2011: Summer 2011 Newsletter
The Scottish Wild Harvests Association Summer 2011 Newsletter (PDF file 935KB) is now online, bringing reports and pictures from the recent Gathering and a topical perspective from one wild harvesting speciality - medical herbalism.
It also carries a packed Coming Events section, with foraging days, a week-long residential foraging course, and other opportunities to learn specialised skills or just to enjoy days out in the fields and woods.
2011: The Gathering of the Wild Gatherers
"Who are the wild gatherers, what do we do, and what do we want?"
In June 2011 people from around Scotland travelled to meet at the Cairn o'Mohr Winery in Perthshire, for the first ever gathering of the Scottish Wild Harvests Association. It was a celebration of midsummer, foraging and elderflowers
We toured of the winery and its unique elder orchard, went on a guided forage walk, ate a special wild food lunch at the Cairn o'Mohr cafe, and brought our own displays, information, products, ideas and diverse knowledge. Discussions included codes of conduct for gathering, the need to let the hedges and verges flower and fruit, how to manage land for more forageables, and the purpose and direction of SWHA itself.
Gathering reports & pictures in the Summer 2011 Newsletter.
SWHA 2010
The Scottish Wild Harvests Association's last public outing of 2010 was in a dedicated SWHA marquee at the Wild Gathering in Dunkeld, Perthshire on 9 October. This outdoor market was the launch event of Wild Connections, a new Perthshire wildlife tourism festival. Our marquee was packed with a range of wild harvests businesses & their products. Our first AGM was held the next day in nearby Bankfoot. It was a very positive meeting, with much agreement on the need for luxuriant, flower-rich verges and untrimmed, fruitful hedges. Let's hear it for biodiversity and for abundant wild harvestables!
Earlier in the year, for the second time running we held a shared stall at the Big Tent festival in Falkland, Fife. This was a great chance to share information with the general public, and meet fellow foragers.
We agreed that one of the most important benefits of these shared stalls was the chance to meet other SWHA members, get to know each other better, and learn from each other's expertise. With that in mind, our next planned event is a members' gathering. We're hoping that the day will include a guided tour round an elderflower plantation...
SWHA's first annual report Apr09-Oct10
Click here or on the image for a one-page account of SHWA's first year or so
About SWHA
The Scottish Wild Harvests Association (SWHA) was formed during the 2009 Wild Harvests of Scotland events, by a group of people working in wild harvest businesses.
The aims of the Association are to:
- provide information about wild harvesting in Scotland
- facilitate co-operation between members
- provide marketing opportunities to members
- raise public awareness of the Scottish wild harvests sector
- represent the views of the group to public bodies, as informed by the members
- promote sustainable harvesting
Over time we are developing a network of like-minded people who have skills, products, materials, services, information that are useful to each other, and who together are building a sustainable harvesting culture. One important element of that is a good working relationship between landowners and gatherers.
Full membership is open to businesses, voluntary groups and individuals in Scotland who produce sustainable, ethical products or services based on Scottish wild materials. Full membership provides full voting rights at AGM. Other benefits such as directory listings and joint marketing activities will be developed for the benefit of full members.
Associate membership is open to all organisations and individuals who support the aims and objectives of the Association.Associate members are a vital part of developing our collective knowledge and raising awareness of wild harvesting in Scotland, and they have a full role in many of the Association's activities.
We hope you will want to be a member so are offering a £10 initial year's membership for full or associate membership.
A downloadable application form is available here.
To find out more, click here to email the Secretary.