Foraging Challenge

jumblejack

Splodger, please don't stop posting. Your posts have proven invaluable:T

We all benefit from the knowledge of others and all have a lot to learn.
Your experiences of foraging/home brews etc is something that we can all glean from.

I apologise profusely if I've offended you in some way. I truly didn't mean to

[Deleted User]

SPLODGER - keep the information coming, it is SO easy to get it wrong if you don't have much experience in wild plant gathering, better to have advice and guidance from someone who knows what is safe than to end up damaged by picking and consuming something toxic. Thanks for your information and concern Cheers Lyn.

adelight

Knowing toxic look-a-likes is very important. I avoid anything with lots of toxic relatives and if I see something I think I recognise but I'm not 100%, I put a little bit in a plastic bag and/or take a photo of the plant and look it up when I get home.

Today I discovered there are lots of deadnettles where I go walking. They have no toxic look-a-likes (only edible ones like henbit) and are easy to spot. http://www.eattheweeds.com/henbit-top-of-the-pecking-order/
I also found there's red currants, lots of blackberries and more elderflowers nearby. A batch of the HFW recipe is currently going on in the bathroom

splodger_seedswapper

well the sun was trying it's hardest to stay out today - and the rain stayed away (just about, bar one quick shower) so i ventured out to forage a particular something

i picked a bunch of sweet cicely leaves and a handful of it's seed pods - :cool:

they are already stewing in a bucket of summer fruits liquor - ready to be made into wine

for those who haven't used sweet cicely before - it's what's known as a sugar saver - it gives a natural sweetness to fruit that it's cooked with and can lower acidity, so it is often used with rhubarb - but it works nicely with other fruit too - it also has a sweet anise flavour (which is why i like to use a bit in my wines)

Soworried

Killhope woods is having a deadly or delicious woodland fungi foray with an expert.
It is on 16th September and starts at 1pm and ends with a bbq of the foraged items.
It sounds great fun and is only £1 for adults and 50p for children.
I just thought some of you might like to know about the event.

DebtFree2012

Well I too now have edler flower champers being produced in my house HFW style. Foraging yesterday for it - loved it!

xx

Boodle

Splodger: do you have any tips on harvesting nettles at this time of year, please? I'd be grateful if you could share any knowledge on that, as we have lots our way but I thought they were past best....?

jumblejack

Splodger, the sweet cicely info is interesting. Guess that must have influenced its name?
I haven't foraged any of the white flower head plants yet as I'm still not very confident about identifying them. Does it have any easy ways of making sure of its identity: aroma, etc?
Sounds like it could be a very useful one to forage!:j

Soworried, the fungi foray sounds awesome:T
I'd love to do something like that! Fabtastic!
I would love to find a sweet chestnut to harvest this autumn with the kids then take a disposable BBQ to roast them in situ! That would be a sure fire way to make them enthusiastic over foraging;)

debtfree, I'm on day 4 with the elderflowers in the fermentation bucket. I might bottle it today. What do you reckon?
Everything I've read is different and I'm really confused. The first attempt went wrong and was discarded. I'm nervous about this attempt going belly up too. Let me know how your attempt goes and which method you used if it works out well.

No foraging for me today.
I took the kids woodwork this morning and we are working on a project this afternoon so no time for outdoors today

We did just have herby cheese bread with our dinner though. (but the herbs were simply garden herbs;))

splodger_seedswapper

Boodle wrote: »

Splodger: do you have any tips on harvesting nettles at this time of year, please? I'd be grateful if you could share any knowledge on that, as we have lots our way but I thought they were past best....?

i personally don't like the taste of nettles (as tea infusion or as a green) but i would consider trying to make wine out them - but i would only pick young nettles, earlier in the year - as they get stronger (in taste and sting) as they mature - i allow a few nettles to grow in my garden - mostly as extra food for the little creatures - but they also go in the compost and used to make liquid plant food.

so my tip would be to pick younger tender leaves in the spring (just pick the top 2 or 3 inches of the plant) and don't forget to wear gloves

and if you want to try a mild nettle soup:

1lb spuds
8 oz young nettle tops
2 oz butter
1.5 pint chicken stock
salt & pepper
4 tablespoon sour cream

peel spuds and cut into thickish slices - wash nettles and chop coarsely.
cook spuds for 10 mins then drain. melt butter in pan, add nettle tops and gently cook for 5 to10 mins.add the stock and the par-boiled spuds and simmer until soft (about 10 mins) - then whizz up in blender - put into a clean pan/ bowl , season to taste and stir in sour cream.

splodger_seedswapper

jumblejack wrote: »

Splodger, the sweet cicely info is interesting. Guess that must have influenced its name?
I haven't foraged any of the white flower head plants yet as I'm still not very confident about identifying them. Does it have any easy ways of making sure of its identity: aroma, etc?
Sounds like it could be a very useful one to forage!:j

i don't know if i have any pics on my pc - but i'll look later for you - else i'll try and take some next time i visit "that spot)

it's an easy one to id in the spring - as it flowers quite early for an umbelliferae - from april to june. it does look a bit like cow parsley - it has feathery / lacey leaves (which are downy) the flowers are tiny and white and grow in clusters - the seed pods are about half inch or so long - both the leaves and the seed pods have a fragrant sweet anise flavour - so crush a bit and smell it

i'll try and upload some pics - when i find some