Foraging for Free Food!

kxc798

Hello All,

Having read a post about foraging for food my son (3 year old who was very excited) and I gave it a go and now have tummies full of blackberries (remembering to pick high up and away from roads). I came across what looked to be apple trees and yellow and purple and green plums, even nuts. However I have no desire to poison neither myself nor my son and so I have stuck with blackberries. I have looked on the internet with little success. My question is: can anyone advise me on anything else that is easy and safe for my son and I to go foraging for as beginners please?

Many thanks for you help!

Kxc798

Eliza_2

Blackberries already? Goodness where are you? That's very early.

The best thing to do is take a little book with you when you go out walking then you can identify stuff without picking it first. Food for Free by Richard Mabey is the classic. Small enough to pop into a pocket.

This looks interesting too. http://www.hedgerowharvest.org.uk/

kxc798

Thank you! I am in the wilds of Leicestershire. It has been very hot and very dry and so they are ripening very early (at least that's my theory!) but they are also very small. Still it was great fun with my son and his friends.

Floss

We have blackberries in Blackpool, also I'm now picking autumn raspberries on my lottie.


OP, keep an eye out for elderberries, rosehips & hawthorn berries, all can be go into scrummy hedgerow jelly with cooking or even crab apples.

kxc798

Hello,

Thank you! I can google those! Could you recommend where I can learn about making jelly / jam et cetera please?

REEN

Roger Phillips has written some books on the subject, illustrated with photos,
so good for identification.

kxc798

About to order Richard Mabey's Book for my phone for £2.49 on Amazon in order that I will always have it on me (hopefully)!

arbrighton

Eliza wrote: »

Blackberries already? Goodness where are you? That's very early.

Cheshire also has them ripening, and not just tiny ones- they put the shop bought ones to shame. I've picked about 3kg already

ampersand

Loads of mirabelles about - they're the little yellow plums, prized in France, great for any jams, tarts, liqueurs.
You risk nothing by nut-gathering. Vin de noix is worth doing.
Any purple-y plums - could be damsons[what colour is the flesh? Limey yellow/green?
YUM, for everything.]
Sloes could be early this year, too.
Every apple tree I see, cultivated or wild, is laden with fruit this year - wait a bit for most.

Taste is your best guide - don't fear 'being poisoned'. Do wash and/or wipe first, if you're worried.

Berries freeze well and you can add to them as you find more.

Even the roughest apples later can be rough chopped, boiled tied up in muslin, producing pectin base for brilliant jellies later. Either add them in with low pectin fruits, or flavour your own apple jelly with mint/rosemary/tarragon - anything, all combinations. Delish!

Start squirreling screwtop jars, with plasti-coat insides, away now. Carboots can be good, once you've pirated family/friends. Bulk-buy sugar, checking out mysupermarket.com first.

Enjoy lovely hunting and gathering with your son. I agree with Eliza's ref. advice too, apart from the lifetime treasure of son's observation habits starting early.

savemoney

Some have been ready near our allotment. I think that early this year due to nice Summer.

forgotmyname

We had our 1st blackberry and apple crumble today. Had to rescue the apples off the tree. Yound tree barely more than a sapling and it had 4 large apples on it. I dont think it would have lasted until Aug/Sept to fully ripen.

It was pulling it over to one side.