and what to look out for. The courses I have been on and the tips in this book have led me to look more closely at the vegetation I pass through, as there is much more to eat than could be imagined. The Wilderness Cure is an immensely readable book, whether you're sold on the idea of foraging or not doesn't really matter as there is still plenty to take away. Predominately a diary of how the author lived for a year consuming wild food that she foraged and bartered for with friends and neighbours but there are a few personal anecdotes in the book that provide humour and entertainment.

The Wilderness Cure by Mo Wilde | Book review | The TLS The Wilderness Cure by Mo Wilde | Book review | The TLS

Apart from the ‘brief history of food’ introduction, the book is written as diary log entries, filled with really fascinating details of the foraged food resources around all of us. I made lots of notes on what to look out for in my wood or hedgerow as well as considering alternative options to my present diet. She starts in November, without having decided at a time when she could have preserved more summer and autumn foods, but as she says, she is impetuous.

Stressed: Nature presents scenes that gently capture your attention instead of suddenly snatching it, calming your nerves instead of frazzling them. 3 This was a book of two halves for me . I found it to be a fascinating journal however I just wasn’t able to fully embrace the book and the concept of foraging as much as I wished due to my limited mobility. It's fascinating to watch. Winter - with no special preparation, no stores - is tough. This is Scotland, there are limited resources, and yet, somehow, she makes it through. Spring is easier, summer - surprisingly - is hard again - autumn is bountiful.