Trudy Turrell will be offering foraging workshops at The Deer Wood Trust, near Loddiswell, to teach beginners how to gather resources for various recipes.

Trudy, who will be leading the foraging sessions, said: “This Spring I’ll be leading some foraging walks and wild food  feasts - with a distinctly garlicky theme; using the abundance of wild garlic as well as many other wild edible plants on site, to create wild garlic bread, soups, pesto, salts and ferments.

As spring progresses I’ll be focussing on wild flowers; in tempura, syrups and sweet fritters- showing participants how to identify, gather, cook and preserve amazing and tasty wild plants- all fresh and free if you know how to forage them.”

Taking an empty basket through the trees, hedgerows and by the stream at Deer Wood’s wildlife rich woodlands, Trudy will teach visitors how to gather ingredients for soups, salads and teas. All are welcome to the sessions, which are available for absolute beginners or more experienced foragers.

The woodland, situated deep in the Avon Valley, is a centre for sustainable learning, offering the chance for visitors to immerse themselves in nature.

After a foraging stroll, those taking part in the sessions will prepare, cook and eat in Deer Wood’s hand-crafted outdoor kitchen in the woods.

Having worked in conservation in the South Hams for many years and foraged in woodlands, seashore and fields, Trudy has a wealth of knowledge and ideas to share and loves to use wild foods in her favourite dishes.

The skills learnt also have an economical benefit, which will be a welcome help to many struggling due to the current cost of living crisis. Trudy added: “With ever increasing food bills how about foraging some of your weekly shop from the wild?… After a day of foraging you could swap supermarket produce for wild- saving on your shop every week!”

Trudy added that a foraging trip could be the perfect present. She said: “The Deer Wood Trust has beautiful gift vouchers for all the courses on offer in 2023. Offering the gift of ancient knowledge could be a source of pleasure for years to come. “