There are so many stimulating, inspirational and fascinating nature programmes out there both on television and radio. In regards to the TV ones I’m afraid I fall asleep, not because they’re boring but for some other reason. I even drop off to sleep if I watch one in my lunch break or during the day! Yet with radio, podcasts or web programmes I remain awake. This is a good thing as my clients would be sacking me from their gardens as I tend to listen to such programmes whilst working. Sleeping gardener is clearly an oxymoron!
As I have decided to lead Forest Church monthly I have suddenly been inspired to listen to more of these kind of programmes about nature connection again. Maybe it’s the New Year working its magic on me.
Today I listened to four programmes on such matters, one of which is on YouTube and I have posted a little about it here. What I refer to here is an interview between Justin Brierley and Martin Shaw, the mythologist not the actor. The other three were as follows.
- BBC Open Country Tolkien Land
- BBC Open Country The Mushroom man
- BBC Edward Thomas and the song of the Path
The first one about Tolkien is about what landscape or man made features within the landscape may have led him to write what he did. There are some old recordings of his voice from the past. There is another Open Country broadcast which is referenced within the programme which looks at the birth place of Tolkien.
The mushroom man is a kind of introduction to fungal foraging with some top tips by Daniel Butler who has been doing it for nearly 30 years. Some interesting statistics on here and some myths which are busted. With foraging for fungi it is best to stick to species you are familiar with and can identify very clearly.
One thing that struck me from the programme is that you can’t get poisoned just by touching fungi. Their poisons are not secreted through your skin. That being said it is probably a good idea to wash your hands so that you don’t ingest anything when you put your hands near your mouth. There are as Daniel says more plants out there that you can get poisoned by but we don’t tend to put the caviat on them about touching them.
Incidentally those of you who may be interested in learning how to identify fungi and going on a foray in your area maybe interested in these guys who go around the country doing sessions. There may be one in your area (UK based). Their website linked above is very informative and good to look at you may find something of interest there.
“Going out hunting, loosely speaking, is a great way of getting in tune with nature and what’s going on around you”.
Daniel Butler – The Mushroom Man
(In reference to looking for fungi but can be extended to anything else from lichens, birds, trees etc)
The last programme is as the title conveys about the poet Edward Thomas in the hands of the author Robert MacFarlane who has written a number of New Nature books including The Old Ways, Underland and Landmarks which I have listened too on audiobooks. His friend folk singer and songwriter Johnny Flynn is with him. Johnny wrote the theme music for the nostalgic drama about hobbyists in particular The Detectorists which is warm, engaging and humorous. Look out for a similar sounding song towards the end of the programme which both of these men have written between them. I was unexpectedly moved to tears by the song .
It was the title of the book which caught my eye as I thought it maybe appropriate to use it at Forest Church
If any of these programmes inspire you to get outside they’ve done their job. Let me know if you have been inspired by them.