@@hardwirecars Short answer: Midges are nearly microscopic spawn of Satan. Longer answer: Take your standard issue mosquito. Shrink it down to about 1/4 size, so it's almost impossible to see, and so it can't fly when the wind is blowing. Keep its biting abilities intact, and give it reproductive capabilities beyond what any natural creature has any right to achieve. Instead of swatting individual bugs, one simply wipes them off by the handful. As an English friend of mine once pointed out, there are only two things wrong with Scotland: Midges, and Irn Bru. Also: Midges are the main reason that Scots rarely complain about wind. Given a choice, wind is very much preferable.
@@FandabiDozi I think there was some bog myrtle bushes around you there. Its very aromatic and decent insect repellent, even wards off midgies to a degree. It was used in brewing instead of hops, but is potent antiseptic and more than a leaf or two in tea can cause dizziness.
Greetings from North Carolina, I love your videos. They are wonderful. I have to admit ..... I did cringed every time you drank from a stream. Then I thought he must really know what he's doing because he's still alive making more great videos. I'm going to subscribe now. Thank you‼️
@@blandedgear9704 No. When there's little food, fewer babies are born. Usually changes in nature happen gradually and animal numbers also adjust gradually in cycles of ups and downs.
@@vorynrosethorn903 Who are we humans to decide what animals should prosper? Were the foxes introduced by humans at some point, making existing bird populations vulnerable? Or have humans contributed to bird populations dwindling so much that they can no longer deal with a natural predator? I think humans need to consider their own behaviors before they start killing or introducing animals as they please. Like I said, most animals have less offspring when food sources are scarce, so there need not be a whole lot of starvation going on. On the other hand, when humans become an artificial predator the effects can range from very ineffective to over effective. We really don't know what we are doing most of the time. If an improperly introduced species really causes a lot of destruction maybe we should remove it, although there are other ways to do that than to kill already born animals. Also we need to consider if so much has happened since that improper introduction that things have become dependent on it, and it might actually be better to let it be. Things are in constant change and adjustment in nature.
That was great! You said "koosty/coustie" when you described your bed. I never did get the proper spelling of that word, nor have I heard it in 20 years. Thanks! Made my day!
Thanks for posting, Fandabi. I've often wondered about our Highland ancestors when I'm walking in Scotland. It can be difficult enough when kitted out in modern technical gear, gortex boots and all. They must have been really hardy to survive Highland winters with the means thay had available to them.
manic mechanic You might be right! Tennessee was settled by lots of Scots-Irish!! However some of their personal habits tend to leave them in poverty tragically....
Their plaid works as an Anorak too. But they would have also just had to except getting wet and cold. Wool does well in the wet to keep you insulated, but the people would have also been tough as hell :)
Excellent video, thanks mate. As for the mushrooms, you may find clues as to why they weren't all that valued if you look into the claorific values for them.
Thanks buddy! Thanks for always watching :) yeah it's true, but some are nutritious and lots of other European cultures valued them. I'm planning to do more research on it :)
The Scottish were very supersticious people as you've said in other videos. And a lot of mushrooms and toadstools have evil connotations all over the world. Maybe that's something to do with it.
@@TheArrowsPath Yeah you are right. That could be very likely. I also read a theory that in pre-christian times, only elders or medicine people were allowed to use fungi (maybe magic shrooms). Then that taboo stayed when Christianity came. But not sure how true it is.
You don't need calories if they are magic. From what I've read the people of northern Scandinavia were very fond of those. As psilocybin is not digested but merely filtered out the elder or shaman got to eat the mushroom while the others got to drink his urine.
Many mushrooms have calorie content equal with many vegetables. High calories come from protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The chanterelles have about 21 calories per serving, a serving of carrots has 25 calories, a serving of pork has over 200 calories, a serving of rice has over 200 calories and a serving of lard has over 750 calories. Where mushrooms shine is their mineral and vitamin count. Depending on what variety you are looking at lots of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, Selenium, Calcium Phosphorous, Iron, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, fiber, and much more plus some protein and sugar. Calories are not everything in terms of nutrition. More likely they were too hard to identify the edible versus the poisonous; many look alike. Superstition might have been a factor, mushrooms can just appear overnight. Some cultures were suspicious of this; and the Fairy Ring mushroom types had some myths surrounding them. Some fairy rings were edible and some were not. There are also the shamanistic ritual uses as well.
Can I just go camping with you one time? I have been looking into courses to do with woodland and wild foraging here in England North East since I am close to Whitby. I even got some kilts last year because I thought screw it it is too hot for trousers and I wanted to get back to my Irish and Scottish heritage. I will keep an eye out for those plants as well when I am on my walks. You can teach me Galic and gives me an excuse to visit Scotland which is on my list and I will teach you the spiritual and magical side of the stuff you find ;)
Think about how many people died in unethical medical experiments from our recent past before finding out which ones worked. How much has changed yet how little actually changes about us.
I’m glad you said that. People long ago were as curious as we are. Medical people back then had a huge responsibility to their family and neighbors. The best part was no lawyers! Of course if your patient died, their family might kill you.
Fandabi, thanks for these! As to all of those who gave this sweet wee man an absolutely unwarranted and agitated comment about 'wild' mushrooms and toxicity, remember one thing... for our entire evolution we only had 'wild' mushrooms to eat! For Christ's sake, do you honestly think that our ancestors had no clue about what was edible if it wasn't sold at Tesco's?
