In this episode of the Eatweeds Podcast, Robin Harford sits down with Vivien Rolfe, a herbalist and researcher with a fascinating background in both science and herbal medicine. Recorded outdoors in the serene gardens of Penny Brohn in Bristol, this conversation delves into the art and science of herbal teas, the power of plants, and the rich cultural history surrounding their use.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• Curiosity Research
• Free Subscription: Robin Harford's Daily Plant Practices
• Book: Self Sufficient Herbalism by Lucy Jones

ABOUT VIVIEN ROLFE

Viv is a keen herbal researcher, educator and tea blender (and drinker). She splits her time between the National Centre for Integrative Medicine in Bristol teaching on the diploma, and researching herbs as part of her own business Curiosity Research. She is keen that people have fun and learn more about herbs, so co-founded the Cotswold Herb Centre to provide workshops and herb walks in Gloucestershire where she lives.

In this episode of the Eatweeds podcast, Robin Harford is joined by filmmaker Nirman Choudhury to explore the deep connection between India’s indigenous communities and their traditional ecological knowledge of plants.

Nirman shares insights from his project "Shifting Narratives," which highlights how tribal and Dalit communities use visual storytelling to document their relationship with their environment.

The conversation delves into how these communities sustainably harvest forest produce, use plants for food and medicine, and maintain spiritual practices tied to the land.

Through stories of resilience, they discuss the importance of preserving indigenous plant knowledge and the vital role it plays in environmental stewardship.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• Shifting Narratives
• nirmanchowdhury.in
• Madia Gond Tribe uses the camera for the first time
• The Dongria Kondh say plot of James Cameron's blockbuster reflects their plight as they struggle to stop company from opening bauxite mine on sacred mountain
• Sarna Religion
• Introduction to India's Tribes
• Adivasi
• Activists from Tribal India
• Photojournalist Sudharak Olwe
• Minor Forest produce
• Madia Gond tribes leave ancestral land, to make way for tiger conservation
• Important stories from Rural and Tribal India
• How one man fought a patent war over turmeric

ABOUT NIRMAN CHOUDHURY

Nirman Choudhury is a film-maker and Visual Artist working in the intersection of storytelling and films for change, with a strong focus on human rights issues such as caste discrimination, hunger and inter sectional indigenous/tribal issues. Using lens based practices to engage with communities and foster growth and social change. He also runs a commercial video production studio based in Mumbai.

In this powerful episode, host Robin Harford welcomes Hannah-May Batley, founder of Hedge School, to discuss her groundbreaking work in plant-based healing and community regeneration.

Hannah-May shares her journey from a post-mining community in South Yorkshire to creating a unique curriculum that addresses trauma, particularly sexual violence against women, through reconnection with nature.

She explains how foraging, wild food, and traditional plant knowledge can be powerful tools for recovery and resilience.

Highlights Include

• The origins of Hedge School and its impact on post-mining communities
• How plant-based practices can aid in sexual violence recovery
• The intersection of class, land rights, and healing
• Personal insights into nature as an anchor during dark times

This episode offers a sensitive yet hopeful exploration of how returning to our roots - literally and figuratively - can pave the way for profound healing and community restoration.

Don't miss this inspiring conversation about the transformative power of our connection to plants and place.

Rape Crisis Resources

• Rape Crisis- England & Wales
• Survivors Network
• Rasac

Recommended Books

• Women Who Run With The Wolves
• The Sun & Her Flowers
• The Body Keeps The Score
• Girlhood
• Caliban & The Witch

About Hannah-May Batley

Hannah-May is an unruly educator & the founder of Hedge School, a school that seeks to recover, reconnect & restore our relationship with kith & kin through plant-work, traditional skills & unruly education.

She would describe herself as a woman deeply interested in the human relationship with plants, minerals & mark-making. Hannah-may teaches foraging, community herbalism, wild food, how to forage & process wild pigments & botanical inks, preservation methods & folk medicine.

She is a writer with work published in several UK journals & magazines & is currently working on her first book. Hannah-May is a member of the Society of Ethnobotanist & Pigments Revealed International. She specialises in working with community trauma, taking plant-work into marginalised communities.

Connect With Hannah-May Batley

Instagram: Woman of the Hedge
Instagram: Hannah-May Batley
Substack: Root and Rock
Website: HedgeSchool.co.uk

Back Matter

Follow me (Robin Harford), for the latest updates and insights around foraging and wild food on Substack, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

If you're ready to uncover the secrets of Britain and Northern Europe's wild plants, grab a copy of my bestselling foraging book. Inside, you'll learn how to safely harvest and thrive on nature's bounty.

Embark on a journey through 48 essential wild plants, all beautifully illustrated in full colour. Rediscover the forgotten wisdom of our ancestors and revive our ancestral heritage. Get your copy today and start your foraging journey!