In a rush for convenience, slowing down and moving with care and consideration become ever more necessary as a reprieve from the fast pace of life. For Roushanna Grey, wild food artist and founder of Veld and Sea, foraging offers just that. It requires an act of surrender, to nature’s miraculous bounty, its seasonal flux and its volatility.
Nurturing a deeper understanding of the natural world, Roushanna weaves education, celebration, community and creativity into Veld and Sea through foraging wild plantings for food. The intimate process of harvesting from nature embodies a practice of curiosity, reciprocity and joy. ‘Foraging allows us to engage with nature in a way where we begin to see the land and sea not just as resources, but as an ecological community to care for. If we look after nature, nature will look after us,’ Roushanna says. Veld and Sea hosts foraging workshops for participants to embark on culinary journeys that begin with discovering natural ingredients from the sea and the land and culminate in dishes that tell a story of the surrounding environment and the local community. From wild greens to indigenous perennials, these discoveries vary depending on seasonal and climate availability, which allows a unique experience each time.
The mercurial nature of harvesting and growth patterns and the physical practice of gathering forces a slowing down and a gentler approach to creation. ‘The veld and mountains teach patience and resilience,’ Roushanna explains. ‘They remind us that everything has seasons, even us humans, and there is a beautiful medicine in slowing down – because through dormancy comes growth.’
By embracing nature’s rhythms, Veld and Sea rekindles an almost childlike curiosity, fostering care for our bodies and for the world around us. Its workshops and events invite us to rediscover the land and the sea with a sense of play, wonder and awe.
Wild Berry Carrot Cake (With NumNums)
Makes 1 round cake
Time: 15 min prep + 40—45 min bake
A wild twist on a classic carrot cake — bright, spiced and studded with tart vitamin C-rich numnums (Carissa macrocarpa).
Ingredients
3 large eggs
1 cup (200g) sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (240ml) neutral oil
11/2 cups (190g) plain/all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
2 cups (about 220g) grated carrots
Handful of numnums (Carissa macrocarpa), sliced, or swap with cranberries, blueberries or any firm tart berries
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Grease and line a 20—23 cm cake tin.
- Beat eggs and sugar until pale and creamy.
- Whisk in oil, then add flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Stir in grated carrots, then gently fold through the numnums/berries.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 40—45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool completely, then ice with your favourite lemon or lime buttercream or cream-cheese frosting. Scatter with seasonal edible flowers.
Forager’s Note
Harvest numnums only from clean, pesticide-free areas. use ripe fruit that is slightly soft to the touch for the best colour and flavour.
Wild Greens Pesto
Makes 250ml
Enjoy as a spread or dressing, mix into pasta or rice dishes, use as a garnish for soups and stews, or serve on veggies or a roast.
Ingredients
80g mix imifino/wild greens, like stinging nettle, coriander, beet tops, oxalis, chickweed, mallow, fennel, rocket, basil.
50g parmesan cheese
50g toasted sunflower seeds
1 sprig wild garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) or
1/2 clove regular garlic
60ml extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Put the nettles in a small bowl and deactivate the stinging hairs on the nettle leaves by pouring boiling water over them and allowing it to soak for a few minutes.
- Strain and squeeze off remaining liquid.
- Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse for a minute.
- Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl with a silicone spatula and pulse again until it combines into a beautiful green pesto.
- Decant into a glass jar or bowl and top with a thin layer of olive oil so the colour remains a vibrant green.
- Store in the fridge and eat within a week or freeze for use in soups and stews.
These recipes are excerpts from Veld and Sea’s upcoming foraging cookbook due to be published in summer 2026.
Credits
Text by Nabeela Karim
Images: Supplied
This article was originally published in the House & Garden November 2025 Issue
