Capturing the essence of sunshine and peak summer for the winter months when it’s needed.
Just enjoyed capturing the oil maceration as I left the blooms out to wilt slightly, to decrease a portion of the moisture before adding extra virgin olive oil to cover.
I’ll wrap this glass jar in a brown paper bag then leave in the warm sunshine to infuse into the oil over the next week or two. These yellow flowers exude a surprising deep red oil, I liken to ‘dragon’s blood’ I’ll share a photo of the finished product in a later post.
I also made an alcoholic tincture by covering the fresh blooms in vodka to sit for a month, which I will shake regularly until ready to strain off to use in the winter months, to help combat seasonal affective disorder and the winter blues.
Photos show a St John’s Wort tincture and a St John’s Wort infused oil to use medicinally.
**Please note that this herb should not be taken alongside pharmaceuticals without professional guidance.
St John’s Wort tincture will let this sit for about 4 weeks shaking regularly.
Was delighted to be invited to the Wicklow music festival Beyond The Pale and to talk on stage with Ali Dunworth about, what else, mushrooms (!) and all of the ways that they are magical. And why they should be on your plate!
Courtney Tyler of Hips and Haws Wildcrafts and Ali Dunworth
It was so enjoyable and what an incredible festival. The music line up was incredible.
Courtney showing tasters to share, pickled mushrooms and mushroom chocolates
I brought some interesting mushroom tasters to share. Some balsamic pickled shiitake mushrooms, dandelion buds and wild garlic. Also made some Lion’s Mane and peanut butter dark chocolates.
Dei, Dearbhla, Courtney and Grainne
Best of all I got to bring Sadhbh the bus and my dearest girlfriends!
There are soo very many books that inspire me and that I learn from. Here is a small selection of books and authors whom I admire and respect. Among many others! I’ll do more posts with other books to share with you another time as well.
This is one book post of many: as I am a huge book-aholic! It’s an addiction that I am happy to feed. There are more book posts here in my blog and on Instagram.
I get asked so often to recommend books and resources that I like to learn from. The following are some excellent places to start!
Hedgerow Medicine by Julie Bruton-Seal and Matthew Seal. The book focuses more on medicinal plants, how to identify, harvest, process, recipes. A great place to start from and a beautiful book, full of recipes and methods to use these local wild plants as medicine. (Plus, having met them a couple of times- they are beautiful people!)
River Cottage Mushrooms by John Wright. A great beginners guide to edible fungi and their dangerous lookalikes. I also enjoy listening to his other Foraging books on Audibles.
Edible Mushrooms by Geoff Dann highly recommended.
Trees in Britain by Roger Phillips (also any or all of his Foraging books, he’s a legend, who sadly just passed recently). If you’re interested in mushrooms, you’ll soon learn that you need to know the trees!
The Forager Handbook by @miles_irving_wild_food High end and Chefy recipes and an excellent resource of edible wild foods found in the UK and Ireland. A fellow Association of Foragers member. Not a beginners book I would say but it’s a great compilation of wild plants and elaborate recipes.
Eat Weeds Cookbook by @eatweedsuk Robin Harford. Another Foraging wild food legend and fellow AoF member. His website is comprehensive and I’d recommend signing up to his mailing list.
Extreme Greens Understanding Seaweeds by Sally McKenna a great book with seaweed ID and delicious easy to use recipes to incorporate seaweeds into your every day diet.
New Wildcrafted Cuisine by @pascalbaudar I love all of his books, a pioneer in new wild food processes including Fermentation. Follow him on Instagram and you can also sign up for his online classes.
@alysf Alys Fowler The Thrifty Forager. Beautiful simple to follow book, she has another one about preserving also. Great for urban foraging.
Botany in a Day @thomasjelpelI’m excited to be learning more about identifying plant families with this book. He also sells a card game to help learn these skills.
I feel very fortunate to have crossed paths with and spent time with the formidable Judith Hoad. I first met this woman in 2003 when I was studying Naturopathy at CNM in Dublin.
She made a strong impression and years later I tracked her down once again and this time committed myself to a long drive up to the wilds of Donegal for a long weekend every month for six months.
Myself and four others were amongst the last to attend Judith’s “Natural Medicine for Householders” course around her kitchen table, next to a warm wood burning range at her off grid cottage way up there in the wild lands of rural Donegal.
It was a transformative experience for me, and one that I can say with certainly changed the course of my life. The exposure to her intentional off grid and simple living was eye opening and sparked my passion in living in alternative ways.
