Tag Archives: food

March and April Foraging Walks

Foraging, Urban Herb Walks, Wildbiome2, , , , , , ,

WEDNESDAY 26th MARCH
10.00 – 11.30 – Park Frankendael (Full with waiting list)
€20 per person

WEDNESDAY 9th APRIL
10.00 – 11.30 – Park Frankendael
€20 per person

Click here for full agenda.

Would you like to know which edible and medicinal plants are possible to find in Amsterdam at different times of the year? Want to know how to supplement your diet for free from local plants? And would you like to know how the local poisonous plants? Great! Then, join me for a walk in Park Frankendael and let me show you what’s around; Learn how to identify delicious and nutritious plants, how to ethically harvest them, and how to use them.

These Walks
The walk will start and end at the same location, near the bike racks closest to Huize Frankendael/Restaurant Merkelbach. We will walk in the woods, alongside water, on grass and other areas of the park – including the foraging gardens which I have nurtured with other volunteers, since 2014. The walk will go ahead in all weather except storms. You will receive a handout to help you remember the plants and uses, and we will drink herbal tea from herbal finds. If you want to take some foraged finds home, please bring along a small paper or cotton bag to take home some herbs and seeds. The walk is gentle and fairly slow, the paths are mostly natural, of woodchip or soil. There is a public toilet in the park. Come prepared to connect simply with urban nature.

Who am I?
My name is Lynn Shore, I have been teaching urban foraging and self-sufficiency skills, in Amsterdam for over 15 years. I am an experienced herbalist and a proud member of the Association of Foragers, and a Trustee of The Herb Society. Over the years, I have led walks for large and small groups (including Greenpeace), work with top bartenders, restaurants, eco-friendly businesses, and community groups.

This April I am take part in the Wildbiome research project where I will live only on foraged food for the month to study the effects on the body. I have special interests in improving Urban Food Security, and mental health through nature connection. I live very close to a Park Frankendael, and know the plants here like the back of my hand.

This walk is in English – I also speak Dutch.

Booking Information
To secure your booking, please email me at Urban.herbology.lynn@urbanherbology.org to check there is space. Payment should be made in advance of the walk to bank account NL41 SNSB 0705 8981 99 (LM Shore). Email urban.herbology.lynn@gmail.com, in case of questions, or contact me on 06 275 969 30.

Cancellation Policy
Payments are fully refundable up to 24 hours before the event. If you need to cancel after that time (so less than 24 hours before the event start time) a refund can only be made if we can fill your place with someone else.

Wildbiome 2 Project

Foraging, Projects, Wildbiome2, , , ,

How do wildfood diets effect the human body?

I’m a foraging teacher and herbalist in Amsterdam. I have been eating something wild and local every day for many years and I believe that it helps my body and mind, but does it really? To find out, I’ll be participating in the Wildbiome 2 research project, eating only wild food for one full month in April 2025. I need help to pay for my tests to see the health effects of the study.

Wildbiome 2 is a large follow-up study looking at how eating a wild food diet (like our hunter gatherer ancestors) affects human health today. The first study in 2023 was relatively small but delivered some fascinating results so I’m looking forward to finding out more this time as 120 foraging volunteers will take part.

During April 2025 I will eat only locally foraged wild food, no sneaky extras, no chocolate, matcha, spelt or homegrown veg, just 100% wild and local food. In Amsterdam, I’m sure it’s possible to be healthy by adding locally foraged food to our diet each day, but will eating it 100% show up issues? Will it show the effects of pollution? Will I be lacking in some nutrients? I think it will be fine, positive, but as someone who used to work in a research lab, I want to put this to the test scientifically. So some clinical tests need to be done.

Blood, stool and other testing will be done at the start and end of the trial month to look for effects on my gut microbiome, blood sugar, hormones, inflammation levels and many other health/illness markers. The tests are quite expensive so I need to raise funds to cover those costs alongside preparing my wild food store with acorns, apples, roots, leaves, berries, etc.

If you want to support this project, to help find out how wild food affect us, and to help pay for my tests, please donate through my Gofundme appeal.

The project starts on 1 April 2025 but I need to raise funds now.

As a token of my gratitude, I am offering the following:

First 20 people giving €25 donations: each a place on one of my Amsterdam herb group foraging walks, during Autumn, Winter or Spring 2024/5.

€50 donations: join a 1:2 walk.

