Scouts Education Programme 2

This was the second session of this years SEP, a wild food walk showing some early spring greens and a little basic field work. It's very disconcerting on a course when instructors show off by naming 100 plants and their uses on the day, chances are after a week you won't remember any! So with this in mind we concentrated on just a half dozen plants found commonly all over the UK and at most times of the year, as well as one or two trees that are useful to the bushcrafter, after all we are not professionals and in no way would we claim to be all knowledgeable, far from it actually, as a matter of fact if someone claims to be an expert just run to the hills! We try to expand our knowledge when we can, but we are still beginners and as prone to a mistake as anybody.

Dave discussing nettles and their multiuse properties.

Celandine roots and cleavers

The kids picking and trying some wild garlic

Harvesting birch bark without damage to the tree

The kids are so conscientious they have even bought their own firesteels, here they are practising in field conditions

success!

Walk back in the dark, talking about fairy thorns and bread and cheese..

It's great to see kids who show such enthusiasm and makes working with them so rewarding.

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