Free Food

researcher

Agutka wrote:

Are hazelnuts ready now? I have lots of these trees in my park, but I reckon if the squirells haven't decimated the crop yet, then they are not ripe yet...

And what do you do with them? Roast in the oven? And end up with shop bought type nuts? I have no idea...

That's what I do, roast on a low heat until they turn darker then leave to cool.

Agutka

And they keep for how long?

researcher

Agutka wrote:

And they keep for how long?

If they're in an airtight container ages = months.

troll35

bilberries - get out onto the moors now

recovering_spendaholic

I am totally new to food for free but would love to pick some blackberries if I knew where to find them and when they were in season!! I also don't even know what bilberries are!! Can anyone help?

catznine

My Aunt used to put dandelion leaves in her salad. I am pretty certain she used to eat nasturtiums too but please check this out!

I pick sloes for sloe gin, Blackberries for preserves, Have seen crab apples growing wild and they make a good jelly.

I too also save the little bags of sugar etc., after all they are costed into the high price you pay if you eat out or have a takeaway.

researcher

recovering_spendaholic wrote:

I am totally new to food for free but would love to pick some blackberries if I knew where to find them and when they were in season!! I also don't even know what bilberries are!! Can anyone help?

Blackberries grow all over the country and are very common, you find them in hedgerows and on common land. They grow on bramble bushes (they're also known as brambleberries) They come into season in august, september, but it depends on the weather.

Ted_Hutchinson

recovering_spendaholic wrote:

I am totally new to food for free but would love to pick some blackberries if I knew where to find them and when they were in season!! I also don't even know what bilberries are!! Can anyone help?

Our garden blackberries have just finished flowering so it will be a few weeks before the fruits are formed, developed and will start ripening towards the end of August. Maybe a bit earlier further South of Lincoln. The Wild hedgerow blackberries tend to be a bit later so you can expect to find those in September onwards.

You need to be in a quiet country lane, park or woodland forest. Preferable not somewhere under an aircraft take off zone or otherwise heavily polluted.
this is what you are looking for

in_my_wellies

Don't pick blackberries from a busy roadside - they pick up pollution, best find a quiet place away from traffic

in_my_wellies

Does this count? I reuse the vinegar from a jar of pickled onions for pickling my own beetroot, etc. (Only that which I am using quickly, if I'm to keep it a long time I do use fresh)