WorldWild Podcast
Episode 36 14th March 2020
Wild Ways of Being with Fergus Drennan
Fergus was on a walk in the woods with an ex-partner when his perception was shifted and he realised there are many ways of relating to the natural world around you. For the forager this is often a process of analysis - literally; breaking things down - what can we do with this plant? What part of the season is this best? It can also lead to an internal dialogue; where is my consciousness now? Quite literally; where am I?
​
In this chat, we discuss the different aspects of wild consciousness, creative engagement and actual engagement, stories of not ever having enough, and the question of intrinsic vs. utility value in ecosystems. Listen in for a long one, but a great one - with two old friends who go back to the early days of supplying wild produce to restaurants, and track the course of not only a burgeoning wild food culture over the years but also the doorways that begin to open up when we notice what is around us...
'What are the doorways that are opening up in that moment of noticing'
- Fergus Drennan / ep.36
About Fergus Drennan
Fergus Drennan is a wild food experimentalist, educator, and man of the wild. From mushroom paper to wild natural dyes and paints, his appetite for wildcrafting is insatiable. He and Miles began supplying wild food to restaurants over fifteen years ago before going in their own directions. He has been featured in many outlets and created the programme, The Roadkill Chef, for Jamie Oliver’s production company. Along with artist James Wood he is producing a unique wild food guide made entirely from foraged materials, paper from fungi pulp, text ink from fungal spores and oak apple extracts, and all illustration using paints, pigments and dyes all derived from pollen, fungi spores and other plant extracts.
​
Further reading
> See more from Fergus Drennan here.
> Read: Fergus' one year of eating wild food.
> Read: Fergus & Miles foraging article from The Observer, 2005.
> Mentioned in episode: The Ascent of Humanity by Charles Eisenstein
> Mentioned in episode: The Goods Shed in Canterbury which stocks and serves up local foods.
About the show
We offer a series of conversations to tap into the wildness within ourselves and to uncover what is possible when we do. It is our hope that through the WorldWild Podcast we can contribute to the revitalisation of wild food culture and conversation around the world.
Through people who know their landscapes intimately, we gather the threads to weave a rich tapestry. Piece by piece the vision of a wilder world comes into view. The wild embrace of nature welcomes us back and offers us a seat at the table. A feast, no less!