Foraging Challenge

jumblejack

I'd not heard of it before. Definitely gonna be keeping my peepers open for it now!!!

agreenmess

Morning all, I'm quite new to foraging but cannot wait to get started, managed to find myself two elderberry bushes (after much looking online, it seems there are quite a few plants which look almost exactly the same!) Hoping to pick some tonight. I'm only wanting to pick a small amount, does anyone pick both the elderflowers and the elderberries when they come through??

Ken68

Yes to the berries, they freeze OK.

jumblejack

agreenmess wrote: »

Morning all, I'm quite new to foraging but cannot wait to get started, managed to find myself two elderberry bushes (after much looking online, it seems there are quite a few plants which look almost exactly the same!) Hoping to pick some tonight. I'm only wanting to pick a small amount, does anyone pick both the elderflowers and the elderberries when they come through??

Yep.

Never strip a plant of the flowers as them you will also have the berries at the end of summer

Scrumptious, wonderful tree!!

timehastoldme

Can anyone advise me on cherry trees? While strolling about today I saw these



Riper way earlier than any of the other trees I thought were cherries, so are these still cherries, and are all cherries edible?

Many thanks

jumblejack

Definitely cherries!

Some are sour so are better for baking with other than eating fresh.

I came across lots of green unripe ones yesterday so you are very lucky!!!!

Lemanie_2

Hello,

I've not seen this thread before - looks fun!

I have started off my first batch of Elderflower champagne and quite excited about how it will turn out!

Otherwise, I still have Elderlower cordial left over from last year, so wont be making anymore, but for those who are making it, I though I would share this receipe:

http://thetealadynz.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/jam-off-elderflower-marmalade-mania/

It is lovely cordial and, rather than throw the citrus fruit away afterwards, you can make it into marmalade :T. I would suggest bagging the flowers before soaking them as it will make it much easier to seperate them from the fruit that way.

I made it last year and it was delicious (even if I did boil the marmalade a little too long :mad:)

I think lavender and rosehip jellies are my new challenges for this year.

Lx

tattycath

jumblejack wrote: »

Food for free. Richard Mabey.

Thanks!
Have just purchased a copy-should arrive in a few days.

timehastoldme

jumblejack wrote: »

Definitely cherries!

Some are sour so are better for baking with other than eating fresh.

I came across lots of green unripe ones yesterday so you are very lucky!!!!

I've seen so many of the green ones recently that it was surprising when I saw this tree - there were two cherry trees right next to it with green small unripe cherries on them, then this one with red or nearly red fruit! This is probably what threw me!

tattycath

Is there a forum on here specifically set up with recipes using foraged foods please? Either I'm not looking properly or there isn't one. Please advise.
I see loads of recipes you all post and think 'yes, must try that' but when I'm on my tablet I can't print them off and when I want to try them I have to trawl trough pages and pages to find them again.