Foraging - Natures Food

jennyo

rachbc wrote: »

they weren't eating cherries anyway - have cut down the tree and replacing it with a dwarf eater that is small enough to net so fingers crossed for in a couple of years

Not sure if the ones next door were eaters or not, its my first summer in this house, and I was just trying to work out what they were.

dogstarheaven

adelight wrote: »

Sadly I haven't seen much wild fruit in my part of london (well, what do i expect?), even in richmond park there doesn't seem to be much! I wouldn't mind a day walking to go foraging though. I'm reading some of links and online guides to get tips on what's okay to pick.

There's a dozen or so apples on a branch hanging into my garden, but there are 100s of bright red apples on the tree in next doors garden and a blackberry bush, they're students too and we know two of them so I'm trying to pluck up the courage to ask them if I can pick some apples!

and when you do finally ask your neighbours, always make them realise that their fruit will be so appreciated that you'll be offering a jar or two of your produce...

there are loads of community gardens in london, so google them and they're be happy to help you out with their fruits if you pay a donation. at mine (located at my lotti site http://www.ecoworks.org.uk/gardens/community-gardens/)

and about heritage fruit tree open day at the same site in nottingham http://www.staa-allotments.org.uk/events/index.htm

mags50_2

I'm afraid the only 'greedy grabbers' we have in our garden are squirrels, pheasants and woodpeckers! lol

Lovely cherries on a tree on our drive and when I went the next day to get some....I had to chase the pheasants etc away to be able to get the few I could reach....

never mind eh?...there'll be plenty next year....and after all we are all nature's children

HariboJunkie

My cherry tree was stripped bare too, definitely by birds and all with no holes in the leaves and before the fruit were ripe so bang goes that theory.
I'm a little fed up with this thread now. I'm having a bout of ill health and can't get out to forage so want to come here and read what you are all up to but now there are more posts about "greedy grabbers" and now we even have theories of how there are more of these "types" on areas of cheaper housing. Seriously??!?! As for the idea that a tree stripped bare must be because of one greedy human... Who's to say it wasn't just one person, their neighbour and a bird as per ceridwen's signature?
ceridwen you wanted the thread back on topic so perhaps you could take your discussion to DT.

Mrs_Domino

chrissiethechippy wrote: »

I'm in Woolston Are you local to Southampton?

Thank you for the link, it has got lots on I never knew about! Just got to get the mixture of nice weather and petrol in the tank and we can go for a look!

There are a few local woods that we go to, especially for chestnuts, there are lots of chestnut trees locally....

Is Southampton Common the one in town? I've only skimmed past it once, it was packed and I was petrified I was going to lose the kids and have never been again.

I'll let you know if I find a walnut tree I think we will have to make do with hazelnuts (assuming we can find one, apparently there are lots around here?!?!?)

Or elderberry jelly turned into elderberry toffee!!! I'm not sure what we did wrong. And it only amounted to 2 large baby food jars!! I think I must have done something wrong somewhere along the line!

I'm in Netley, I was in Woolston along Victoria Road for a while. Yes the common is the one in town, its huge and should be worthwhile.


Not sure about hazelnuts, still learning my berries and only just branched out to walnuts. Saw the tree in Eastleigh to make sure I knew what I was looking for but couldn't see anything on it :think:. I have also just done elderberry jelly, hope it sets!. Shame about yours, you could try again, there is lots left. Perhaps you boiled it for too long?


Have you tried the park off of Peartree Road, lots of scrub, perfect for sloes and blackberries, Weston shore park is good for elderberries, had a load of elderflowers from there earlier in the year and of course the other one is Vicky Park.

Churchmouse

ceridwen wrote: »

Churchmouse

Then lets hope that this community venture goes well for foodpicking - ie by printing a map in a community journal - and doesnt backfire by a couple of Greedies going in on their own and the complaints soon start from Fair Sharers who have the evidence to prove that a tree they found stripped bare WAS just one person taking the lot.

So - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that everyone "acts their age and not their shoe size" and does the adult thing most of us have learnt at our mothers knee of how to share fairly.

I think it would be more likely for "fair sharing" to happen if a group is set up specifically to harvest when the time is ripe and the group divides it up that day (with surplus to go to charitable causes - eg old people living nearby - with it being the case that a lot of older people are simply not fit enough to go foraging and this way they wouldnt miss out) and the community journal stated that the food will be gathered on the following occasions and by the group as a whole. That way - it would be easier to do the "social sanctions" of community disapproval if it was found that someone had gone in in advance and grabbed the lot. I would say its better that way personally - rather than finding after the event that this is what has happened because everyone has "done their own thing" and some "did other peoples thing as well:(".

So - personally - I would favour just putting the community gathering dates and a notice making it plain it was going to be gathered "by the community for the community" to try and deter greedy individuals getting in there first and not putting up a map (in order to minimise the risk of the Greedies getting their first and taking everyone else's food - as well as their own).

ceridwen wrote: »

*************

On another "way to tell" if its greedy type humans - ie rather than wildlife - that is the reason for all "food" in a location vanishing = if the surrounding area is heavily "trampled". Unless birds and squirrels have taken to wearing heavy lead-weighted boots - thats another way to tell if its been humans in taking the lot...

Another way I've found to tell the difference is if there was never a problem previously - ie loads to go round and plenty dropping on the ground and going to waste - but then a few "cheaper" price range houses got built on land nearby and suddenly theres a problem of everything vanishing...that very much coincides with when those houses were built.....and the people living in those houses are often seen walking round in the vicinity..

ceridwen, I find it quite depressing how you seem to be determined that these "greedy grabbers" are everywhere. I've quoted just two posts of yours. In the first you advised it might be better for "fair shares" if the community went and harvested the whole harvest on one day, and then shared it out. Now presumably this would lead to trampling in the area, and the harvest going in one fell swoop. You coming along the next day couldn't possibly know if it was one person or a community had harvested the crop.

I really do believe that the vast majority of people are a whole lot nicer than you give them credit for. There's no point making yourself miserable over the teeny tiny percentage that aren't.

edited to add: ooops, sorry to prolong the conversation on greedy grabbers. I do agree, I think we should keep this thread on topic about our foraging finds, and hints and ideas for each other. A discussion on the fairness or otherwise of foraging is just that, a discussion and should go to DT.

ceridwen

Note to others on the thread - dont let the personal opinions of a couple of posters on this thread about the fact that they personally think the "ethics" involved are inappropriate to post on stop you doing so if you wish to.

'Tis just their personal opinions - so if anyone wishes to comment on ANY aspect of foraging then please dont let a couple of personal opinions put you off doing so.

Karmacat

Unsubscribing ... if I wanted discussion on how bad people are, I'd find a thread about that .... sad to go, I'd love some info about the sloes, but I'll go to blogs instead.

floyd

I've found some great stretches of sloes and blackberries this year but they aren't ready so I will be keeping an eye on them over the next week or so. I have a deal with 2 friends who come with me that they get a share of whatever I make and we have fun while we are out

SusanC_2

gien wrote: »

Also can I freeze rose hips until I have enough to make syrup - I just pick a few every day and pop them in my pockets. Thanks

I've read that you can and it's what I'm currently doing.