Foraging - Natures Food

misskool

losingpatience wrote: »

Decided to go for a walk yesterday and picked a small amount of blackberrys ( around 200g ) loads of bushes but unfortunately not many ripe. First time I've ever tried this so I decided to make a blackberry coulis, washed all the berrys etc all looked fine, popped them in a pan and when I started heating them to my horror a couple of maggots floated to the top of the pan. This has completely put me off, is this normal? Do you just skim the maggots off and continue ( the thought of that horrifies me! ) Just want some advice and reassurance really!

I would but I have no shame and I often strain blackberries as I don't like the pips.

But what you can do is soak any berries in some salted water for about half an hour. All the bits float to the top.

moonpixiewitch

went out in the afternoon sun today and returned after 3 hours with 1kilo blackberries , 6 plums (about 2 weeks too late round here for these ) , 1kg sloes , 3kg elderberries , 4kg apples , 3kg damsons and some photos of the things i have yet to identify

savingqueen

I have to say I am very impressed with some of the foraging finds. I have no advice to give but had such a happy experiece recently, wanted to share it.

I have only ever picked blackberries as a child with my parents and sister whilst visiting my Grandma in Co. Durham - very fond memories and my Grandma made wonderful pies and crumbles. Went to some local woods the other day with a friend and 3 young children btwn us and we picked a small tub of blackberries each. Then I helped my friend pick ripe apples (not idea what sort - big red eating apples) from her tree. She's not keen on ladders so I did the climbing, she did the holding (of wobbly ladder) and DS1 was ready with the bucket. It was a really fun and satisfying trip out with the children and probably the only one I can think of where we made a "profit" in the school holidays. DS1 LOVES all berries so he really enjoyed eating (once soaked at home) what he had picked.

I definitely would like to collect some more blackberries and hopefully will be brave enough to forage for something more adventurous too.

Churchmouse

And how lovely savingqueen, you've created a memory for your son that he will remember as fondly as your recall of Grandma visits

D&DD

ooh thanks Seakay Pontac sauce sounds lovely :j

I've been making Delias spicy runner bean pickle its sooo nice had to make another 2 batches to add to the previous one
Have made a blackberry and pear crumble with some of the pears I got they're lovely..so early this year but the other tree is about another month I reckon at least to ripen.

Had a 'garden forage lasagne' for tea was lovely
I just chopped up aubergines,courgettes some leeks and a tin of tomatoes.Then made a packet of four cheese sauce and added some curly kale to it and layered it up and topped with cheese

Planning on trying for the last few pears tomorrow right at the top of the tree as I've found a lot of recipes today using them as well as a pear and raspberry jam recipe.

Churchie glad you found some good things its surprising how time flies,I know how you feel getting wet whenever I'm at the furthest point away from home the heavens open on me too!

Auntie I'm more Croydon way sadly I forage mainly on the Roundshaw Downs if thats any help if you're ever over this way?

Edited to add

re blackberry pips I have a kenwood chef and have the seive attachment which is utterly brilliant for making jellies etc

aunty_lornieloo

thanks anyway D&DD although i so know some of the croydon area (misspent youth :j:beer: and mil lives in west norwood) i wouldnt get much chance to forage there

dogstarheaven

you might be interested in this for anyone who's in nottingham (there are groups in manchester and sheffield for similar projects) for anyone who wants to go foraging but don't know where to start. contact the Partnership Council to find out the details for the latest events.http://abundancenottingham.wordpress.com/

Karmacat

I thought I'd found some trees of wild damsons - tiny little things, olive-sized. A friendly local dogwalker said that they're sloes, and not quite ripe yet, as they're still plumping up. I stopped picking, but kept the ones I'd already picked .... tiny bit of chutney?

jennyo

Picked just short of 2lbs of wild plums today, they are now 5 smallish jars of jam.

Got half a carrier of cooking apples, to make chutney and crumble/pie

And finally half a carrier of eating apples, which we are going to ...... eat.

Since I've been looking for the last couple of weeks, there are apple trees everywhere. I've still had no luck locating any nut trees, although I have found out someone I know has a walnut tree in their garden, so I will be enquiring if they will have any spares.

dogstarheaven

there's a few chestnut and walnut trees near me towards the city centre, and there must be someone/ppl local who's always beaten us to them as the walnuts are always gone each morning.. the squirrels aren't that greedy surely??!! the larger chestnuts were never available and those last yr were tiny so hardly worth picking really.. i don't think the nuts are ready yet.. maybe towards the end of aug/sept time.. as the fruits are early this yr due to the harsh winter, i presume the nuts are out earlier too...