@YeOldeScience Most important rule about mushrooms, if you don't know, don't eat it. If you want to know, ask someone who does, there's plenty of mycologist clubs everywhere. Mushrooms can be dangerous, some will just give you an upset stomach, some others will do permanent and important damages to your insides, some others will kill you, even in small quantities. The same goes for many plants though, the first plant shown in the video (Achillea millefolium) can kind of look like Conium maculatum to the untrained eye, which is what was given to convicts condemn to death in Athens. As long as you do proper researches before putting things in your mouth, you should be good. But you should not tell people to eat toxic mushrooms "because they might not be that toxic."
In my homeland, Ukraine, it's still a widespread tradition to gather all kinds of these "wild" mushrooms and cook a plethora of tasty dishes with them. Not being an actual mushroom gatherer myself I know a couple of edible mushroom kinds that grow in the area. It was quite a surprise when I was told that wild mushrooms gathering could be actually forbidden in some European countries.
@@MrEricoze in my country you can go to the pharmacy with your mushrooms and ask the pharmacist to identify them for you, free of charge. I understand it's still a tradition to forage for mushrooms or other wild foods in many countries (many people still do in France) but I'm just saying people who are not familiar with wild food should document themselves or even ask for help at first, to avoid dying foolishly.
@@MrEricoze When I lived in Kiev I remember how people loved to go picking wild mushrooms and eat them or pickle or smoke them and how delicious mushroom flavoured potato chips were. I also remember shocking my colleagues when I mentioned that mushrooms have almost no nutritional value. One colleague said that mushrooms had the same nutritional value as meat! I said we all have our cultural misapprehensions - I remember as a Canadian child being told that eating carrots would absolutely improve your night vision. Growing up in Montreal I had a friend who was a member of the Société des mycologues (The Mushroom Society) which had volunteers in many pharmacies, for instance, who would be there on a Saturday so people could bring in wild mushrooms to have them identified safely.
I love mushrooms and get quite a variety in Michigan, United States, but probably the reason Scottish people didn't eat them is that they have almost no nutritional value. www.google.com/search?q=nutritional+value+of+mushrooms&oq=nutritional+value+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.3686j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Your videos are really great and enjoyable, my mates and I all grew up in the highlands and would spend most of our childhood and teenage years in the woods. None of us live there anymore but our folks still do. We all enjoyed finding out about plants, foods and survival when we were younger. I speak gaelic myself. Keep up the good work :)
Ok, I enjoyed your video. the sight, sounds and music gave me chills. It all made me think of my ancestors. My grandfathers parents immigrated to the USA from Scotland. I am now 70 and it continues to be my dream to visit Scotland. Your video was interesting and so very beautiful. It may be near the end of this life, but I will come home and walk that beautiful land.
Aye, do it. For all the books and videos to feast your eyes on, nothing can compare to the experience, for there is so much that speaks to the soul here and the people too are also quite unique in their wry, down to Earth attidude.
@@FandabiDozi Im looking forward to it! The birch is hands down my favorite tree, especially with the beneficial and easy to identify mushrooms and such that grow on it.
@@turtlewolfpack6061 Wow. You and me both. I knew that they used it like aspirin but not all those things! Wonderful. I have always loved their stately white beauty. Sadly many many people in my neighborhood have them but none are in our yard. Want to try to plant some tho. We do have a very rare form of Wisteria that just started blooming in huge vines a couple years back. County told us it takes YEARS to bloom so that was a lovely surprise. Great for the bumbles as well lol!🐝🌸🍄😀
@@laurametheny1008 not aspirin, there is no ASA occuring in the birch. That is from other shrubs such as willow but anything natural consumed for any purposes must be thoroughly researched, cross referenced and researched again.
@@turtlewolfpack6061 Yes I know I forgot about the willow. Anti-inflammatory was mentioned however. That is where I screwed up. Obviously I am not planning on chopping down a birch OR willow to stock my medicine cabinet! I am sure this young man knows what he is doing as well.😬
@@leea8706 well, then, that explains why every time I watch videos of the highlands I feel like I'm looking out my back window back home. And the plants are the same too!
I've a feeling the wool in the old plaids would have had a fair portion of the original lanolin still present so would have repelled rain and ground water better than the refined wools available today. Be interesting to experiment with carding natural fleece, spin and see if a bit of weaving might produce a result like in the real-thing claes? Might be a bit sniffy, but sure you'd soon get used to that; even if your lady wife wasn't just so keen? Maybe that's going a bit far with authenticity...
Ian Gourlay modern society has a lot of advantages, but traditional natural fibers almost always beat synthetics. We had fabrics that were warm, breathable, and waterproof at the same time, I’ve never found a plastic jacket that can do all that
One more mushroom comment … The attitude of the Gaels towards them is clear in the name they chose: 'balgan-buachair', which essentially translates to 'Dung-bubbles'. Most older folk I know, especially islanders, still seem to shun them. Abair deagh streath inntineach a tha seo! Bidh mi a 'coimhead mun cuairt gu cùramach an ath thuras a bhitheas mi anns a' choille. Cùm ort le seo!
Very informative, thank you. i have one question. Traditionally how much leg cover was used when wearing a kilt? The reason i ask is that as soon as i see long grass i think with my modern day mind about ticks. Was this an issue? or were there so fewer deer and ticks back then, or am i being over cautious having seen many ticks in scotland. Hope that's not a stupid question its an honest thought. Thank you again for a great video and don't get annoyed by experts telling you what you should and shouldn't be picking and eating. Although i personally refrain from fungi when i collect wild edibles i don't want to stop others with a safe knowledge from doing what they personally feel safe with. Peace.
