Forager. Fermenter. Pickler. Preserver.

My love of gardening and foraging started a very long time ago growing up in Southern NSW in a small rural area called Dignam's Creek near Central Tilba. My parents had land and grew food for the family. I remember coming across a native plum and gathering wild blackberries with my family. At a young age I was then mentored by a local couple who ran a bed and breakfast. I was sent off to pick raspberries to make raspberry vinegar, and into the garden to pick flowers for the bedrooms. Kay taught me a lot about how to process and preserve food to celebrate seasonal produce.

Whilst I have done many things since then, this has remained my Love. Wherever I have travelled in the world I have chased down local foods, secret recipes, and preserving tools and techniques. Bushwalks become foraging hunts. Beach walks become karkalla searching missions.

The Northern Rivers has been my home now for many years and I am eternally grateful to waking each day on our property that offers so many gifts and so much potential. Walks around the property have become an opportunity to find a new fruiting tree I haven't spotted yet and rainy days excite me because I have an excuse to stay inside and experiment with a new recipe.

I think I am obsessed.

There is nothing quite as satisfying to me as growing or foraging for a harvest that I can then preserve. Even better when I can cook a meal for my family and friends from my garden and pantry. I am still, and always will be, learning and loving the process.

The plan from here is to share what I have learnt, my inspirations along the way, and soon, to offer Forage Byron Bay as a place to stay.

forage

VERB to search widely for food or provisions