Let's go foraging

[Epona]

They've gone to seed in Bristol, it's all buttercups now - sadly rather toxic...

Goldfinches and Greenfinches do love the dandelion seed heads though!

 

[bcuster]

Clover! Anybody tried it yet?

Edible Clover: Identification, Cautions + 10 Best Uses

Clover is a lesser-known but widely available edible wild plant with medicinal properties. Find out what to know about foraging and preparing white and red clover. #foraging #medicinalplants

www.healthygreensavvy.com

 

[bcuster]

Just had some clover today: mixed with dandelion, spinach & romaine: Excellent!

 

[TopCat]

The prolonged rain we had for months has done wonders for the blackberry bushes ‘round my way. Zillions of flowers.

I’m planning compote and jam.

 

[TopCat]

My house is at last free of seedling incubators crowding every window.

A brief period of calm before it’s crammed with jars and lids

 

[bcuster]

Lots of great information

Foraging on Public Lands Is Becoming More Limited

MISSOULA, Mont. — Beneath a row of fir trees, River Shannon Aloia walks along a remote dirt road on national forest land, scanning the ground for morels. “Find it,” she commands her dog, Jasper. The search pays off for Aloia, an avid forager: She spies a solitary honey-colored morel and plucks...

www.yahoo.com

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Decent bag of wild raspberries today. Time to hit those patches at least twice a week.

 

[sojourner]

The prolonged rain we had for months has done wonders for the blackberry bushes ‘round my way. Zillions of flowers.

I’m planning compote and jam.

It's the one strong positive about the relentless rain innit? My usual excellent patch will be absolutely heaving again - another bumper year!

 

[sojourner]

I'm planning to go and pick some raspberries at our local farm at the weekend, with a view to making my first ever batch of raspberry jam. Missed the strawberry crop now.

 

[seeformiles]

I got a load of wild yellow raspberries in the park last week but, as others have already noted, the blackberry season is going to be amazing. Lots are already nearly fully formed and green round here.

 

[existentialist]

Next door's garden is full of brambles, and the bits hanging over my side are covered in flowers

 

[TopCat]

Out for a walk this morning around my local park. Large blackberries with two percent black and sweet. Zillions to come.

Cleaning my collection of food grade buckets.

 

[Saunders]

Out for a walk this morning around my local park. Large blackberries with two percent black and sweet. Zillions to come.

Cleaning my collection of food grade buckets.

Wow that’s early! I’ve got loads in the garden, I should have cut them back in May but there are some many berries, so I just keep snipping off the long new growing bits. Nothing more than a faint blush of pink on them yet though

 

[Epona]

I would say a good third of the blackberries around here are ripe already, I might go foraging over the weekend if the birds don't beat me to it!

 

[seeformiles]

First ripe blackberries starting to appear up here. Will give them a week to get into their stride and go for a pick this weekend.

 

[nogojones]

not looking at blackberries yet even though I've run out of last years jelly.

Did stumble across a dinners worth of field mushrooms out the Gower, on the weekend though

 

[seeformiles]

Wild raspberry bonanza this morning plus a few dozen early blackberries.

 

[TopCat]

Picked another gallon of blackberries this morning. Second one this week. Encouraging!

 

[TopCat]

Got to make this lot into jam before they ferment.

 

[TopCat]

 

[Saffy]

The blackberry situation is really odd around here. There are still flowers (OK dying) on some brambles and ripes ones just along from them.

Either way, I think this year we're going to have bucket loads!

 

[TopCat]

I seem to have no human competition when I pick.
There are so many to come I’m thinking of wine.

 

[seeformiles]

Got about a lb of blackberries - escaped from the allotments. Round here, the different varieties very thoughtfully ripen in turn over the summer with the last fruit picked in late October. I’ve got their locations marked on a map together with optimum picking dates. I clearly have too much time on my hands

 

[sojourner]

I seem to have no human competition when I pick.
There are so many to come I’m thinking of wine.

None round here either. Already had 1.5kg blackberries from my fave patch at the pond,and got another 3.5 this morning. Done Xmas brandy with some, rest in freezer cos there's no sodding Bramley apples in any of the shops yet and I prefer them in bramble jelly.

 

[klang]

View attachment 433974
View attachment 433975

 

[seeformiles]

8kg of blackberries (plus a few early elderberries) so first 5 gallons of wine

 

[sojourner]

Got another 5kg meself this morning. All washed and in freezer. STILL no Bramleys in the shops.

 

[sojourner]

Went for a stroll to the local park to check my other smaller patches, and got another 1kg so just made actual blackberry jam with them, 5 jars. Could have got more but didn't take my grabber, got nettled, and decided to return in the week!

 

[TopCat]

Went for a stroll to the local park to check my other smaller patches, and got another 1kg so just made actual blackberry jam with them, 5 jars. Could have got more but didn't take my grabber, got nettled, and decided to return in the week!

You pick with a grabber?

 

[Saffy]

From the front garden.
I've put them in the freezer in the hope I get some apples this year. I lost one yesterday because of the wind. I'd love to make a pie from my own blackberries and apples.
Down to 27 apples left on the tree.