I learned some survival skills from North American Natives, and was told that you only eat mushrooms in the area you know and only the ones you know are safe. If in another area 100 miles from what you know avoid them.
@@christianfreedom-seeker934 Bah. Plenty of people all over the world, from every tradition remember much of how their ancestors did things. Natives in the lower 48 have been wandering the wilderness continuously, too, and still use the herbs for medicinals, just like they do in Canada or Alaska.
Anonymous Libertarian Just because the average native of an area doesn’t know the old herblore doesn’t mean the knowledge has been lost by everyone. The average Norwegian doesn’t know all that much about edible and medicinal flora in their own environs either, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t Norwegians who know their native herbs.
steamboatmodel 100 miles seems like a bit of an exaggeration if the climate and flora in general is similar, but I’ll probably be more conservative about which mushrooms I consider safe the further from home I am. Are hedgehog mushrooms safe everywhere? If so, I’d probably stick to those, as even chanterelles have some deadly near-look-alikes that I’m not familiar with differentiating them from.
Great channel mate. You're totally right about trying to learn from the past by attempting to experience aspects of it. Phenomenology has become a popular current in archaeological discourse in recent years.
Deer, best place for them is the freezer. The amount of damage they do is heartbreaking; they can strip a forest to the bones within a season. Good to see some common sense in your foraging with mushrooms. Yes, some types will kill you but equally there are many more that are native, uniquely identifiable as safe and can make a good filling meal from.
This is why hunting bans are a terrible idea. We humans have essentially replaced the deer’s natural predators at the top of the food chain, neglecting that duty leads to overpopulation and disastrous consequences for our shrinking forests (another consequence of modern society).
Am liking these videos ! I often go into the highlands for long times and find myself hungry. Funny you mention the zesty clovers, I used to eat them in primary school because they were “tasty” and everyone thought I was mad 😂. Keep them up, the edibles are really interesting- from Scotland, Deeside.
I don't know how the tick load is in Scotland, or if you simply wear repellent, but in my area in the US, just looking sideways at grass that tall in the late summer will get you a kilt full of ticks... and probably a nasty disease from them, too.
You little wealth of knowledge you. How did you become so immersed in this lifestyle? I live near edinburgh and loved the outdoors my whole life, I have never wanted to walk the hills with my arse out. Seriously tho what inspired this? *edit: So glad you never ate the frog.
haha! Basically I have always loved bushcraft, survival, foraging all that stuff and I love how simple traditional old school outdoor skills and equipment are. I thought it would be cool to explore my Scottish ancestors after reading about the uses of the plaid, so thats what i did :) My sister and some friends speak Gaelic so they helped me with that part :)
@@FandabiDozi That's awesome, might give a more minimalist approach a go. Sick of hecking a 60ltr pack everywhere and all I get is a comfy bed and a hot meal. You seem to have achieved this with a little bag of magic. Firstly, well done for doing somthing and sticking too it. Secondly thanks, you are an inspiration.
Interesting to see you mention something that also grows here in Russia, like the sphagnum moss. The mushrooms look familiar as well. :) Thanks for sharing.
Hey brother, I love your work! I know this is an older video of yours, so you might know this by now, but I want to make sure you know it's best to cut wild mushrooms above the ground rather than pulling them straight out so you don't disturb the mycellium underneath. This ensures that the mushrooms will come back next year, and the mycellium actually keeps the surrounding plants healthy too! Our greatest wealth in this world is good-quality soil, and mushrooms help to preserve that :) Thanks again for all of the wonderful videos!
Really enjoy your videos, and was wondering if by chance you are a biologist or something of the sort? You seem quite knowledgeable of botany and I always respect a fellow naturalist!
Fabulous! And the chanterelles are also medicinal! They have antibacterial and antiviral properties and contain eight useful amino acids. They also have anti-oxidant properties and contains compounds that have been variously reported as helping to improve liver function, reduce cholesterol, treat thrombosis, and suppress cancer-causing agents.
OK. I have to say it. You are one fine Scottish man! If only I were about 30yrs younger lol!😋 Anyhoo I really love these vids. Mushrooms oats and blueberries YUM! We had a family friend across the field for many years. He was Scottish. Always played the bagpipes in the parades. Loved our collies. We had a couple in different years named Sir Lancelot. Lance for short. We used to fish in his pond. Both he and my Dad are long gone now sadly. Wish I could remember his name!😡 Thank you so much for sharing these. I will likely never make it there, but it's great to find channels where I can watch anyway.✌🌿🍄🍵 STORMONT. THATS MY DADS FRIENDS NAME.😆
I tried what I thought was wild onion ounce, I didn't even ingest it, just spit it out, turns out crows poison and death tulip bulbs smell like onion, my whole body was a rash I looked like a burn victim, if it went in my stomach prolly would of killed me.
If the deer population is affecting biodiversity, then you got a deer over population problem and the land is not going to be able to sustain them much longer. Left unchecked, it will result in starvation and eventually die-off, but the damage to the ecosystem could be permanent.
Thank you for taking us on a hike of the Highlands and on a medicinal plant walk! I am familiar with some of the plants you introduced to us including Yarrow and a Blueberry species. Enjoyed listening to Gaelic and the lovely song at the end! Thank you both!
