Free food

lil_me

Just blackberries here so far, I seen what I think are elderberries in the same place but had no idea what to do with them.

wish we could find more, remember when I was little our neighbours had pear and apple trees and we used to be able to keep any that hung over the garden, they were lovely.

squeaky

I'll look for our older thread on this shortly, but I'd just like to remind you that I'm pretty sure there was a warning on it that you should avoid picking items that are growing close to a road because they can be loaded with lead from petrol fumes.

There's also a link to proper practice when foraging on other people's land, I think.

Now I'm really gonna have to find it!


The older thread(s) are here:-

Free Food

scuzz

lil_me wrote: »

Just blackberries here so far, I seen what I think are elderberries in the same place but had no idea what to do with them.

wish we could find more, remember when I was little our neighbours had pear and apple trees and we used to be able to keep any that hung over the garden, they were lovely.

You could make an elderberry jelly to go with lamb. I think it's just the berries, sugar and pectin. You need about 2lb of the berries though. Easiest way to get them off the stalk is with a fork

Boatie_Bird

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

If they're ripe, pick them now and put them in the freezer for a week.



:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

They can be scarce and, if you're a lover of sweet chestnuts, you don't dare reveal the location!!!

Look for them now, though - bright green, elongated leaves with prickly seed cases

Not ready for another 3 or 4 weeks though, IMHO

I hadn't thought about putting rosehips in the freezer, thanks for that - I'll give it a go.

I'll also print the sweet chestnut pics and take them with me when I walk the dog - I'm on a mission to find some this year. I love sweet chesnuts.

dianadors

Ive grown chilli's and peppers from seeds of ones I have cooked with. I am an avid blackberry gatherer and its seems as if I am the only one in my village who is - so I have a freezer full at the moment. I also gather Sloe berries (for Gin) and I love field mushrooms (although not many about at the moment). Ive grown a few things in my garden for the first time this year, but not had a great deal of success. I am also gathering elderberries for syrup and chutney. I love foraging for free food.

tiff

Was out blackberry picking today and brought back 3 different berries that I dont know the names of but thought I would identify on the net before I go and poison the family lol, seems we have sloes, hawthorns (haws) and rosehips. Now I've had a search to see what you can do with them I'm going out again tomorrow to get a load and make into chutney or something. Will post a pic later which might help those in the same situation. There were also elderberries, seems like only people in the know pick them because there were loads where we were.