Meet the 'Wild Weeds Woman': Foraging with Nikki Brighton at The Old Mushroom Farm

Many folk in the KZN Midlands know and love Nikki Brighton for her passion for the environment, community, rewilding, local living, and foraging for edible weeds.

Nikki spent the morning in The Old Mushroom Farm’s Community Food Garden with Nisbore - the DStv show known for features on niche farming and progressive ideas around food. They got some fantastic shots of the garden while Nikki shared her ‘wild ideas’ about uncultivated food. Watch the full feature here to find out more about the ‘Wild Weeds Woman’ and the delicious world growing at our feet.

Nikki once declared Howick as the centre of the universe! This isn’t because she's self-centred or thinks that Howick is a superior place, her statement rather illustrates her deep belief in local living. As a committed locavore, she insists on knowing exactly where her food comes from, the closer the better. Nikki shows us how the plants we usually weed out are nutritious, delicious, and deeply rooted in the local landscape. Food is often nearer than we realise- weeds that thrive outside the kitchen door or on the street verge are hyper local, untapped sources of nutrients. In a time when our food system feels precarious and many go hungry, rediscovering these wild plants can boost nutrition and reduce reliance on commercial agriculture. Wherever you find yourself, make it the centre of your universe by being curious about what is within your reach. 

Nikki’s curiosity about uncultivated food began over twenty years ago, during a time when she lived on a farm outside Howick. She noticed Zulu and Basotho women on the farm gather plants she had always thought of as weeds, plants that grew wild yet were full of value. Weeds are simply plants we didn’t put there, long enjoyed by our ancestors and freely available to those who know where to look. Walking alongside her foraging neighbours, Nikki began to taste, observe, and learn. Her growing fascination led her into deeper research and hands-on exploration, uncovering how wild plants can support a simpler, more nourishing way of life.

Nikki gleefully reflects that she now gets to “eat weeds every day and people pay her to do it!” Driven by her passion and curiosity, Nikki has become an expert on edible weeds in South Africa. She now holds workshops all around the country, and shares her knowledge on edible weeds wherever she goes. Nikki has written two books on edible weeds, the first, Wild About Weeds, is a foraging guide and recipe inspiration book which is a wonderful introduction to uncultivated food. The second, Edible Weeds, is a pocket field guide designed for identifying common uncultivated food on the go.

“Be brave! Explore!” Nikki encourages everyone to be a forager . “There’s a whole new world of weeds waiting for you that you have no idea about.” The best way to get started on your foraging journey is to join one of Nikki’s informative ‘weed walks’. They are great fun. Participants learn to identify edible species like blackjack, nettle, or chickweed, nibbling as they go. “People’s brains explode”, Nikki laughs, when they learn that what they have been 

pulling out and discarding is actually nutritious and delicious free food.

We love having Nikki’s Weed Walks at The Community Food Garden at The Old Mushroom Farm, but you don’t need to limit foraging to a workshop. “Start foraging right outside your back door,” Nikki encourages. It’s helpful to have Nikki’s books handy when identifying weeds later on your own, and for inspiration on translating garden finds into delicious colourful meals. Most edible weeds can stand in for leafy greens like spinach: sauté them with garlic, add them to salads, or tuck them into omelettes. Give weeds a go!

If you’d like to know more about Nikki’s wild ideas and upcoming Weed Walks, have a look at her blog, Plant Abundance, where she writes with wit, warmth, and wisdom. Keep an eye on our events page for Weed Walks and other workshops taking place at The Old Mushroom Farm.