Free Food in September

cornishlady

apart from sloe gin what can sloes be use for .also elberberries are ripening now so keeping my eye on these

DitaBombita

jenniewb wrote: »

Yes but if you live in London its not the same I wouldn't chance the trees with fruit on around where I live (there are only a few of them) either they belong to someone or they live in the roadside and I worry about the pollution they breathe and grow in.

And no, I don't have a car to drive into the countryside (if I could afford a car driving lessons and a license, I doubt I'd be looking for free food lol!).... but if you, sounds like a nice family day out.

When I was in London last bank Holiday in Aug I spotted loads of plum trees full of fruit in the parks we were in.

I know there were some in the park right next to Buckingham palace, I wasnt even looking for a change so they must have been in a prominant position (I took some photos of them as people never believe what I find in such places) sorry cant recall parks name but if you live in London its probably obvious to you

tiff

Parks, cemeteries, hedgerows, abandoned allotments, abandoned prefab sites. I live near the centre of Bristol and have found fruit in all these places.

JuicyLou

sofababe wrote: »

On my way to work last week I walked past a hedge (round someone's front garden) absolutely bursting with what looked like blueberries. But people don't grow blueberries in their front hedges, do they? Any idea what they might be? I'm a country girl but never seen this before

Could be privet berries, which are poisonous.

The trees growing behind our garden have loads of elderberries on them. Picked a few today, but most are hanging into next door's garden. I'll have to ask if I can pinch them since I never see her out picking anything. Maybe she'll swap for some of my home grown courgettes?

neverdespairgirl

sofababe wrote: »

They could well be sloes, having looked at a pic. I don't know why but I've always thought sloes were bigger, like damsons:o Thats what happens growing up in an alcohol free family!! No sloe gin was made in our house:(

Sloes are small, much smaller than damsons. And taste really bitter. They could be sloes, or bullaces.

Couple of recipes here, the first for sloe gin:

http://www.webhistoryofengland.com/?p=317

and the second for sloe jelly:

http://www.webhistoryofengland.com/?p=397

neverdespairgirl

cornishlady wrote: »

apart from sloe gin what can sloes be use for .also elberberries are ripening now so keeping my eye on these

sloe jelly
sloe truffles (after you've drained the sloe gin)

dipsy81

In the last few weeks my friend and i went for a walk and took some plastic bags as i knew there were blackberries on the way. We went back the following week with more bags because we saw loads of rosehips and elderberries. We picked loads of them and i found recipes on the web.

We both made elderberry tonic, which can help ward off asian flu, swine flu etc

Made rosehip syrup and my goodness, it tasted just how i remembered it 40+ yrs ago.

I made blackberry jelly and this is so wonderful on my cereals or on toast. I put some of my cooking apples with skin on too.

I have cooking apples, eating apples and 1 1/2 plum trees in my garden, (had to cut one of the plum trees back as the more i pruned them, the bigger they got lol) Strawberries as well.

I also love to grow my own herbs, so i have Sage, Rosemary, Yarrow, 2 lots of Thyme, Lemon Balm, Bay Tree, Chives, Bergamot, Chamomile, Swiss Chard, Sorrel, 2 lots of Dead Nettle,

I will definitely be organised for next year, saving all my jars etc.

Thank you everybody for all your stories, it is so nice to know there are others doing exactly the same as yourself.

Seakay

sofababe wrote: »

On my way to work last week I walked past a hedge (round someone's front garden) absolutely bursting with what looked like blueberries. But people don't grow blueberries in their front hedges, do they? Any idea what they might be? I'm a country girl but never seen this before

Why don't you ask the owners of the hedge? If the berries are not being picked by them then they are either inedible, or not ripe yet, or the owners don't want them and might not mind you having some.

crazyterrier2000

Seakay wrote: »

Why don't you ask the owners of the hedge? If the berries are not being picked by them then they are either inedible, or not ripe yet, or the owners don't want them and might not mind you having some.

Totally agree, same applies for anything you see growing in someones garden that they obviously dont bother with. So far have got plums, apples, & pears by doing just this

neverdespairgirl

Yup - don't ask, don't get!