We spent many afternoons around Judith’s kitchen table, learning from her hard won wisdom of experience. Judith was nearing 80 years old and had learned all she knew the hard way, experience, intuition, books but limited access and certainly no internet.
She generously passed on her knowledge to us, as we sat in rapt attention. She is a tough taskmaster and you have to have thick skin at times if she gets cross! And at the same time, we learned about the food that grew in her garden, both cultivated and wild. We learned how to make salves, creams, lotions, tinctures and decoctions.
We were served delicious healthy soul food full of love and care and received her cookbook of favourite recipes at the end of the course.
Ill always be grateful for having had this opportunity.
I have very few photos of that time but here are a few:
This is difficult to answer as there are so many different ways to be interested in fungi- whether it is identification, edibility, medicinal mushrooms, cooking mushrooms or wild food, cultivation, mycology… the list goes on. I am interested in most of these aspects, but I am aware this could quickly become overwhelming to a newcomer. Also of note is that one should seek out mushroom books that are local to their part of the world.
Another important consideration is that while I value buying vintage and second hand whenever possible- when you are relying on mushroom books to give you safe and up to date information- I do not recommend old books. The information is changing constantly, not only the classifications and taxonomy but the information on safe edibility of mushrooms in older books can be suspect and no longer recommended, such as the culmulatively toxic Brown Roll Rims. So, find it second hand if you can- but get your books recent and up to date.
This list will evolve and I will add to it over time, I’ll just get a start on it tonight…
I will list some books I love or recommend and why here:
Mushrooms River Cottage by John Wright
I highly recommend this book for all beginning mushroom foragers. The River Cottage Mushroom book by John Wright is an excellent resource for those that are interested in foraging for edible mushrooms. There are great photos, clear information, a slight sense of humour and importantly he points out when there is a dangerous look-alike to be aware of. There are some very tasty recipes at the end of the book in true River Cottage style. I like John Wright and also might say while I am here that I also enjoyed this one:
The Forager’s Calendar- A Seasonal Guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests by John Wright
I downloaded this Audibles audio version of this book: The Forager’s Calendar- A Seasonal Guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests. I love listening to audio books in the car while driving and this one is informative and entertaining. Its good because he covers wild food and fungi throughout the season and what you might expect to find in any average month of the year and some tips about how he likes to use these ingredients.
book-entangled-life-by-merlin-sheldrake
I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this book to anyone, no matter what your interests are! I have both this copy AND the audio version. It is narrated by the author Merlin Sheldrake and I cannot get enough of it. An incredible book that covers the many and diverse ways of “How Fungi make our worlds, change our minds and shape our futures.”
Absolutely mind-blowing and hugely entertaining.
I would LOVE LOVE to have a coffee with Merlin one day:)
Courtney’s pared back mushroom stack – there are many many more in the collection- but these are some!
Let’s start with the one in the centre: the second one that I recommend to any new mushroom forager to be: Edible Mushrooms: A Forager’s Guide to the Wild Fungi of Britain, Ireland and Europe
I highly recommend this book, both to beginning foragers and experienced foragers alike. It has many species and what I like best is Geoff’s book stands alone in my opinion with its attention to the “Spectrum of Edibility”. So many books copy each other and err on the side of over-caution and preach to the lowest denominator. Geoff touches on this spectrum in detail and gives information about how and under what conditions each mushroom is edible or it isn’t. For example, many books might state: inedible, not recommended or unknown about edibility but Geoff gives us more detail than most- sometimes its a case of boiling before cooking, or cooking at high heat, etc to remove certain toxins. I respect and value this information so that I may make the decision myself, rather than be told simply: not recommended. And of course, should a mushroom not be recommended for consumption- this is also clearly stated!
Again, great photos, great information and again a warning on dangerous look-alikes.
Another book from that book stack above:
The Fungal Pharmacy by Robert Dale Rogers.
Fungal Pharmacy The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms and Lichens of North America.
While, granted, this book says it is for North American species, most of it is also relevant to Ireland/Uk/ Europe. Many of these medicinal mushrooms also grow here so there is much valuable information if you’re interested in mushrooms’ medicinal qualities.
From Jelly ears, Shiitake, Fly Agaric, Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Button mushrooms, Oysters, the list goes on and on.
Robert Rogers has a good online medicinal mushrooms course that I also can recommend.
