Edible Essex. Foraging in Gt. Wigborough
When I tell people I live in Essex, they assume it’s grim urbania. The reason I live here is that it’s not. I have access to some of the most beautiful countryside you could ever imagine.
With a desire to make as much of this as possible, we signed up for a free foraging walk run by Edible Essex; a fantastic project with a simple aim: to increase the number of people growing their own food, or eating local food.
The walk and talk took place around Abbots Farm, the HQ of Essex Wildlife Trust, which is normally closed to the public at weekends. The glorious weather made this quite stunning country house seem even more attractive than usual. It used to be the huntin’, shootin’, retreat for the boss of Ford.
I was hoping for a bit of a Ray Mears experience, but instead we had a very pleasant and gentle amble around the grounds and woodland, pointing out various trees, plants and shrubs that could be chopped, nibbled and boiled into a variety of delicious eatables.
We ended the morning sampling some foods made with what we’d found, namely nettle soup and lavender pancakes — both of which were delicious, especially when cooked over an open fire in the sunshine.
Check out the Edible Essex website for more on the project, and the upcoming walks they are planning.
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