I am currently writing a historic romance novel and researching all I can as I write. Your channel has been so helpful, to see and hear the actual experiences of testing highlander and Scottish ancestry things. It's very likely some of the things I've learned from you will influence what I write into the book as I strive to make it as historically accurate as I can. Thank you for these videos! ( I know, this one is old, but I've been watching between spurts of writing.)
A very interesting and well done video! I was wondering how you keep moisture from seeping into your shoes and getting your feet wet? Are they treated with something?
the plant Myrica gale was widly used to keep the insects at bay. I think we did film me talk about it, but it didnt make the final cut for this video. I will defo talk more about it in the future though :) Thanks for watching!
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL video lad, thank you so much. The scenery, camera work & editing, your outfit, knowledge of herb lore, the simple, honest way you carry yourself and present yourself; even the attitude of respect to the Wild by using only what's necessary, all incredibly admirable. The music and the Sean nós singing too: God it was just so richly atmospheric. I can't emphasise enough what a lovely video it was. Top class produce, go raibh míle maith agat. Slán
I'm a big fan of your videos! Thank you for posting such interesting information! I have a question for you though. You mentioned briefly that you are learning Gaelic. Would you ever consider doing a video on how you are doing that? Thank you again!
@@FandabiDozi Yes please! I think I wouldn't be alone in my interest. So many people want to keep Gaelic alive. Thank you for considering putting it in a video!
I'm slowly finding videos like this where there's no politics, no arguments, just learning. Thank You
the most feared animal in the United Kingdom is the Scottish midge
Its true! And they got me pretty good on that trip!
@@FandabiDozi what i ask fearfully of a joke is a scottish midge
@@hardwirecars it's a small fly type insect similar to a mosquito
@@hardwirecars Short answer: Midges are nearly microscopic spawn of Satan.
Longer answer: Take your standard issue mosquito. Shrink it down to about 1/4 size, so it's almost impossible to see, and so it can't fly when the wind is blowing. Keep its biting abilities intact, and give it reproductive capabilities beyond what any natural creature has any right to achieve. Instead of swatting individual bugs, one simply wipes them off by the handful.
As an English friend of mine once pointed out, there are only two things wrong with Scotland: Midges, and Irn Bru.
Also: Midges are the main reason that Scots rarely complain about wind. Given a choice, wind is very much preferable.
@@FandabiDozi I think there was some bog myrtle bushes around you there. Its very aromatic and decent insect repellent, even wards off midgies to a degree. It was used in brewing instead of hops, but is potent antiseptic and more than a leaf or two in tea can cause dizziness.
Green... So incredibly lush and the greenest of green! Wow!
your videos are just fantastic. they make me want to drop everything and start an adventure
Good videos, you should look to get a tv series
I 2nd that !! Please consider doing a series. I think you could build enough material to make several different episodes.
This was awesome! I love learning edible and medicinal plants. It's wonderful to hear the Gaelic. How did they make clothing from the spongan?
Great info. Great presentation.
Thank you.
Greetings from North Carolina, I love your videos. They are wonderful. I have to admit ..... I did cringed every time you drank from a stream. Then I thought he must really know what he's doing because he's still alive making more great videos. I'm going to subscribe now. Thank you‼️
The deer population increased massively.
My reaction: looks like meat's back on the menu boys
Same. My second thought was Lyme disease spread by ticks on wild deer.
Let them be, and let them eat. We don't have to compete with them. Also their numbers will adjust to available food for them.
@@carinaekstrom1Thier numbers will adjust? By the medium of starving to death, yes, I suppose.
@@blandedgear9704 No. When there's little food, fewer babies are born. Usually changes in nature happen gradually and animal numbers also adjust gradually in cycles of ups and downs.
@@vorynrosethorn903 Who are we humans to decide what animals should prosper? Were the foxes introduced by humans at some point, making existing bird populations vulnerable? Or have humans contributed to bird populations dwindling so much that they can no longer deal with a natural predator? I think humans need to consider their own behaviors before they start killing or introducing animals as they please. Like I said, most animals have less offspring when food sources are scarce, so there need not be a whole lot of starvation going on. On the other hand, when humans become an artificial predator the effects can range from very ineffective to over effective. We really don't know what we are doing most of the time.
If an improperly introduced species really causes a lot of destruction maybe we should remove it, although there are other ways to do that than to kill already born animals. Also we need to consider if so much has happened since that improper introduction that things have become dependent on it, and it might actually be better to let it be. Things are in constant change and adjustment in nature.
Very good.
That was great! You said "koosty/coustie" when you described your bed. I never did get the proper spelling of that word, nor have I heard it in 20 years. Thanks! Made my day!
Brilliant series
Av just came across this and it's brilliant. 🏴 Good bit Scottish knowledge
Thanks for posting, Fandabi. I've often wondered about our Highland ancestors when I'm walking in Scotland. It can be difficult enough when kitted out in modern technical gear, gortex boots and all. They must have been really hardy to survive Highland winters with the means thay had available to them.
I swear, you'd be right at home here in the hills of Tennessee. Scotland looks a lot like Tennessee, it looks like home.
manic mechanic You might be right! Tennessee was settled by lots of Scots-Irish!! However some of their personal habits tend to leave them in poverty tragically....
@@christianfreedom-seeker934 that's true. It's not just their personal habits thought, but it's a big part.
What would Highlanders do about traveling in the rain? The northwest highlands can be so dreich.
