In fall 2025, Robin Greenfield decided to ditch grocery stores. Instead, he’s foraging for food for an entire year. He kicked off this unique adventure on October 9 after spending last summer gathering and preserving food from the wild.
Currently, he lives on a friend’s property in Washburn, Wisconsin. When he’s home, he cooks a big pot of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Foraging is the heart of his meals, and he’s passionate about what he eats. Today, for example, he has wild rice with salmon from Lake Superior, spiced with stinging nettles and herbs. He also enjoys a pint of fruit sauce and black walnuts daily, which he particularly loves.
Greenfield believes many people feel disconnected from nature. “Foraging helps me bond with the Earth,” he says. It’s more than food; it’s about love and connection. He’s pushing back against what he calls a flawed industrial food system. In the U.S., 30% to 40% of food is wasted, and in Wisconsin alone, about 900,000 tons ended up in landfills in 2024. He’s mindful to use what he gathers as efficiently as possible.
This isn’t Robin’s first time living off foraged food. Seven years ago, he transformed front yards into gardens in Florida. This time, he’s focusing on harvesting what grows naturally. His home is lined with mason jars filled with plants he’s collected, including some for medicinal uses like white vervain and hawkweed. He even has jars with deer organs, which he dehydrates and adds to his meals for nutrition.
He preserves his food using an electric dehydrator and water bath canning for things like applesauce. There have been hiccups—he lost a batch of mint to mold—but it hasn’t stopped him. Not everything he forages is local. Recently, he made his own salt from Atlantic Ocean water, someone entirely committed to his new lifestyle.
Despite making significant changes, Robin admits he misses occasional treats, like visits to local bakeries with his mom. He’s lost some weight too, joking, “When you give up ice cream, weight loss is bound to happen!”
He forages not just for himself but also shares his findings, all while being careful about conserving certain items, like his 75-pound stock of wild rice. He’s not overly worried about potential dangers, citing that preparing food this way is unlikely to lead to serious illness or injury.
As he travels around the country during this year-long journey, Greenfield hopes to inspire others to try foraging. “Just learn one plant at a time,” he encourages. By doing so, he believes more people can help reduce food waste, making a positive impact on our environment.
Greenfield’s approach highlights a growing trend in sustainable living. According to a recent survey by the National Gardening Association, interest in foraging has recently increased among 40% of U.S. gardeners. It’s fascinating to see how a quest for sustainability not only fills plates but may also connect communities back to their roots.
For more insights on food waste and sustainable practices, you may explore statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture here.
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