Listen again. Foraging exists in a delicate balanace with nature. If we take too much, it can lead to environmental degradation. At the same time, it survives as a cultural tradition and a key way families put food on the table. My guest today is Dr. Mikelis Grivins a researcher at the Baltic Studies Center. In this episode, we discuss the four kinds of foragers commonly seen in Europe, the ethics of foraging, and the black market that exists around wild foods.
- 4:00 Overview of alternative food systems are important
- 17:00 4 types of foragers across Europe
- 20:20 Exploitation, transparency & regulation in the wild food market
- 25:00 Wild washing
Links
Artist Alexandra Genis on why all foods are artificial
Using blockchain to trace food from farm to fork
The chef preserving Iceland’s food traditions
The Importance of Microbes in the Greenlandic Diet
Regenerative agriculture and our connection with nature
This episode was first released in February 2020 with the support of the Nordic Council of Minister’s Office in Latvia.
Read the Episode Transcript
Analisa Winther, Nordic FoodTech Podcast Host 2:24
And I’d love to start by talking about how you got into this area of study. So how did you end up studying the Latvian food system?
Dr. Mikelis Grivins 2:35
Well, I’m a sociologist. I have a Doctoral Degree in Sociology, but it’s originally in Sociology of Education. So, that’s a quite different topic. But the next day, after I defended my thesis, I was approached by the professor who is the main person studying food in Baltic countries. And he invited me to participate and join his Institute. And since I knew what he was doing, and I liked his ideas, I said, “Yeah, why shouldn’t I try? And since then, it’s was eight years ago, I have grown into a position of Senior Researcher and I’m fully dedicated to studying only food in Baltics.
Analisa Winther, Nordic FoodTech Podcast Host 3:08
Latvia is a nation of about 2 million people, or about 13 people per square kilometer. How would you characterize the food system of Latvia? What’s going on here when we talk about food?