Their plaid works as an Anorak too. But they would have also just had to except getting wet and cold. Wool does well in the wet to keep you insulated, but the people would have also been tough as hell :)
Keep it up mate good work 👌 🏴🏴🏴🏴
Great vid.
Excellent video, thanks mate. As for the mushrooms, you may find clues as to why they weren't all that valued if you look into the claorific values for them.
Thanks buddy! Thanks for always watching :) yeah it's true, but some are nutritious and lots of other European cultures valued them. I'm planning to do more research on it :)
The Scottish were very supersticious people as you've said in other videos. And a lot of mushrooms and toadstools have evil connotations all over the world. Maybe that's something to do with it.
@@TheArrowsPath Yeah you are right. That could be very likely. I also read a theory that in pre-christian times, only elders or medicine people were allowed to use fungi (maybe magic shrooms). Then that taboo stayed when Christianity came. But not sure how true it is.
You don't need calories if they are magic.
From what I've read the people of northern Scandinavia were very fond of those. As psilocybin is not digested but merely filtered out the elder or shaman got to eat the mushroom while the others got to drink his urine.
Many mushrooms have calorie content equal with many vegetables. High calories come from protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The chanterelles have about 21 calories per serving, a serving of carrots has 25 calories, a serving of pork has over 200 calories, a serving of rice has over 200 calories and a serving of lard has over 750 calories. Where mushrooms shine is their mineral and vitamin count. Depending on what variety you are looking at lots of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, Selenium, Calcium Phosphorous, Iron, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, fiber, and much more plus some protein and sugar. Calories are not everything in terms of nutrition. More likely they were too hard to identify the edible versus the poisonous; many look alike. Superstition might have been a factor, mushrooms can just appear overnight. Some cultures were suspicious of this; and the Fairy Ring mushroom types had some myths surrounding them. Some fairy rings were edible and some were not. There are also the shamanistic ritual uses as well.
Well well well... In Serbian, yarrow is called "hajdučka trava", which translates to "rebels' herb" because it was used to heal wounds.
Can I just go camping with you one time? I have been looking into courses to do with woodland and wild foraging here in England North East since I am close to Whitby. I even got some kilts last year because I thought screw it it is too hot for trousers and I wanted to get back to my Irish and Scottish heritage. I will keep an eye out for those plants as well when I am on my walks. You can teach me Galic and gives me an excuse to visit Scotland which is on my list and I will teach you the spiritual and magical side of the stuff you find ;)
I've always wanted to drink directly from streams like that when hiking remote areas. Have you ever gotten sick from it?
i do know the wool will hold the heat but it never piss it down hell it rains every day in wales man ?
Is this Kate langhorne song available anywhere? Thanks
how do you deal with ticks? as a highlander back in the day
Subscribe and liked.
Think of how many random ass plants people shoved in their wounds before figuring out which ones worked
Probably more like, "we need to make a bandage and this is at hand. Oh hey! It healed quicker than normal!"
VVeremoose or, wow that got really infected an I’m about to die
@@zackmiller8153 probably a lot of that too.
Think about how many people died in unethical medical experiments from our recent past before finding out which ones worked.
How much has changed yet how little actually changes about us.
I’m glad you said that. People long ago were as curious as we are. Medical people back then had a huge responsibility to their family and neighbors.
The best part was no lawyers! Of course if your patient died, their family might kill you.
Fandabi, thanks for these! As to all of those who gave this sweet wee man an absolutely unwarranted and agitated comment about 'wild' mushrooms and toxicity, remember one thing... for our entire evolution we only had 'wild' mushrooms to eat! For Christ's sake, do you honestly think that our ancestors had no clue about what was edible if it wasn't sold at Tesco's?
@YeOldeScience Most important rule about mushrooms, if you don't know, don't eat it. If you want to know, ask someone who does, there's plenty of mycologist clubs everywhere. Mushrooms can be dangerous, some will just give you an upset stomach, some others will do permanent and important damages to your insides, some others will kill you, even in small quantities.
The same goes for many plants though, the first plant shown in the video (Achillea millefolium) can kind of look like Conium maculatum to the untrained eye, which is what was given to convicts condemn to death in Athens.
As long as you do proper researches before putting things in your mouth, you should be good. But you should not tell people to eat toxic mushrooms "because they might not be that toxic."
In my homeland, Ukraine, it's still a widespread tradition to gather all kinds of these "wild" mushrooms and cook a plethora of tasty dishes with them. Not being an actual mushroom gatherer myself I know a couple of edible mushroom kinds that grow in the area. It was quite a surprise when I was told that wild mushrooms gathering could be actually forbidden in some European countries.
@@MrEricoze in my country you can go to the pharmacy with your mushrooms and ask the pharmacist to identify them for you, free of charge. I understand it's still a tradition to forage for mushrooms or other wild foods in many countries (many people still do in France) but I'm just saying people who are not familiar with wild food should document themselves or even ask for help at first, to avoid dying foolishly.
@@MrEricoze When I lived in Kiev I remember how people loved to go picking wild mushrooms and eat them or pickle or smoke them and how delicious mushroom flavoured potato chips were. I also remember shocking my colleagues when I mentioned that mushrooms have almost no nutritional value. One colleague said that mushrooms had the same nutritional value as meat! I said we all have our cultural misapprehensions - I remember as a Canadian child being told that eating carrots would absolutely improve your night vision. Growing up in Montreal I had a friend who was a member of the Société des mycologues (The Mushroom Society) which had volunteers in many pharmacies, for instance, who would be there on a Saturday so people could bring in wild mushrooms to have them identified safely.
