Eats Leaves Shoots & Weeds
Guided year-round foraging walks in the Sussex countryside
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About Henrietta
About Henrietta
I believe foragers of any age can reap the benefits of being outside in Nature while learning how to safely identify edible wild plants, and create their own delicious meals using foraged ingredients.
My first foraging ventures came when I was very young - nibbling on young Hawthorn leaves on my way to school.
My interest in fungi took off in the 1980s and progressed rapidly after I started reading up on how to safely identify edible fungi. Food For Free by Richard Mabey was a huge influence and a present from my father. As a responsible forager, I proceeded with caution but was delighted to expand my fungi-foraging repertoire in tandem with my growing knowledge.
After moving to Lewes in 2007, I would spend hours filling my baskets with edible fungi and began to look at the many other wild edible plants growing around me, as well as the abundance of edible wild plants to be found on the Sussex coast.
In the last ten years, I have benefitted hugely from attending courses led by eminent foragers and, through my membership of the Association of Foragers (AOF), have gained even deeper knowledge – sharing ideas, plant knowledge, recipes and meals at regular events held throughout the year.
Teaching and Foraging
I have combined my interest in foraging with my role as a secondary school teacher. I have been teaching DT and Food Prep for some 30 years and – until recently – have been teaching Food Prep at secondary schools in Brighton and Hove.
My twin roles – teaching and foraging – complement each other very well and have put me in an excellent position to spread the word on foraging to as wide an audience as possible.
As well as working at corporate events, I lead regular public and private foraging walks in the Sussex countryside and on the Sussex coast. I have also been fortunate to work as a foraging lead for students aged 11-18 with London, Surrey, and East Sussex schools, through my ever growing connections.
"I love the deep connection with Nature and the thrill of finding wild food growing around me. Whenever I go foraging, I feel a deeper sense of belonging and of slowing down, something we can lose sight of in our busy daily lives."
"Foraging for wild food is like a reset, doing what our ancestors did before we had the luxury of supermarkets and online shopping. Whether you're a total beginner or seasoned pro, a guided foraging walk will help develop your skills and knowledge."
Henrietta Fernandez, Associaton of Foragers
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