Fergus Drennan has set himself the challenge of eating nothing but wild food for a year. Every morning he will forage within a ten-mile radius of his home, seeking out field mushrooms, berries, nuts, bark, herbs, plants such as dandelions and daisies, and even roadkill. Any dead squirrels, foxes, badgers and rabbits he comes across will become his dinner and their skins used for clothing. Coffee will be made from acorns. Mr Drennan, 36, will be living at home and has allowed himself the use of a fridge, freezer and cooker but will not resort to additional ingredients such as flour or eggs. He hopes that by cutting out processed foods his overall health and well-being will improve dramatically…. “I did a month-long trial run where I only ate wild food that I’d foraged and felt absolutely wonderful for it at the end,” said Mr Drennan, from Broad Oak near Canterbury.
From the “Pointless Exhibition of…Well, I’m Not Quite Sure What” Department comes this story of what seems a complete and utter waste of time and effort. Mr. Drennan is free to do with his life as he chooses, of course, and if wants to dine at the Roadkill Cafe on a daily basis…well, that’s his call. But acorn coffee? Doesn’t the poor guy have a Starbucks anywhere nearby? If he’s willing to “grant” himself use of a refrigerator, a freezer, and a cooker, shouldn’t at least allow himself some decent coffee??
I can understand that Mr. Drennan is doing what he feels is right for him, but I’m not certain that I grasp why the adventures of Mr. Go-Back-to-Nature are even remotely newsworthy. If I decide to wear nothing but cotton diapers and only drink milk from a Jack Daniels bottle while consuming only the still-beating hearts of live squirrels, can I get a few column inches??