I love mushrooms and get quite a variety in Michigan, United States, but probably the reason Scottish people didn't eat them is that they have almost no nutritional value. www.google.com/search?q=nutritional+value+of+mushrooms&oq=nutritional+value+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.3686j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Your videos are really great and enjoyable, my mates and I all grew up in the highlands and would spend most of our childhood and teenage years in the woods. None of us live there anymore but our folks still do. We all enjoyed finding out about plants, foods and survival when we were younger. I speak gaelic myself. Keep up the good work :)
Ok, I enjoyed your video. the sight, sounds and music gave me chills. It all made me think of my ancestors. My grandfathers parents immigrated to the USA from Scotland. I am now 70 and it continues to be my dream to visit Scotland. Your video was interesting and so very beautiful. It may be near the end of this life, but I will come home and walk that beautiful land.
Scotland will welcome you home
I hope you make it home
Aye, do it.
For all the books and videos to feast your eyes on, nothing can compare to the experience, for there is so much that speaks to the soul here and the people too are also quite unique in their wry, down to Earth attidude.
If those were birch dont forget the inner bark as an anti inflammatory, diuretic, cleanser and aid in cold temperatures.
Yeah its an amazing tree! I'm planning on doing a medicinal plant episode next summer and will include the Gaelic uses of trees :) Thanks for watching
@@FandabiDozi Im looking forward to it! The birch is hands down my favorite tree, especially with the beneficial and easy to identify mushrooms and such that grow on it.
@@turtlewolfpack6061 Wow. You and me both. I knew that they used it like aspirin but not all those things! Wonderful. I have always loved their stately white beauty. Sadly many many people in my neighborhood have them but none are in our yard. Want to try to plant some tho. We do have a very rare form of Wisteria that just started blooming in huge vines a couple years back. County told us it takes YEARS to bloom so that was a lovely surprise. Great for the bumbles as well lol!🐝🌸🍄😀
@@laurametheny1008 not aspirin, there is no ASA occuring in the birch. That is from other shrubs such as willow but anything natural consumed for any purposes must be thoroughly researched, cross referenced and researched again.
@@turtlewolfpack6061 Yes I know I forgot about the willow. Anti-inflammatory was mentioned however. That is where I screwed up. Obviously I am not planning on chopping down a birch OR willow to stock my medicine cabinet! I am sure this young man knows what he is doing as well.😬
Really cool to see the Gaelic names! I'm an avid forager here in New England, and we have a lot of the same flora. Those chanterelles look delicious!
Fun fact, the Appalachian mountains run through Scotland, Scotland used to be attached to North America.
@@leea8706 well, then, that explains why every time I watch videos of the highlands I feel like I'm looking out my back window back home. And the plants are the same too!
@@mistyrosemcconnell9586 fun fact I wore my plaid during battle axe throwing and drinking ale
I've a feeling the wool in the old plaids would have had a fair portion of the original lanolin still present so would have repelled rain and ground water better than the refined wools available today. Be interesting to experiment with carding natural fleece, spin and see if a bit of weaving might produce a result like in the real-thing claes? Might be a bit sniffy, but sure you'd soon get used to that; even if your lady wife wasn't just so keen?
Maybe that's going a bit far with authenticity...
Ian Gourlay modern society has a lot of advantages, but traditional natural fibers almost always beat synthetics. We had fabrics that were warm, breathable, and waterproof at the same time, I’ve never found a plastic jacket that can do all that
I love the small of natural wool lol
One more mushroom comment … The attitude of the Gaels towards them is clear in the name they chose: 'balgan-buachair', which essentially translates to 'Dung-bubbles'. Most older folk I know, especially islanders, still seem to shun them. Abair deagh streath inntineach a tha seo! Bidh mi a 'coimhead mun cuairt gu cùramach an ath thuras a bhitheas mi anns a' choille. Cùm ort le seo!
Ahh thats interesting. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It is often difficult to piece all these past knowledge together :)
Very interesting. I was happy to see that bumble bee escape the spider. 😂
Very informative, thank you. i have one question. Traditionally how much leg cover was used when wearing a kilt? The reason i ask is that as soon as i see long grass i think with my modern day mind about ticks. Was this an issue? or were there so fewer deer and ticks back then, or am i being over cautious having seen many ticks in scotland. Hope that's not a stupid question its an honest thought. Thank you again for a great video and don't get annoyed by experts telling you what you should and shouldn't be picking and eating. Although i personally refrain from fungi when i collect wild edibles i don't want to stop others with a safe knowledge from doing what they personally feel safe with. Peace.
I dont think ther is ticks in uk..
@@asdarsu There are ticks in the UK
👍 its gorgeous country !, and the music brings out my inner Scottish.
I learned some survival skills from North American Natives, and was told that you only eat mushrooms in the area you know and only the ones you know are safe. If in another area 100 miles from what you know avoid them.
steamboatmodel Canadian or Alaska Natives? The lower 48 natives lost their herblore a long time ago.
dont know about libertarian but my boyscouts book from the early 90s says the same thing.
@@christianfreedom-seeker934 Bah. Plenty of people all over the world, from every tradition remember much of how their ancestors did things. Natives in the lower 48 have been wandering the wilderness continuously, too, and still use the herbs for medicinals, just like they do in Canada or Alaska.