Next on the list:
Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares- The Love Lore and Mystique of Mushrooms by Greg Marley
Throughout history, people have had a complex and confusing relationship with mushrooms. Are fungi food or medicine, beneficial decomposers or deadly “toadstools” ready to kill anyone foolhardy enough to eat them? In fact, there is truth in all these statements. In Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares, author Greg Marley reveals some of the wonders and mysteries of mushrooms, and our conflicting human reactions to them. With tales from around the world, Marley, a seasoned mushroom expert, explains that some cultures are mycophilic (mushroom-loving), like those of Russia and Eastern Europe, while others are intensely mycophobic (mushroom-fearing), including, the US.
This fascinating and fresh look at mushrooms-their natural history, their uses and abuses, their pleasures and dangers-is a splendid introduction to both fungi themselves and to our human fascination with them. From useful descriptions of the most foolproof edible species to revealing stories about hallucinogenic or poisonous, yet often beautiful, fungi, Marley’s long and passionate experience will inform and inspire readers with the stories of these dark and mysterious denizens of our forest floor.
A foray coming up in Kent, UK with, interestingly, an emphasis on Amanita muscaria. “So you think you’re changed, do you?” said the Caterpillar.“I’m afraid I am, sir,” said Alice; “I can’t remember things as I used—and I don’t keep the same size for ten minutes together!”
What: Fly Agaric and Friends: Explorations in medicine, food, and magic with Fergus the Forager and Courtney of Hips & Haws Wildcrafts, and guest mushrooms
Where: Kent UK and a local native woodland with diverse flora, fauna and fungi
When: Saturday 29 October 2022 10am until 9pm (11 hour day)
There is a fantastic array of wild food and fungi in October, prime mushroom season! We will enjoy a long ramble in a beautiful woodland in Kent interspersed with wild local seasonal food to drink and eat and a forage for wild mushrooms including Fly Agaric.
We will learn about the allure of the iconic Fly Agaric mushroom and how to safely use it as medicine and as food. There will be demonstrations including lacto-fermentation of mushrooms. We will also learn about any other wild fungi that we come across.
We will provide lunch and an elaborate three course wild food dinner with some exciting ingredients for the meal, as of course Fergus is incredible talented and experienced as a wild food experimentalist. He has over 30 years experience as a wild food forager, so your more advanced questions can be answered too.
We will be starting and ending the day in a location later to be announced to ticket holders. You must dress appropriately for a day spent outdoors, hiking boots and rain gear could be helpful. Sorry for this event no young children or dogs. You must be physically fit for a day spent wandering the wilderness with hills and uneven ground. Please bring snacks and or food to share if you would like. And a foraging basket or knife (if you have one).
How Much: €220 (Euro) £190 GBP (but payment is taken in euro) Early Bird/ €220 (Euro) £195 GBP Full Price/ Elaborate Wild food Lunch and 3 course dinner are included.
“Wow, wow, wow!!! Hips & Haws Wildcraft events are a special opportunity to connect with beautiful people in an amazing space. I was fortunate enough to have the privilege to attend a Fly Agaric event hosted by Courtney and Fergus the Forager. From the moment I arrived I felt an instant inspiration and warm welcome. We foraged in the near by woods in fun filled explorations, while learning and connecting with the many species of fungi available. The preparation and dishes we were treated to after our journey in the woods was a unique blend of heart warming tastes and enjoyable community spirit set outdoors. For a revitalising experience amongst a vibrant loving group a Hips and Haws event is the place to be.”-Riain O’Táth
“I was lucky enough to join Hips and Haws Wildcrafts on the amanita forage day yesterday. It exceeded all expectations I ever had. Right from the beginning the communication before the event was so helpful and made the whole day run smoothly as it ran like clockwork. I arrived and was warmly greeted and welcomed to the space along with the group. We spent the day covering so much foraging information but it felt so relaxed fun and full of adventure. I’ve attended a good few similar themed foraging events in Ireland at this point and this was possibly my favourite due to the amount of work and effort Courtney and Fergus put into the packed schedule. It was more than just an ID and forage day… it was so much more! We not only learned about identification/ foraging but then info how to cook/preserve in many different kinds of ways like: lacto-fermentation, sweet dishes, ice cream, rice balls, savoury dishes, dumplings, pasta sauce, soup and more.After learning all that we had a big feast in all the mushroom themed foods.I cannot wait for the next course it was truly out of this world! Thank you for the most incredible day. -Ashleigh Connors
************************************************************ FAQ’s /Terms and Conditions:
************************************************************ All ticket sales are final, we do not offer refunds or rescheduling.
