My name is Ladyhawk, and I have a problem

Zazen999

You guys have NO idea.

I have a courtyard, a garden, an allotment. Plus I work at 5 schools to give them organic veggie gardens.

At a meeting of one of the schools yesterday they were panicking because of all the veg that is growing and the thought that they would never eat it all. This school has 70 people associated with it.

The amount of veg in their greenhouse and kitchen garden is nowhere near - not a smidgen close - to the amount of veg that I have in my courtyard, garden and lottie. The courtyard holds a greenhouse which is full 365 days of the year.

I have no idea where I am going to put it all; but that's half the fun.

To think that the seeds that have been sown for all 5 schools [and will feed about 350 people for a significant portion of the summer] all came from my personal collection and didn't even make a dent in it - leads me to believe that I have a seed problem. A big one!!!

So to counter that - of course - I'm sowing more today.

Onward and upward as they say.

Orange_King

katholicos wrote: »

I feel the same way....i'd probably end up accidentally bumping myself off.

Me three! I managed a good 10lbs of blackberrys last August but don't know what else I should be looking for never mind where to look! The blackberry jelly was excellent and hope to try apple jelly this year too.

heynonnynonny

Ladyhawk wrote: »

I would love to forage but I really don't know what to look for... except blackberries... I can recognise those!

I'm scared of getting something poisonous like katholicos :rotfl: but there are LOADS of brambles locally absolutely loads. I will trundle up with a basket and collect some berries when they finally decide to come out no signs of life yet.

irishwexford

Wke have a 20 rod allotment so have plenty of room but trying to work out why I have 12 lettuces on there ready now and another 18 to go in. Told my two daughters they will have to have three each per week. Sowed ten broc plants and now all ten are developing at once with small heads. Need to work things out better.

Chimera

midnightraven3 wrote: »

we are still eating last years tomato sauce, and chutney
we had a glut of green ones last year so that was made into relish/chutney type stuff
and has only improved with age

ripe red ones i make lots of things with
fresh pizza sauce, i use Jamie olivers recipe, its very nice
last year i made quite a lot into "sun dried" & stored in oil, but i dried them in the oven, and did some with peppers as well
and i made a huge batch of slow roasted tomato sauce from an old Italian recipe, topped it with olive oil to seal, and it was fine, it was a faff to make and wouldnt do it again, nice though it was, it wasnt THAT special

when making the sauce to keep i do varying ones, with basil, with onion, with garlic etc just whatever you have and will use

Yes, in agreement Jamie's sauce is lovely and very simple!! There's also a good one for roasted toms in River cottage book.. just roast up with garlic etc for about 45mins, then squish.. LUSH

I am hoping for gluts of fruit and veg, plus some of oh's dad, for mega chuntney and jam making!! It really does save you a fortune.. I always have a cupboard full of jars of goodness now.. and nice as pressies and swapsies.. I have so many jars ready..nothing tastes like home made goodies

Chimera

heynonnynonny wrote: »

I'm scared of getting something poisonous like katholicos :rotfl: but there are LOADS of brambles locally absolutely loads. I will trundle up with a basket and collect some berries when they finally decide to come out no signs of life yet.

We we lucky enough to pick bags of blackberries everyday whilst walking the dogs last year.. some of them started a month early too.. And it was one for each dog (we have four), one for us and one for the bag.. lol.. there were just so many, couldn't walk past without picking them - just seemed like a waste.. Made bramble jelly, blackberry jam, blackberry chutney, blackberry wine, blackberry vodka.. and a few crumble.. still have some in freezer for a crumble..

The only other thing I picked was elderberrries.. made elderberry and blackberry jam - yum!!

Really want to do elderflower champagne and sloe gin this year!

There are loads you can eat though.. gonna invest in some foraging books this year me thinks..

Apparently you can make stuff from rosehips and other stuff too.. I shall be foraging a plenty this year

katholicos

Chimera wrote: »

Yes, in agreement Jamie's sauce is lovely and very simple!! There's also a good one for roasted toms in River cottage book.. just roast up with garlic etc for about 45mins, then squish.. LUSH

I am hoping for gluts of fruit and veg, plus some of oh's dad, for mega chuntney and jam making!! It really does save you a fortune.. I always have a cupboard full of jars of goodness now.. and nice as pressies and swapsies.. I have so many jars ready..nothing tastes like home made goodies

I very much agree with you Chimera.

I am so looking forward to making jams and chutneys and other preserves....just hoping it all grows now. I want a glut of everything, not because i am greedy (ok, i am a bit), but primarily because 'home made' tastes better than anything shop bought, is frugal and makes great home made gifts which, in my experience, are always well received.

heynonnynonny

Chimera wrote: »

We we lucky enough to pick bags of blackberries everyday whilst walking the dogs last year.. some of them started a month early too.. And it was one for each dog (we have four), one for us and one for the bag.. lol.. there were just so many, couldn't walk past without picking them - just seemed like a waste.. Made bramble jelly, blackberry jam, blackberry chutney, blackberry wine, blackberry vodka.. and a few crumble.. still have some in freezer for a crumble..

The only other thing I picked was elderberrries.. made elderberry and blackberry jam - yum!!

Really want to do elderflower champagne and sloe gin this year!

There are loads you can eat though.. gonna invest in some foraging books this year me thinks..

Apparently you can make stuff from rosehips and other stuff too.. I shall be foraging a plenty this year

I can't wait for picking season now hopefully they won't have been stripped bare by others. There's miles of them. Oof, handpicked fruit crumble could there be anything better?

ginnyknit

We have lots of blackberries round the near by reservoirs but that about all. I get quite frustrated when I see River Cottage and such foraging for other stuff. I wish I could find a nut tree loitering in Manchester!:) Apparently where DH fishes there are loads of crayfish and they kill them cos they are a problem:eek: so he is under orders to find out if he can have them.

ERICS_MUM

heynonnynonny wrote: »

I'm scared of getting something poisonous like katholicos :rotfl: but there are LOADS of brambles locally absolutely loads. I will trundle up with a basket and collect some berries when they finally decide to come out no signs of life yet.

Has anyone ever foraged for mushrooms ?? :eek::eek:


Linda