stehaggan Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 (edited) I am into all the gardening and cooking programs and was wondering if anyone forages? A program with Alys Fowler was really good when she went foraging. I live in Manchester, have never foraged, I have bought a book "food for free" but I was wondering if anyone forages and if we could set up a thread, to include what to forage and when and any places where is best to forage or anything at all really if it is of interest to people. Also if there is anyone in Manchester who forages say hi Edited July 1, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 There's quite a few of us on here who forage for bits and bobs. Personally I stick to what I know so that's elder (flowers out nowish) flowers and berries, rosehips, raspberries, blackberries, sloes, bullaces and occasionally I find glassware from the local hostelries We are usually found in the 'All things nice' section, discussing how to process and preserve our findings I also saw the Alys Fowler programme (she lives not too far from me) and the girl who foraged in Bristol. She has a website I believe and is also on what used to be the INEBG (its not easy being green) forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I love a good forage I always walk down our lane with a tub trug, gloves and a couple of bags. Elderflowers are coming out now (a week or so late this year) - perfect for elderflower wine/cordial/champagne. Wait a few weeks and the berries are perfect for jamming. I also pick rosehips to make syrup, blackberries for jam/jellies and sloes for gin. Have yet to discover a crab apple tree locally, so visit a friend's small holding and nab hers! I would still visit even if she didn't have apples My Dad is a dab hand at spotting mushrooms, but I am not sure what to pick, so leave that to him. Am convinced he sees them better than us as he is colour blind! I have recently discovered a hazelnut trees, but getting to the nuts before the squirrels isn't easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 i enjoy foraging too its usually brambles, rosehips and elderflowers/berries for me im planning on being a bit more adventurous this year and seeing if i can see anything else, i live near the coast, so wondering if sea buckthorn is an option. and we have a ton of wild garlic in a park near us, so thats going on the menu this year , oh, i just remembered there is an apple tree on our road, so i may have to scavenge from that one night cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Me too Edlerberries & flowers,Sloes,Blackberries,& apples are my main pickings I swear it tastes better if its wild & you get it for free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 im planning on being a bit more adventurous this year and seeing if i can see anything else, i live near the coast, so wondering if sea buckthorn is an option. and we have a ton of wild garlic in a park near us, so thats going on the menu this year Do you ever look for samphire Cathy? Not sure if it grows up there though. I spotted what I thought was wild garlic on the edge of a builders yard/industrial unit yesterday. I picked a leaf off but it didn't smell at all so must do more research there Christian, I think bob Marley was a forager, he was always Jammin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted June 8, 2010 Author Share Posted June 8, 2010 Thanks guys I think I may have to the dog for a walk on sat along with my food for free book on sat. I love elderflowere but have no idea wher there is any though :-S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Do you ever look for samphire Cathy? Not sure if it grows up there though. oooh, that looks familiar ill have a look next time im out. kev will probably know if it is up here , it says you can cook with it and eat it - i might have to try it Christian, I think bob Marley was a forager, he was always Jammin' Grrrrrrooooooaaaaannnn cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 I love elderflowere but have no idea wher there is any though :-S Round here there are always elder in parks and next to railway lines and towpaths. You can find it on bits of abandoned land too, and brownfield sites. It's really easy to spot at the moment as is covered in bunches of umbelliferous creamy white flower heads, don't pick the ones which smell of cat pee though Just remember where the elder is so you can go back in Autumn and pick the berries, so don't remove all the flower heads as there won't be any berries . Oh, and take a walking stick (for reaching up and pulling branches down) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGirlsMum Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 We will be picking elder flowers this weekend. We found a few apple trees in the near by wood and I just happen to have perchased a dehydrator!!!!!!!!! Blackberries are a must. Would love to pick mushrooms but really not confident. We should catch mackrel etc. but just haven't got round to it yet, one day....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted June 9, 2010 Author Share Posted June 9, 2010 I've jut spotted what looked like elderflowere near the sliproad but it seemed like a huge bush/tree any ideas how big they are before I go looking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 They can vary - best to pick the flowers early in the morning (on a nice day) and check that they smell nice - usually OK if there are still some unopened buds on the head. If it smells horrible, then don't use it because the taste will be awful too. OH tends to wander around and so far he has pounced on people down the road who have a big crab apple tree. They were only toooooo happy for him to collect the apples and wanted nothing in return. Sometimes people will have damson trees and have notices - feel free to collect! OH has been foraging for elderflowers but we now have 2 bushes in our garden - very handy now! Happy picking. Oh and he also liked the Hugh F W books about eating for free. I've told him that I will not ever eat roadkill - even if it is free. Bleh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 We go 'hedge witching' all the time when the season is right, I sometimes take along a friend who is a herbalist and points out to me some plants that I wouldn't have noticed. I stock up my freezer and make plenty of jams, jellies and pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundgirl Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 on the note of elder flowers does anyone have a good (easy) recipe for cordial? and also can you freeze it in say ice cube trays to use at a later date? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Try this one Greyhoundgirl **elderflower cordial** I put it in steralized bottles and it keeps in the fridge for a year. No reason why you can't freeze it in small plastic bottles though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I do! Seaside forage is good, not just for food but also seaweeds for the garden etc. I take only what I will use and what there is a lot of - to make sure that what I take has no /little overall impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundgirl Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 Thanks Christian, that looks easy even for a totally rubbish cook like myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 been out foraging with my mum today we found loads of elderflowers , so elderflower cordial, champagne and wine is on the menu and... we found 3 apple trees hazel hut trees brambles rosebushes Sloe bush thingys (trees or bushes?? ) cherry trees and (we think) damsons or something similar to that (millions on each tree) and that was all 5 minutes walk from my mums house horray cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Oo very good cathy, I still need to do a really long walk with the dog to find some goodies. So fa only elderflower champagne brewing for me, if it's nice I'll then make wine and cordial. It's a shame I can't find a foraging group near me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennydavies Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 It's really good foraging down here - we get Apricots, Lemons, Oranges, Cherries and wild Strawberries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Just a bit different to blackberries and crab apples then - I wish I could forage lemons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 It's really good foraging down here - we get Apricots, Lemons, Oranges, Cherries and wild Strawberries im coming for a visit...shall i pick you up on the way lesley cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 You can pick me up first Cathy, I've got some empty cardboard veggie boxes ready for filling too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 think im gonna need a bigger car hold on - ive got a trailer cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 I'm only small, I'll fit on the back seat with the foraging overflow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