Anonymous Libertarian
Just because the average native of an area doesn’t know the old herblore doesn’t mean the knowledge has been lost by everyone. The average Norwegian doesn’t know all that much about edible and medicinal flora in their own environs either, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t Norwegians who know their native herbs.
steamboatmodel
100 miles seems like a bit of an exaggeration if the climate and flora in general is similar, but I’ll probably be more conservative about which mushrooms I consider safe the further from home I am. Are hedgehog mushrooms safe everywhere? If so, I’d probably stick to those, as even chanterelles have some deadly near-look-alikes that I’m not familiar with differentiating them from.
Fantastic Video!
Thoroughly enjoyed watching this and your wee adventure.
Cant believe some of the negative comments 🙄
I say good for you 👌
Scotland is the most beautiful country and so glad I live here now. Thanks for your vids x
Love your videos. Have you a female friend who could show us how the women lived, dressed, cared for the children, and other family life?
He could do it in a wig hahah
@@pilowmonster I was so going to suggest that. Perhaps a little bit of makeup to show off his pretty eyes
hahaha XD
I volunteer as tribute! I may not have been born in Scotland but I have since moved here as it feels more like home than anywhere I’ve ever been.
Great channel mate. You're totally right about trying to learn from the past by attempting to experience aspects of it. Phenomenology has become a popular current in archaeological discourse in recent years.
Good information and cool kilt. Thanks and take care.
Deer, best place for them is the freezer. The amount of damage they do is heartbreaking; they can strip a forest to the bones within a season. Good to see some common sense in your foraging with mushrooms. Yes, some types will kill you but equally there are many more that are native, uniquely identifiable as safe and can make a good filling meal from.
Because sheep have taken the space the deer should have, and that's the real problem.
This is why hunting bans are a terrible idea. We humans have essentially replaced the deer’s natural predators at the top of the food chain, neglecting that duty leads to overpopulation and disastrous consequences for our shrinking forests (another consequence of modern society).
What a beautiful area you camped out in! And that song in the background, beautiful!
It eases the spirt to watch your treks.
as an English man its good to see a real kilt not a Victorian repro! Great vid.
Am liking these videos ! I often go into the highlands for long times and find myself hungry. Funny you mention the zesty clovers, I used to eat them in primary school because they were “tasty” and everyone thought I was mad 😂. Keep them up, the edibles are really interesting- from Scotland, Deeside.
I used to do that as a child. Was often told off by random adults who believed that clover was poisonous.
Hi Thanks once again for a well presented, informative and interesting video. Looking forward to the next one! ATB. Nigel
Excellent video & lovely landscape. You are quite talented as a Gaelic/Scots re-enactor. I look forward to the next video.
I don't know how the tick load is in Scotland, or if you simply wear repellent, but in my area in the US, just looking sideways at grass that tall in the late summer will get you a kilt full of ticks... and probably a nasty disease from them, too.
that was really beautiful. well done all around. thanks so much for making these videos.
You little wealth of knowledge you. How did you become so immersed in this lifestyle? I live near edinburgh and loved the outdoors my whole life, I have never wanted to walk the hills with my arse out. Seriously tho what inspired this?
*edit: So glad you never ate the frog.
haha! Basically I have always loved bushcraft, survival, foraging all that stuff and I love how simple traditional old school outdoor skills and equipment are. I thought it would be cool to explore my Scottish ancestors after reading about the uses of the plaid, so thats what i did :) My sister and some friends speak Gaelic so they helped me with that part :)
@@FandabiDozi That's awesome, might give a more minimalist approach a go. Sick of hecking a 60ltr pack everywhere and all I get is a comfy bed and a hot meal. You seem to have achieved this with a little bag of magic. Firstly, well done for doing somthing and sticking too it. Secondly thanks, you are an inspiration.
You’re lucky no outlander lover saw you, you’d be chased for days lol
He has a staff just trip 'em
@@parkertdm1652 time for some dagger warfare
Interesting to see you mention something that also grows here in Russia, like the sphagnum moss. The mushrooms look familiar as well. :) Thanks for sharing.
Greetings from Basque Country! Good to see that Scotish are concerned about their auld traditions. Lovely song btw!
Hey brother, I love your work! I know this is an older video of yours, so you might know this by now, but I want to make sure you know it's best to cut wild mushrooms above the ground rather than pulling them straight out so you don't disturb the mycellium underneath. This ensures that the mushrooms will come back next year, and the mycellium actually keeps the surrounding plants healthy too! Our greatest wealth in this world is good-quality soil, and mushrooms help to preserve that :) Thanks again for all of the wonderful videos!
How would an ancient highlander fish a water. Would it be a sapling with a linen line and a forged hook and grub.
Really enjoy your videos, and was wondering if by chance you are a biologist or something of the sort? You seem quite knowledgeable of botany and I always respect a fellow naturalist!
Thanks very much. Yeah I did a master's in Ecology :)
Great vid! That was a nice bit of walking and talking about the plants, I enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!
Great foraging. You found some epic locations.
Thank you so much for making these really cool videos.
I’m going to have to start wearing a greatkilt for bushcraft, very practical clothing
Thanks for another lovely video - The scenery is awesome and I admire the way you respect your environment
Fabulous! And the chanterelles are also medicinal! They have antibacterial and antiviral properties and contain eight useful amino acids. They also have anti-oxidant properties and contains compounds that have been variously reported as helping to improve liver function, reduce cholesterol, treat thrombosis, and suppress cancer-causing agents.
