I use it to wrestle big thick bramble branches out of the way, lift up hanging branches with fruit underneath, pull forward the big ones at the back, and twist nettles out of the way. Dead handy bit of kit.
Let's go foraging
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TopCat
Putin fanboy
I take secateurs to get right in there. Not been needed this year much as so much fruit and no one else picking apart from the birds.
I have a years supply of jam done already.
I feel if I don’t pick more it’s a waste somehow. So thinking about wine. The last lot wasn’t so good. Will have to try harder.
Off topic but got so many gherkin cucumbers to reap tomorrow morning. It’s pickling sunday.
Do you cut the branches with them? I never like to do that, don't wanna damage the plant.
I get bramble frenzy, can't stop while there's still some left. It does feel like a waste, I'm the same. What about blackberry brandy? Just bung 300g per 75cl brandy and 200g sugar in a demijohn, swish daily, then weekly, then leave til xmas. Lush.
Always good to keep some in the freezer anyway, bung in porridge in the winter.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
There's a really huge bramble spilling over someone's wall in our road, but everything above knee height (by which I mean dog piss height) has already been had off it.
Is the season quite early this year? That particular plant/group of plants started fruiting in early July!
Is the season quite early this year? That particular plant/group of plants started fruiting in early July!
TopCat
Putin fanboy
Inspirational
No,been like this last few years.
Fella's just got another 1kg from the smaller patch. More jam incoming then. I was really impressed with the jam this time. I made some years ago when I first started making all this stuff, and it was crap - muted flavour, overset. This time I macerated the fruit, only for an hour, and used my awesome digital thermometer. Oh, and I left the jam to settle in the pan for 15 mins as recommended, so the fruit doesn't sink to the bottom of the jars. Absolutely perfect set and distribution in the jars, and a fucking awesome colour and flavour. Wow. I stuck to making bramble jelly for years but it's good to have a different type of preserve in, and the flavours are completely different.
So, gonna make another few jars of jam, but will try macerating overnight this time.
So, gonna make another few jars of jam, but will try macerating overnight this time.
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
I go out with a single gardening glove to literally grasp the nettle and an old umbrella to use as a fruit hook. Bumper season so far with 15 gallons of bramble wine started so far. Got the first ripe elderberries this morning which add a nice bit of tannin to the brew.
Forgot to say, you need a full bung to seal, not one with a hole in.Inspirational
Strain back into original bottles, save the brandy-infused fruit and puree it. Keeps all year in freezer, lush as fuck with choccy ice-cream.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Bramble and elderberry whisky is great, something like this: Bramble Whisky (Though I would miss out the sloes.)
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Sorting out yesterday's pickings.
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
10 lb elderberries from this morning’s walk
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
I make them into wine - mixing them 40/60 with blackberries - counters the sweetness of the blackberries and adds nice depth and a bit of tannin. Lots of faffing about with a fork to separate them from the stalks - but its worth it.
It is a lot of faff. I did once make a vodka liqueur with them which had lemon peel in it too. Was extremely tasty, kind of peppery but fruity.I make them into wine - mixing them 40/60 with blackberries - counters the sweetness of the blackberries and adds nice depth and a bit of tannin. Lots of faffing about with a fork to separate them from the stalks - but its worth it.
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
Definitely the time of year for spirit/fruit infusions - should be ready for Xmas
heinous seamus
Perfect in an empty room
Immature stinkhorn. Apparently it's edible...
shifting gears
Well-Known Member
heinous seamus
Perfect in an empty room
I found some chicken of the woods yesterday. It was in that sweet spot where I could just reach it, which means most people could not
I'm making mushroom soup with it just now.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Rosehip vodka and blackberry/elderberry whisky. 
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
Apple harvests haven’t been so good this year so a much reduced scrumpy season. 20 gallons so far and hopefully another 10 if my other “donors” come through. Quality over quantity this year
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Apple harvests haven’t been so good this year so a much reduced scrumpy season. 20 gallons so far and hopefully another 10 if my other “donors” come through. Quality over quantity this year
My eating apple harvest is rubbish this year - tiny, crappy apples. I put it down to a great harvest last year, or maybe bad pruning... Still, they should do for making chutney. Hopefully get on the first batch tomorrow.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Also need to go out and forage some crab apples for crab apple whisky.
seeformiles
Lost in the wood
I know some trees fruit well every 2 years but everyone I know has had either shit harvests or lots of spots and pests. Just a bad year I suppose
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
My Bramley apples are pretty good. Slightly less of them maybe, but big, healthy fruits.
Fez909
toilet expert
Been out on a forage today (organised thing). Really cool. Found lots of mushrooms in really surprising places.
Some boletes, deceivers, shaggy inkcaps, shaggy parasols, and a Prince. First time ever finding one of those. Shame it is tiny.
The mushroom guide gave us a load of his 'spares' to take home, too. Some ceps, bay boletes, hedgehogs and chantarelles. Not quite foraging but still looking forward to tonight's risotto
We also found some birch polypore and blackening polypore, and a beefsteak fungus.
Not bad for a day in the park!
Some boletes, deceivers, shaggy inkcaps, shaggy parasols, and a Prince. First time ever finding one of those. Shame it is tiny.
The mushroom guide gave us a load of his 'spares' to take home, too. Some ceps, bay boletes, hedgehogs and chantarelles. Not quite foraging but still looking forward to tonight's risotto
We also found some birch polypore and blackening polypore, and a beefsteak fungus.
Not bad for a day in the park!
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Loads of crab apples today (for crab apple whisky). 
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Crab apple whisky. The plan is to make one that can be guzzled around Xmas and another that matures for years 