This is in order to care for our energy in organising and running events as well as due to the fact that otherwise this place could have been offered to someone else. ******************************************************************* **COVID precautions in relation to ticket sales: all ticket sales are final according to the policy above. However if you are exposed to Covid or in quarantine, you may choose to gift your ticket to someone else in your place. ******************************************************************* If we have to change the date of an event due to severe weather warnings or government guidelines, or for any other reason- we will issue you with a voucher which can be used on a future workshop.
A foray coming up in the Wicklow mountains with, interestingly, an emphasis on Amanita muscaria.“So you think you’re changed, do you?” said the Caterpillar.“I’m afraid I am, sir,” said Alice; “I can’t remember things as I used—and I don’t keep the same size for ten minutes together!”
Where: Co Wicklow, Ireland
When: Thursday 29 September 2022 10am until 9pm (11 hour day)
There is a fantastic array of wild food and fungi in Co Wicklow. We will enjoy a long ramble in a beautiful woodland in the Wicklow Mountains interspersed with wild local seasonal food to drink and eat and a forage for wild mushrooms including Fly Agaric.
We will learn about the allure of the iconic Fly Agaric mushroom and how to safely use it as medicine and as food. There will be demonstrations including lacto-fermentation of mushrooms. We will also learn about any other wild fungi that we come across.
We will provide lunch and an elaborate three course wild food dinner with some exciting ingredients for the meal, as of course Fergus is incredible talented and experienced as a wild food experimentalist. He has over 30 years experience as a wild food forager, so your more advanced questions can be answered too.
We will be starting and ending the day in a location later to be announced to ticket holders but we may be car-pooling or driving to a nearby local woodland for some of the day. You must dress appropriately for a day spent outdoors, hiking boots and rain gear could be helpful. Sorry for this event no young children or dogs. You must be physically fit for a day spent wandering the wilderness with hills and uneven ground. Please bring snacks and or food to share if you would like. And a foraging basket or knife (if you have one).
How Much: €220 Early Bird/ €245 Full Price/ Elaborate Wild Food Lunch and 3 course dinner are included.
Bookings for all of our events will close 6 weeks before the event takes place. In this case, the event will close to all new bookings on the 18 August 2022. We will be in touch with you before the event takes place to share further relevant details with those that have booked their place.
Here is a link to a podcast with Robin Harford after our last event:
“Wow, wow, wow!!! Hips & Haws Wildcraft events are a special opportunity to connect with beautiful people in an amazing space. I was fortunate enough to have the privilege to attend a Fly Agaric event hosted by Courtney and Fergus the Forager. From the moment I arrived I felt an instant inspiration and warm welcome. We foraged in the near by woods in fun filled explorations, while learning and connecting with the many species of fungi available. The preparation and dishes we were treated to after our journey in the woods was a unique blend of heart warming tastes and enjoyable community spirit set outdoors. For a revitalising experience amongst a vibrant loving group a Hips and Haws event is the place to be.”-Riain O’Táth
“I was lucky enough to join Hips and Haws Wildcrafts on the amanita forage day yesterday. It exceeded all expectations I ever had. Right from the beginning the communication before the event was so helpful and made the whole day run smoothly as it ran like clockwork. I arrived and was warmly greeted and welcomed to the space along with the group. We spent the day covering so much foraging information but it felt so relaxed fun and full of adventure. I’ve attended a good few similar themed foraging events in Ireland at this point and this was possibly my favourite due to the amount of work and effort Courtney and Fergus put into the packed schedule. It was more than just an ID and forage day… it was so much more! We not only learned about identification/ foraging but then info how to cook/preserve in many different kinds of ways like: lacto-fermentation, sweet dishes, ice cream, rice balls, savoury dishes, dumplings, pasta sauce, soup and more. After learning all that we had a big feast in all the mushroom themed foods.I cannot wait for the next course it was truly out of this world! Thank you for the most incredible day.” -Ashleigh Connors
************************************************************ FAQ’s /Terms and Conditions:
************************************************************ All ticket sales are final, we do not offer refunds or rescheduling.
This is in order to care for our energy in organising and running events as well as due to the fact that otherwise this place could have been offered to someone else. ******************************************************************* **COVID precautions in relation to ticket sales: all ticket sales are final according to the policy above. However if you are exposed to Covid or in quarantine, you may choose to gift your ticket to someone else in your place. ******************************************************************* If we have to change the date of an event due to severe weather warnings or government guidelines, or for any other reason- we will issue you with a voucher which can be used on a future workshop.
