Let's go foraging
- Thread starter killer b
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seeformiles
Lost in the wood
Elderberry wine started off yesterday - the bracts were drooping down with ripe fruit and the colour is fantastic. One for Christmas 
heinous seamus
Perfect in an empty room
There's sea buckthorn-a-plenty round here. I might make some jelly.
Did you get anywhere with your jelly making? I’m just on my second hawthorn batch and picking them has been irksome. There are a few sea buckthorns I could probably get a pound or two of berries off, where I walk the dog, but I’m not sure I can be bothered; they’re so spikey.
heinous seamus
Perfect in an empty room
Go on, supposedly it's some kind of superfood! I haven't made any yet but I still plan to.
How does the hawthorn jelly taste? I saw a hugh-fearnley whittenstall recipe for haw sin sauce I've been considering giving a try.
Truly and surprisingly delicious. So much better than you’d think. You know how haws mostly just taste like dull mushy apples, when you pick one off a tree? Well not that. I’m so very glad I bothered to pick some this year.
SheilaNaGig
Break requested
They’re not quite ripe yet, the sea buckthorn, or not where I was.
Haws are ripe and I harvested about a bucket full, which isn’t enough for my needs. I’ll get more this weekend, I hope.
I made some excellent rosehip syrup with Rosa rugosa hips. Very delicious.
I planted a Rosa canina in my garden this year, for the hips. Also an elder and a Guelder rose, both for the berries. As a Londoner who needs to travel to get them, I always seem to miss the optimal moment for elderberries so I thought if have one in my garden I’ll have a better chance.
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SheilaNaGig
Break requested
What a fucking boring dreary ball ache...
View attachment 231407
Topping and tailing the rosehips. At least they smell lovely.
What are you making?
I don’t bother with any of that. Tops n tails not toxic and since you have to strain out the seeds and hairs at some point it seems pointless to me to remove the tops and tails.
Also, waste! After harvesting, I don’t want to throw out any smidgen that I can use. Tops and tails inevitably carry part of the fruit away with them.
Yeah thanks for that particularly timely advice re tops and tails. I’d just been thinking the same. I was and am jelly making with some apple and of course, as you say, the tough bits will get strained in the tea towel.
SheilaNaGig
Break requested
Sorry. I didn’t see your post til just now, otherwise I would have been straight in with the “dont bother”s.
what are you making with your haws? Think I'm going to try the HFW's haw ketchup
SheilaNaGig
Break requested
I save them for medicine throughout the year, that’s the priority. But I want more so I can make some syrup, and some jam. The ketchup looks good too. And if I get enough I’d like to try some leather (although I say that every year and I’ve not yet tried that...)
heinous seamus
Perfect in an empty room
About 20 feet from my front door. Plenty of elderberries about too.
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
SheilaNaGig
Break requested
Wowzers!
There were a few trees laden like that here I was harvesting but they were protected by hip deep bramble thickets so I had to make do with some slightly less generous sources.
Miss-Shelf
I'll meet you further on up the road
I made a vodka elderberry in mid august. K thought I'd still have time for more ...I went back 10 days ago and they're all gone over ...damn
Loads of haws and hips ...I've already made a small batch of rose hip syrup...it was a bit if a faff ....I could be bothered to make hips and haws vodka and just strain it I suppose
Loads of haws and hips ...I've already made a small batch of rose hip syrup...it was a bit if a faff ....I could be bothered to make hips and haws vodka and just strain it I suppose
Third and final haw jelly for this year.
Where I live there’s a lot of hawthorn, both as hedging along pathways, and random trees in fields. I’ve always planned to pick them but never bothered before this year because haws don’t taste particularly interesting and are fiddly to pick.
Anyway, with the abundance on the trees this year and 2020 argh, I actually bothered. And have been so surprised by how aromatic and delicious they are once cooked and sweetened.
Where I live there’s a lot of hawthorn, both as hedging along pathways, and random trees in fields. I’ve always planned to pick them but never bothered before this year because haws don’t taste particularly interesting and are fiddly to pick.
Anyway, with the abundance on the trees this year and 2020 argh, I actually bothered. And have been so surprised by how aromatic and delicious they are once cooked and sweetened.
Chilli.s
mingling jets and statuettes
Best put through a coffee filter or two as you are right the little hairs can irritate the gut.
Thanks. That’s what I thought. I think I should have left it steep a bit longer actually, but wanted to gift it for Christmas.
nogojones
spelling is overrated
In the local park today, well away from the dog walkers, I got a pretty decent haul of wood ears and sacrlet elf cups. I was hoping to get more grey oysters as I saw some last week, but no luck today.
I also saw some turkey tail, but I wasn't 100% sure as I've never considered it an eater. I'm a little more convinced now after reading up on IDs, so I might pop back tomorrow.
I also saw some turkey tail, but I wasn't 100% sure as I've never considered it an eater. I'm a little more convinced now after reading up on IDs, so I might pop back tomorrow.
What perfectly descriptive names they have. What will you do with them? I’ve always been too cautious to pick mushrooms, in case I get it wrong.
nogojones
spelling is overrated
The wood ears I'll likely stirfry tonight with garlic, chilli, spring onions and a bit of soy as a side and the elf cups fried in garlic on toast for tomorrows lunch.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
Woah, that's pretty early, isn't it? Maybe it comes later this far west.Wild garlic is out guys! Picked a handful of leaves out on my run this morning and had some in my lunchtime omelette with parsley and dill
