The reason we are increasingly disconnected is because we are losing the places where we connect. Real places. Places with history. Places that bound up in a network of relationships. And if we are ever to find one another again, we have to find those places again.

Food is more than just nourishment for our bodies, it links us to people, to places and while, when we think of food insecurity, the more obvious losses from not having enough to eat come to mind, there is also a loss that comes with food insecurity that is deeper than hunger. Food is the thread that weaves through the tapestry of life, bringing people closer together.

I adore folk lore, superstitions and old wives tales, from all over the world. There are stories and sayings about almost everything you can think of from trees, to birds to the weird and wonderful. I believe such stories give a great deal of insight into humanity’s relationship with the natural world, and highlight the common thread that runs through whilst at the same time celebrating our differences. These stories can help to deepen our understanding of and thus our connection to the land. Here I’ll share with you some of my favourite tree lore.

“they are going to create sports pitches and even a wildlife area. A fecking wildlife area!  As if the wildlife isn't already there.”

My worldview does not accommodate supernatural beings that exist separately and independently of human beings. In that sense I am an atheist. And yet, my world is full of gods...