Foraging - Natures Food

rachbc

blackberries, elder flowers and still scouring west leeds for a sweet chestnut!

tessie_bear

oh...forgot to say blackberries as well...they freeze well so can keep us going for a while

Cheapskate

We've got a bramble bush in the garden, looks like it'll have loads of fruit this year. Also plenty brambles in our village - last year picked about 20lbs from them & you couldn't even tell! Elder trees growing next to them, so berries to come - haven't had chance to pick flowers. Neighbour's son has an allotment & gives her loads of veg, some of which she passes to us as there's too much for her. Growing my own spuds in tubs, but not looking promising this time round
Lots of apple trees growing wild round here - prob from apples chucked by people - so keeping a note of where & waiting for autumn!! Sister's MIL has fruit trees & never uses fruit, so sis & I get the fruit, mostly apples, just cook & freeze them for later.
Millions of nettles here, too, & just seen a nice recipe for nettle soup that I'm going to try - if it's nice, will make lots more & freeze. Also going to plant some herbs this week, still time to get a crop or two before too cold.
A xo

PinkPeach

There is a hazelnut tree by my mums house so am tempted to collect some but have no idea what time of year they are ready and also what to do with them!

Lots and lots of blackberries in the field nearby, which I will pick when taking the dog for a walk. Last year it was only really me and a couple of others who picked them, there were so many that I've no idea why no-one else bothered.

floss2

Sloes & damsons for gin, blackberries for jam, crumble & pies, hazelnuts when we see them.

Butterfly_Brain

Blackberries, sloes, elderberry flowers to batter and fry, Elderberries for wine and jam.
I know where to find damsons and a walnut tree so I will be getting a few of them.
We have a cherry tree, and a pear tree,lots of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries our next door neighbour has a couple of plum trees (We share some of our fruit) DH parents have a bramley tree and they grow lots of veg too - we share with them too.

funkymonkey849

Bilberries and blackberries

Although I am getting very worried about the bilberries on the mountain near my house as they don't seem to be producing any flowers or berries, I know it's a bit early but I'd have thought there would be some evidence of bilberry action by now!

Trinny

Hi All

This year we have foraged for:

Garlic mustard
Nettles - great spinach substitute when used in "spinach" and chickpea curry, and as a layer in veg lasagne
Nettles - for HM nettle wine
Dandelion heads - for HM dandelion wine
Dandelion leaves - great in salad
Elderflowers - for sorbet, cordial and wine

Later - Blackberries, Wild plums, damsons, sloes, Crab apple, windfalls, Hazlenuts and chestnuts.

Going to have a go at making acorn coffee.

Richard Mabey's book is brilliant and River cottage do a great one on edible seashore. Dont live by the coast but when there do forage for sea spinach, mussels, sea cabbage, hoping this year to find the elusive razor clam.

Still too nervous to head towards mushroom foraging - planning to go on a course first - its too easy to make a mistake

Trinny

Trinny

Gailey

You wont see elderberries until the autumn as its the same plant as elderflower.

The key with this is positive identification - you need to be sure what you are picking and a good guide book is essential. Its taken me a few years to find all the wild food i list - i started with nettles and dandelion, then chestnuts and blackberries.

Dont pick anything you are not absolutely sure of. Foraging is a slow process because you need to get to know the area to find out where is best to harvest. Then once you learn to recognise the plant - you will see it everywhere and wonder why you didnt notice it before.

Elder is easy to spot right now because the elder flowers are out on the trees. Google images will give you an idea what to look for, but please take care not to pick anything you cant identify.

HTH

Trin

gailey_2

Just wanted to say huge thanks for everyones input.
Im so exited today as forced hubby to go on long country walk with me as nice day and daughter very bored in house.

Think I found elderflower trees , my dad says make sure its a tree not a week that looks similar.
Now i know where to find them i can go back for berries, roughly which month they ready for harvest.
Also noticed the elder flowers seem to be going over with few dead ones as river cottage eldeflower champagne recipe says I need 15heads but dident pick today as havent got stuff at hand to attempt to make it.

Picked few other things including leave so i can try identify.

But most exiting even hubby loked pleased is wild cherries some look red some purple look like cherries in supermarket some slightly smaller.
Anyway took a berry and leaf researched online does seem exactly same, hubby cut open large stone inside, apparently they bloom june/july so pretty confident but hubby still weary.

Will drag him back tommorow to try pick some and need to research wild cherry recipies someone said gin not sure if good for jam or tarts.

So many brambles might go bit blackberry mad this year and get lots to make crumbles, tarts and jams.

Never thourght about dandilion leaves but did get growing salad from lidls which looked bit like dandilion.tried dandilion coffee once from health food shop wasent too nice.

nettles is interesting one as how do i take sting out, just boiling the leaves.
if i used it would have to be sneaky for him to try, he hates pesto or anything remotly green.

think i found rosehip but they green dont look red are they a winter berry , i assume sloes winter berries too.

saw river cottage episode earlier with yellow flowers to make beer so was hunting for them.

Did not find any nut trees sadly.

whats crabapples. as we have something that resembles apple in our garden.