Science of the wild

Science and the natural world often seem like odd bedfellows but they are not as far removed as they first may seem. Centuries of scientific study have led us to a much greater understanding of the world around us and what makes plants taste the way they do, how they grow, why they look like they do and why they are the colour they are in most cases, is no great mystery. For the forager, combining science and nature in this way opens up a rich and fascinating world.

Horseradish for example contains a substance known as sinigrin which act as the plant’s defence against predators. When the horseradish root, and to some extent its leaves, are crushed or damaged in any way, such as by a passing hungry rabbit, they release an enzyme which breaks down the sinigrin into a pungent mustard oil called ally isothiocyante. This results in the rabbit getting a mouthful of this mustard oil and bounding off to find a less troublesome plant.

Horseradish is in the same family of plants as cabbage, radish and mustard and many of these plants contain the characteristic sinigrin. White mustard contains a similar substance called sinalbin which is not as fiery as its close cousin sinigrin.
The common weed, wood avens, herb bennet or Geum urbanum for you botanists) is a rather unassuming little plant. Once identified you will find it everywhere as it seems even more ubiquitous than the nettle. This common weed contains a common flavour compound called eugenol also found in cinnamon, basil, bay or most characteristically in cloves. In large doses eugenol is poisonous to humans but small doses it is a widely used flavouring. Eugenol is also poisonous to insects and often used as an insecticide (although this is not without its critics http://pestcemetery.com/darker-side-eugenol-oil/).

For more information on the Science of the wild why not book onto one of our new Wild Science courses (See selfsufficientish.com for more details) in Totnes UK (More dates will be announced if the course sells out)