€100 donations: a 1:1 walk at a mutually convenient time.

link to the Gofundme appeal

Nettles – Urban Foraging Event

Foraging, Urban Herb Walks, Wild herbs, , , , , , , , , , ,
White deadnettle
Stinging nettle
Purple deadnettle

It is nettle time!
Learn how to identify, ethically harvest, craft, eat, grow, use and generally make the most of locally growing nettles, so Stinging nettles (Urtica species) and several Deadnettles (some of the Lamiaceae family), with Livvy de Graaf, assisted by Lynn Shore. Lynn is a professional foraging teacher (member Association of Foragers) and consulting herbalist. Livvy, is Dutch-British and has been harvesting and eating wild food for longer than she can remember. She is Lynn’s daughter and certainly knows her way around the woods and foraging orchards, where this event will take place. She looks forward to sharing some of her skills with you. The walk will be primarily in English.

Location
We will be working mainly in the River of Herbs foraging gardens, which Lynn has run for over 10 years, so unusually will be able to dig up some of the stinging nettle roots, to plant elsewhere or for you to cook/preserve/process at home.
Meeting at main entrance of Park Frankendael, closest to Middenweg 72, Amsterdam (Restaurant Merkelbach / Huize Frankendael).

Handout
Written info and recipes will be provided. You will learn about and try different preparations made from the focus plants (including a cup of tea). You will then be able to make your own potions/creations at home, using what we forage together and the handout.

Who is Stinging nettle’s sister?
Yellow deadnettle
Stinging nettle

The plants
Different “nettles” are up and forageable in Amsterdam all through the year, but at this time the Stinging nettles are growing strongly, and different Deadnettles begin to flower. This is the best time to start using them in simple remedies and to enrich food. As you learn about Stinging nettles and Deadnettles, you will also meet some other amazing wild herbs that are around at the same time. For instance, wild garlic is also in full growth at this time, so you will be able to dig some of those bulbs up, from legal places, if you want that and have uses for them.

Please bring along
cup/mug
paper bag (grocery small bag to take the harvest home)
pen/pencil to add to the notes.
hand trowel / handschep (we will have a few to share if you don’t have one).

Booking
€15 per person, paid in advance
Please email to reserve your place and receive the bank details for pre-payment. Your place is secured when your payment has been received.

Cancellation policy
100% refund if cancellation more than 24 hours before event start time. Cancellation after that time (so less than 24 hours before the start time) can only be refunded if we can fill your place with another person.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Wild Garlic (Daslook) Ethical Foraging Event

Bulbs, Foraging, Urban Herb Walks, Wild herbs, , , , , , , ,

Extra Date: Saturday 17th February, 10.00 – 11.30, Park Frankendael. Amsterdam

This is an event for wild garlic lovers!

Learn how to identify, ethically harvest, craft, eat, grow, use and generally make the most of wild garlic (Allium ursinum) or Daslook, with Livvy de Graaf, assisted by Lynn Shore, professional foraging teacher and herbalist. Livvy, is Dutch-British and has been harvesting and eating wild food for longer than she can remember. She is Lynn’s daughter and certainly knows her way around the woods of Park Frankendael, where this walk will take place. She looks forward to sharing some of her skills with you.

We will be working mainly in the River of Herbs foraging gardens, so unusually, will be able to dig up some of the fresh wild garlic bulbs, to plant elsewhere or for you to cook/preserve at home.

Handout with wild garlic info. and recipes, and a cup of herb tea will be provided. You will learn about and try different preparations from sweet, sour, savoury to medicinal. And will be able to make your own potions/creations at home, using what we forage together and the handout.

Wild garlic emerging from the early spring soil, heralds the start of the main foraging season. As you learn about wild garlic, you will also learn to recognise other amazing wild herbs which are around at the same time.

Please bring along:
drinking cup
Paper bag (grocery small bag to take the harvest home)
pen/pencil to add to the notes.
hand trowel / handschep (I will have a couple to share if you forget or don’t have one).

Cost: 15 Euro per person – Payable in advance
Please email urban.herbology.lynn@gmail.com and you will receive the bank details for payment. When payment is received your place is booked.

Cancellation Policy:
If canceling, for any reason, 24 hours or more before the start of the event – Full refund.
If canceling after that time (so less than 24 hours before the start time of the event) you will be refunded only if we have a replacement.

Looking forward to meeting you!