Gather Magazine

The accidental forager

Trejayne Wonnacott first started foraging to connect with nature during lockdown. Now she inspires hundreds of thousands of others to give it a go through her posts on TikTok as Finders Feeders

Trejayne’s foraging journey began during the pandemic, when she was feeling the pressure of building a small glass-blowing business in isolation. ‘The stress was getting a bit too much for me, so I needed to go outside,’ she says. ‘I was born in Cornwall where I was surrounded by nature all the time, so I needed to get back into that.’ Soon, Trejayne was making daily trips along a dog-walking track near where she lives in Scotland and posting videos of her finds. Equipped with a handbook, she has since come to recognise many of the UK’s native plants and uses them to cook, create inks and even make toiletries in her spare time. As a self-proclaimed foodie, she says there’s ‘something so brilliantly rewarding’ about searching for food and discovering whether she can eat her finds or not. ‘When you do find something, it’s like finding a little bit of gold… There’s nothing else like it.’

As well as connecting her to what she eats, Trejayne says that foraging also binds her to the seasons. ‘When you forage you can only harvest things for a short amount of time, so each plant becomes really precious. It puts you in touch with the world around you in so many ways: not just eating it and tasting it, but also the joy that it brings you and how fleeting it actually is.’

Foraging Tips

Trejayne’s advice for novice foragers:

  • Start with what you already know, such as dandelions or daisies, and then slowly build up. Focus on feeling a sense of adventure and see if it gets you hooked.
  • Only pick a small amount, more like a taster, so you can experience it. Wildlife relies on these plants as well, so be wary of over-picking.
  • Take a foraging pocket guide with you and use at least two additional sources when identifying.
  • Start with your local area. You don’t have to go far. Eighty per cent of Trejayne’s videos during the first year were made with items foraged from a lane next to her work.

What to look for

With summer in full swing, Trejayne shares her favourite things to forage over the coming months.

Dandelion

Dandelions grow in abundance throughout the UK and can be easily recognised by their bright yellow sun-like flowers and distinctive serrated-edged leaves. This makes them the perfect starting point for beginner foragers who can use them in many recipes. Young leaves can be used in salads or sautéed as a side dish. The roots can be boiled up into dandelion tea for a caffeine-free hot drink. The heads can be fried, made into wine or added to scones, cakes and breads.

Dandelion syrup

Trejayne’s favourite dandelion recipe is this syrup. Combine the flowers, sugar and water for a sweet and natural treat. Add to pancakes, waffles or ice cream to infuse with a sugary, floral goodness.

  • 60 dandelion flowers
  • 175g brown sugar
  • 175g caster sugar
  • ½ lemon, juice and zest
  • 400ml water
  1. Remove the stems and leaves from the dandelion flowers. Rinse the flowers and pat dry.
  2. Add to the water and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and leave to infuse overnight.
  3. Strain the liquid through a cheese cloth and discard the flowers. Add the sugar, lemon zest and juice, then simmer on a low heat for one hour.
  4. Once cooled, the syrup will thicken. At this point add more sugar or lemon, depending on which taste you prefer.
  5. Store in the fridge for up to one month.

TIP. Avoid picking dandelions in early spring when they’re an important food source for bees. Be careful of harvesting in areas which have been sprayed with weedkiller or where dogs may have relieved themselves.

Pine needles

Pine needles are an excellent food to forage, because they can be found year-round, there are lots of them and they are easily recognised. They give a fresh, grassy, herbal flavour and can be added to almost any dish. Infuse into oils and vinegar for everyday use or use them as a bed for grilling meat. You can even add pine needles to cookies or chop them up and add them to doughs before baking. Traditionally used as a cure for scurvy, pine-needle tea’s medicinal qualities can help to cure respiratory ailments and skin conditions.

Pine needle soda

Try this botanical fizzy drink simply made from water, pine needles and honey.

  • 1 cup pine needles
  • 250g water
  • 2 tbsp honey
  1. Rinse the pine needles in warm water then add into a jug or bottle which you can securely close.
  2. Add the honey and water using a funnel if necessary. Shake to mix the ingredients.
  3. Leave at room temperature for two days.
  4. Serve, careful that the bubbles don’t overflow due to the fermentation, and garnish with lemon or orange.

TIP. Pine needles are great to look for in winter, when many other plants have died off. Be careful not to confuse pine with yew, which are flat, often have pale green or white bands on the underside and contain deadly toxins.

Digital foraging

For anyone lacking confidence to pick plants or limited in their ability to go outdoors, Trejayne is collaborating with a game developer to create a foraging game that allows players to experience foraging in nature safely through gameplay. Follow @findersfeeders on TikTok and Instagram to learn more.

Words: Lydia Paleschi

Photos: Andrew Gibson

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