Foraging - Natures Food

splodger_seedswapper

it's way too early for sweet chestnuts - although because of the winds - many have fallen early

unless we get a late burst of sunshine - i don't think the chestnuts are going to be that great this year - last year we had an amazing crop (my dad owns a chestnut copse)

Pazu

Rachb thank you for your sympathy. It wasn’t so much RL as a DF who suffers from depression having a bit of a crisis. It seems to have resolved itself for the moment.
The herb pillows are easy. Up until about ten years ago we had a very small brewery in a neighbouring village, and there were bigger breweries at Romsey, Salisbury and Blandford, so I’m not sure if hops grow here naturally or whether they are escapees.
You will need;
Some muslin, a remnant of pretty cotton, 2tblsps dried hops, 1 tblsp lavender and 1 tblsp camomile. I’m going to try and grow some camomile next year.
Mix the herbs.
Cut out two rectangles of muslin and sew three sides, fill with herbs and sew fourth side.
Make a pillowcase with the cotton.
D&DD I’m buying Mr T’s value lemon curd at 22p a jar to get some more jam jars. They’re the cheapest I could find.
I didn’t fancy soggy blackberries or elderberries so foraged for hazelnuts this afternoon. Those pesky squirrels have been busy. I did get some but not enough to worry about freezer space. I am disappointed that chestnuts are poor this year. Let’s hope the walnuts are good.

Gigervamp

My friend was given a couple of hop plants this year. One was a cultivated variety, the other a wild one. The cultivated one died but the wild one has done really well.

D&DD

Giger my mum bought a hop and ended up taking it out as it grew too large as we've only got small gardens here unfortunately lovely plant though.

Pazu thanks for the tip on the jars I never seem to have enough,fortunately extra my ones should be arriving tomorrow I only ordered one budget pack but ordered a pack of 120 lids (amongst other things ) should keep me going for a while :rotfl:

Went to my mums and picked up a whole carrier of Bramleys from my brother..just when I thought I could see the kitchen table..

Made a vat of Pam corbins plum mincemeat again with the foraged apples and the last of the pears.

Picked a few sloes to be brave and try apple and sloe jelly.

Tomorrow I'm doing herb jellies with more foraged apples and the garden herbs,spicy runner bean pickle and autumn fruit jam (plum,apple and pear).

FoxFace

Went out today and found a secluded walk with rose hips (smaller ones and beach plum variety) sloes and blackberries... my little boys (who are 7 & 4) loved picking the berries, and we ended up with a beautiful apple & blackberry crumble that was not only delicious, but that my children had pride in because they foraged most of the fruit They have asked if we can go again, and of course we will when the hips & sloes have ripened some more

frosty

splodger_seedswapper wrote: »

i didn't really forage the rosehips - they came from my (and next doors) garden

the wild rosehips (in my area) aren't quite ready to pick yet - and take more time to pick than those from a garden dog rose

Hi,how do you know when they are ready to pick?
I have never picked them before.thanks,

Petlamb

The more I read on foraging the more I wish there were mini courses up here like there seem to be down south - im just too unsure of what is what! But times are very tough and could do with supplimenting our produce supply, even by a small amount!

SusanC_2

splodger_seedswapper wrote: »

i didn't really forage the rosehips - they came from my (and next doors) garden

the wild rosehips (in my area) aren't quite ready to pick yet - and take more time to pick than those from a garden dog rose

I'd been wondering why we didn't have any on our roses yet but then I discovered my husband has been dead heading them.

HariboJunkie

Got out today and gathered 3 kilos of wild mushrooms. :j

Mostly chanterelles but quite a lot of oyster mushrooms, some hedgehog mushrooms and a handful of amethyst deceivers.

No one else seems to be foraging in this wood at all (it's more popular with horse riders) and I have been once a week taking a bit at a time. If I go back next week and no more have gone, I shall finish them off as clearly no one else wants them.

Just had beef and wild mushroom chow mein for dinner. The rest will be dried for the winter.

rachbc

wow haribo I am super jealous of your mushroom haul - thats incredible.

I saw loads of squished greengages on the walk to school this am but couldn't for the life of me find the tree!! I know the obvious answer is look up but it wasn't there!!!

Got a good bag of horse chesnuts so my seasonal bowl is looking lovely brimming with conkers and acorns...pinecones next then it will really feel like christmas is coming