foraging alternative ecosystems

Seeds, Mediterranean, Wild

FORAGING ALTERNATIVE ECOSYSTEMS

The eastern Mediterranean is home to a diverse ecosystem rich with wild edible flora that has shaped the cuisines and practices of indigenous people. Foraging Alternative Ecosystems explores the practices of nurturing and foraging wild edible plants as a response to the food insecurity and depletion of wild life in Lebanon caused by the collapse of economic and government systems.

By Iyad AbouGaida, Marylynn Antaki, Bahaa Ghoussainy, Rana Samara, Ibrahim Kombarji May 05, 2022

Ingredients

Clay

Soil

Ground Coffee

Soy & Bee Wax

Pine Resin Wild Seeds

Dimension 120x70x70cm

Prep Time 4h

Step 1

Ask mom and neighbors in the village about foraged herb recipes.

[1/24/22, 1:24:11 PM] Mom: hindbi salad : chopped onion - chopped hindbi - salt - black pepper - olive oil - lemon juice [1/24/22, 1:27:41 PM] Mom: hindbi 3asora: boil the hindbi then no3sorhon men el water - minced garlic with salt - lemon juice - olive oil [1/24/22, 1:28:30 PM] Mom: derdar like hindbi 3asora we can mix together [1/24/22, 1:31:21 PM] Mom: Homayda/ mkala: chopped onion we put on fire with olive oil - then put chopped homayda- salt - black pepper when off the fire, we put lemon juice [1/24/22, 1:32:16 PM] Mom: rashed eat it only fresh with olive and labneh [1/24/22, 1:36:34 PM] Mom: fried akob : after cleaning Akob from spines, clean them well in water mne2lihon in olive oil and shway water you can eat with laban

Step 2 Archive the different recipes of wild edible plants featuring the Akkoub (Gundelia), Hindbeh (Dandelion), Khebbeyze (Hibiscus), Rashaad (Garden Cress), Shoumaar (Wild Fennel), Dardar (Wild Lettuce), Houmaida (Wood Sorrel).

Step 4

In parallel, fabricate the upper layer of the capsule into a cone sized resin sphere using organic fertilizers (soil and coffee grounds) and soy/be wax. Cast them directly in a mold.

This layer, will naturally break over a year and create a mount of fertile soils ready to nurture the seeds preserve in the base.

Step 5 Fabricate the lower layer of the capsul using pine resin cast.

Step 4 Enclose the seeds of these edible plants into the Eco-dispersal device.

Step 5 Deploy the device in the landscape.

The pine resin disintegrates slowly over 7 years releasing the seeds and ensuring the edible plants would sprout annually. The pine resin also protects seeds from bacterial infections preserving them for future growing seasons.

Step 3 Share and discuss recipe across communities and geographies.

By reintroducing the names of these herbs inside the culinary dialogue and the urban dictionary, we are attempting to bridge the gap to this intangible heritage and revive those forgotten ancestral practices.

Step 6 Contribute to the re-wildering of depleted territories in rural and urban sites, in Lebanon and beyond.

This would create grounds for the plants to thrive and be foraged by locals, offering a multitude of new prospects to establish new ecosystemspersonal, social, communal, political, economicwhether in Lebanon or beyond.

In the Wild Aerial View

FORAGING ALTERNATIVE ECOSYSTEMS

In the Wild Side View

Seeds, Mediterranean, Wild

FORAGING ALTERNATIVE ECOSYSTEMS

The eastern Mediterranean is home to a diverse ecosystem rich with wild edible flora that has shaped the cuisines and practices of indigenous people. Foraging Alternative Ecosystems explores the practices of nurturing and foraging wild edible plants as a response to the food insecurity and depletion of wild life in Lebanon caused by the collapse of economic and government systems.

By Iyad AbouGaida, Marylynn Antaki, Bahaa Ghoussainy, Rana Samara, Ibrahim Kombarji May 05, 2022