Who else forages?

halogen

PipneyJane wrote: »

It’s not safety, it’s ignorance. These are the same people who’ll offer you £10 for something that took 3 weeks to make and £30 of raw materials. They’re fools. (I could rant for hours, being a crafter.)

- Pip

I am also a crafter and I find it very hard to factor in things like that because I can easily use £10 of alpaca and 10 hours of my time to make something that it is actually only worth £5. It puts me off crafting sometimes as I feel my stash is actually worth more as stash than finished objects.

Maybe I should take that as a sign and stop crafting. :-D

thriftwizard

I can easily use £10 of alpaca and 10 hours of my time to make something that it is actually only worth £5.

Back in the day when I did mainly craft markets, I had a rule that I'd only try to sell small things that I can make in 20 minutes, using reclaimed materials, and sell for £5 or less, because that's all the public were prepared to part with. (Small handmade notebooks, needle cases, lavender hearts, pincushions, key-rings - that kind of thing.) Those who did appreciate what goes into these things were generally looking for ideas rather than purchases!

I felt £15 per hour for my time was acceptable; more than I was earning at my "day" job. But now I specialise in finding, preparing & selling reclaimed materials for other crafters to work with, which neatly cuts down their expenses and makes their wares more affordable too, and some of my friends are now selling at the top-flight London craft events. I keep my own makes for presents and personal use, except for bits that go into exhibitions & shows; they sometimes sell from those.

All of which leaves me some time for foraging...!

Nonnadiluca

On a dog walk yesterday evening we discovered a hazel tree laden with young nuts, happy days! ( I've put a note in my diary for September to remind me where it is just in case of senior moments!)

Camomile

Nonnadiluca wrote: »

On a dog walk yesterday evening we discovered a hazel tree laden with young nuts, happy days! ( I've put a note in my diary for September to remind me where it is just in case of senior moments!)

Already surveyed hazelnuts here with my friend, which tree is worthy looking at as there are some barren ones. Could never understand it, some hazels are loaded with nuts, some have none or just a few.

Discovered an apple tree in the boggy area beside a river, put a note on calendar in September to check it out

Gem-gem

Sloes for sloe gin
Elderflowers for elderflower cordial
Blackberries for jam or with apple - crumble
Scrumpying apples - mums and aunts trees - for crumbles and pies. (With permission)
Previously scrumpying mums blackcurrant bushes (with permission) alsonpick for her.

mrsjanebanbury2009

Haws - I've only found one use for them, making a spicy ketchup (think it was a River Cottage recipe) but it was really really tasty.

PipneyJane

mrsjanebanbury2009 wrote: »

Haws - I've only found one use for them, making a spicy ketchup (think it was a River Cottage recipe) but it was really really tasty.

If you find the recipe again, please share.

- Pip

thriftwizard

I know my neighbour makes "Haw Sin" sauce for her stir-fries - must see whether I can wring the recipe out of her!

Looks like it's going to be a mega-crop of cherry plums this year; they're very tart so I'll be hunting up interesting recipes for those soon. (Maybe I can do a Plum sauce?) The apple & crab apple trees have lots of fruit on, too; it's always a race to preserve as much as I can but I know I'll end up giving lots away! The blackberries at the end of the garden look as if they're going to crop well, too, but they go very squishy if it rains, so I'll still need to go out after wild blackberries too. And scour the local gardens for Japonica Quinces to make Two-Quince Marmalade with our own tree quinces.

Nonnadiluca

Have just scrumped a few Mirabel plums, lovely!

misha101

im already planning my foraging this year. the blackberries are totally abundant and I have some places where there are apples. I have also found a walnut tree near by which is great. I am going to try using the walnut peel to make a black home made dye. Anyone tried Eco-dyeing?:cool::j