Looking forward to foraging

buddys_mum

Soon and quite fast approaching is the autumn, and this happens to be one of my favorite times of the year.

Why? Instead of just rambling across the fields with the dog, i can go foraging. I can see the blackberries are all in flower and down a couple of lanes ive seen the blackberries ready ( i wouldnt eat them because they are close to the ground). The elderberries will be soon ripe for picking, to be made into elderberry syrup for winter colds. Hazel nuts, and walnuts are plentiful this year and the sweet chestnuts arent looking to bad either.

Roll on Autumn :rotfl:

Already managed to get wild mint.

buddys_mum

Went picking field mushrooms this morning and i am about to cook them up for breakfast. Hmmm lovely
Also i got Cob nuts and i got blackberries also, so making blackberry jam later too.

Going out foraging again later

lizzyb1812

I love autumn too - made my first lot of blackberry jam last week - it's in a victoria sponge now

LJM

im off blackberry picking soon and down to raid my friends apple trees, already raided my dads plum trees lol

Miró

Does anyone know when the sloes are likely to be ready this year (North Yorkshire)? Got my cheapo gin all ready

Picked loads of plums from a friend's tree this aftie.....some late raspberries, stacks of broad beans and gathered up heaps of small Bramleys that have fallen in the high winds we currently have.....

All good

Seakay

People say that you shouldn't pick sloes until after the first frost. I reckon that a long as the fruit has no greenish tinge left on the skin and has a little give when squeezed then it is ready. You can always put them in the freezer overnight

buddys_mum

Putting sloes in the freezer is a good idea, i tried it last year. It is better to wait untill the first frost, but our weather is not as predictable as it was years ago.

Money_maker

Saw hazelnuts (cobnuts) in the green at a bootsale today - £2 a lb :eek:

If only I'd thought of it first!

BTW, love the avatar, Miro

savemoney

Cant believe how strong the wind is today. Its blown my greenhouse over again and lost several plants. Luckily manage to save my 5 wallflowers plants I have been waiting to arrive since April from T&M

The nights are getting darker much earlier, weather is rubbish

TravellingAbuela

Mir! wrote: »

Does anyone know when the sloes are likely to be ready this year (North Yorkshire)? Got my cheapo gin all ready



Doing a blackberry recci last week we came across some Blackthorn bushes with the Sloes already black. Others not quite there yet. Can't believe how early they are ripening this year. Last year we were picking them at the end of September. Don't just use them for Sloe Gin, I made a lovely Sloe & Apple Jelly with them last year.

My store cupboard is well stocked now with jams, chutneys, jellies, etc all made with foraged fruit. Plus my spare small chest freezer in the garage is getting quite full now with all the boxes of wild fruit we have picked. Hard work at the time but how we appreciate it in the winter months when we are tucking into steaming bowls of fruit pie (or crumble) and custard!

Lotus-eater

Seakay wrote: »

People say that you shouldn't pick sloes until after the first frost. I reckon that a long as the fruit has no greenish tinge left on the skin and has a little give when squeezed then it is ready. You can always put them in the freezer overnight

I've tried that and other ways, I can categorically state the best way to do them, is to go a bit psycho on them with a fork, pierce each one, once or twice, works a treat and really lets the flavour out.