Thank your for sharing. Very informative on the Herbology. Cheers
Didn't know chantarelles grow in Scotland too! Just had a really bad year for "Kanttarelli" here in Finland. Hope next year will be better :)
OK. I have to say it. You are one fine Scottish man! If only I were about 30yrs younger lol!😋 Anyhoo I really love these vids. Mushrooms oats and blueberries YUM! We had a family friend across the field for many years. He was Scottish. Always played the bagpipes in the parades. Loved our collies. We had a couple in different years named Sir Lancelot. Lance for short. We used to fish in his pond. Both he and my Dad are long gone now sadly. Wish I could remember his name!😡 Thank you so much for sharing these. I will likely never make it there, but it's great to find channels where I can watch anyway.✌🌿🍄🍵
STORMONT. THATS MY DADS FRIENDS NAME.😆
Hahahahaha. Yes, he is.
I tried what I thought was wild onion ounce, I didn't even ingest it, just spit it out, turns out crows poison and death tulip bulbs smell like onion, my whole body was a rash I looked like a burn victim, if it went in my stomach prolly would of killed me.
If the deer population is affecting biodiversity, then you got a deer over population problem and the land is not going to be able to sustain them much longer. Left unchecked, it will result in starvation and eventually die-off, but the damage to the ecosystem could be permanent.
Cracking stuff, Scotland amazing.
Good to see the land of my ancestors and traditional foraging
Thank you
Tha mi ag ionnsachadh Gaidhlig cuideachd. . Bah gle mhath .
Amazing work. This is oh so important in preserving our culture for now and generations to come! Thanks you so much!
And the Sphagnum moss works great to keep worms and nightcrawlers fresh for fishing. Keep in the shade, of course.
Bravo!
Plant ID, available tools; excellent. Simply the overall sense of what it took to be out and about in those days.
Well done!
Well done sir
Don't pull up mushrooms by the root. Cut the top off and leave the root so you'll get mushrooms next year in the same spot.
Just found your channel last night, LOVE it!!
Thank you for sharing an awesome insight into the Highlands.
excellent videos im learing a lot. Do you ever have issues with tics?
Thank you for taking us on a hike of the Highlands and on a medicinal plant walk! I am familiar with some of the plants you introduced to us including Yarrow and a Blueberry species. Enjoyed listening to Gaelic and the lovely song at the end! Thank you both!
Everything about this video beautiful.
all praise to the camera person (unless you are a magician). best wash those chanterelles really carefully.
Ooh, I got tons of yarrow. Next time I get a cut ... 😆
Love this series :) Massively informative & Scots Gallic is so kin to Irish Gaelic. Well done.
Beautiful landscape. I really long for a place where I can look in every direction without seeing any traces of human interferance, to relax.
Love chanterelles, best fresh but on abundant years great to dehydrate.
Don't know Gaelic either; I'm a Scots bearn.
how come it never piss it down it does all the time in wales?
Didn't show how to cook oatmeal in a wooden spoon . ? ? ?
I am currently writing a historic romance novel and researching all I can as I write. Your channel has been so helpful, to see and hear the actual experiences of testing highlander and Scottish ancestry things. It's very likely some of the things I've learned from you will influence what I write into the book as I strive to make it as historically accurate as I can. Thank you for these videos! ( I know, this one is old, but I've been watching between spurts of writing.)
A very interesting and well done video! I was wondering how you keep moisture from seeping into your shoes and getting your feet wet? Are they treated with something?
13:47 Do you have any idea what the old Scottish might have used to fight off the midges?
Another great video btw.
the plant Myrica gale was widly used to keep the insects at bay. I think we did film me talk about it, but it didnt make the final cut for this video. I will defo talk more about it in the future though :) Thanks for watching!
It's surprising really that they didn't weave some sort of mesh for a face mask. They would drive me mad.
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL video lad, thank you so much. The scenery, camera work & editing, your outfit, knowledge of herb lore, the simple, honest way you carry yourself and present yourself; even the attitude of respect to the Wild by using only what's necessary, all incredibly admirable.
The music and the Sean nós singing too: God it was just so richly atmospheric.
I can't emphasise enough what a lovely video it was. Top class produce, go raibh míle maith agat.
Slán
Suimiúil, a chara! Is mór an trua é nach bhfuil saoirse fanaíochta againn in Éirinn. B'fhéidir go bhfuil orainn ceacht a fhoghlaim ó Albain.
it's a shame you don't, the same as England too I think
Hi Fandabi , so you have a diagram as to how you made your shoes? If like to get some material and make some shoes just like that☺
In my QnA video I have a link to where I learned to make mine :)
ever find liberty caps??
I'm a big fan of your videos! Thank you for posting such interesting information! I have a question for you though. You mentioned briefly that you are learning Gaelic. Would you ever consider doing a video on how you are doing that? Thank you again!
Thank you. Yes I could share some resources and things in a video if that's helpful :)
@@FandabiDozi Yes please! I think I wouldn't be alone in my interest. So many people want to keep Gaelic alive. Thank you for considering putting it in a video!
well done! how did you learn to identify all the mushrooms and edible plants? greetings from germany! ;)
Thanks very much :) I studied Biology so learned a lot from that. The rest is learning from books and friends and family :)
8:05 was that an ancient Celtic phrase?