‍You can read all other entries to my Wildbiome Project Diary by visiting our Field Notes page or alternatively click here to read the first one.

In an effort to capture the essence of the Wildbiome Project, I wanted to consolidate a few thoughts and experiences of the first month, not as someone doing the project, but as a (mostly) supportive wife and co-parent to our two lovely daughters.

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The first week was a challenge for all of us. Jim had done well to prepare - cutting out alcohol, caffeine, and carbs well in advance - so he was already in the “can’t have that” mindset long before April 1st rolled around. I, however, was not prepared for the creeping guilt. I found myself actively making meals that didn’t smell too appealing, or sneaking pickled onions behind his back like some sort of weird secret eater. Lesson learned. My new mantra: he has chosen to do this.

Our family adventures haven’t changed all that much - we’re still out exploring our new patch, only now there’s a bit more purpose in our wandering. Foraging as a family is always fun, now especially so as we hunt for anything that might elevate Jim’s inventive meals. With wild garlic season drawing to a close, we’re already getting excited about the return of familiar woodland characters - Chicken of the Woods and Dryad’s Saddle - having spotted a few of the latter already. Living closer to the sea has taken on new meaning too: the shoreline feels like an extension of the pantry. And Nelly, our ever-hopeful dog, was especially thrilled yesterday when presented with off-cuts from two deer Jim was given, (our youngest, ever pragmatic, announced cheerfully: “It’s a good job they’re dead—or they’d have jumped out the van.” ) I must admit, I’m not expecting that we will now ever drive past a freshly-hit pheasant on the roadside without a cheer from the back seat.

As a family of four (plus hound), we’re no strangers to a mountain of washing up. Cooking and eating together is one of our greatest pleasures, and usually involves every pan we own. But with "Wild Bimo" (as the project has fondly become known in our house due to our youngest's grasp of of this unusual word) the prep somehow managed to quadruple. Take acorns, for example: after foraging for them together, we de-shell them in front of an uninteresting Manchester United match (sadly there are a fair few of those these days). Then, naturally, the acorns are popped into a muslin bag and submerged in the toilet cistern, giving every guest cause to question our plumbing - and our sanity - as they flush the fortunately decreasingly brown water. The end result after weeks of preparation? A sad looking pancake or a disappointing 'cake' that momentarily brightens his day.

Now that we’ve found our rhythm, I’m genuinely proud of Jim’s perseverance (and that of everyone else embracing this wild challenge). I’m also grateful for the roles he normally plays in the house - Head Chef and Chief Shopper, it seems - which I’m now covering to an acceptable standard, though the customers eagerly await the return of the regular staff.

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Personally, I’m most looking forward to the little things coming back: making him a morning coffee whilst I have my tea, sharing a slice of my homemade sourdough, and together enjoying the vegetables we work so hard to grow. Until then, we carry on - acorns in the loo and all.

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You can donate to the funding of this exciting project by either donating a few quid at https://chuffed.org/project/114196-wildbiome-project-2025-jim-parums . I will also be running a special ‘Wildbiome’ event in the middle of the project, aimed at showcasing some of the ingredients and recipes that have featured so far.

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