What should I be foraging for right now?

[kINGPIN]

Hello all, I never done any real foraging apart from blackberries, sloes, and once I got a load of rose hips. So I am very inexperienced is this area.

I try to get out camping (reluctant to call what I do 'bushcraft', haha) at least once a season, and I will be heading out to the woods this Wednesday. I am aiming to try foraging for the first time.

My question is what should I be looking for this time of year? So far i am going to be birch tapping, collecting nettles, and I'll be on the lookout for wild garlic. Feel free to give me just the names of plants and I'll go research myself if needs be.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Bluefrog]

a quick look in my food for free guide,

February:-
Chickweed
Nettle
Jack by the hedge
Velvet shank

March:-The above without chickweed
Hop shoots
Morel
Sweet violet

Ste

 

[kINGPIN]

Thats really helpful, thanks very much ste. I havent heard of hardly any of them apart from nettles and morels (mushroom??). I better get my google fu on!

Cheers

 

[Bluefrog]

Thats really helpful, thanks very much ste. I havent heard of hardly any of them apart from nettles and morels (mushroom??). I better get my google fu on!

Cheers

No problem, where will you be tripping to then?

 

[kINGPIN]

PM sent Ste.

 

[John Fenna]

All that is ready here is the Birch Sap!

 

[Nova & Pinky]

Why not chickweed in March?

 

[Geoff Dann]

Alexanders, hogweed, wintercress...

 

[yomperalex]

LOL at morels.

I have been hunting for them the last 4 years, done a hefty mileage and not a single one.

But the taste of them means I'll be doing a lot more mileage over the next 2 months.

They are evasive but delicious and if you enjoy the hike while you look, then it's still time well spent.

good luck, and if you find some then secretly mail me the location hehe.

Alex

 

[Geoff Dann]

LOL at morels.

I have been hunting for them the last 4 years, done a hefty mileage and not a single one.

I have been collecting wild fungi for 24 years and I am yet to see a morel. These and black trumpets (and truffles, but they don't really count) are the only known-to-be-edible british species I've never found.

They are evasive...

Well, they're certainly elusive. They are also ephemeral...

 

[kINGPIN]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I am going to google for all the new suggestions and see if I recognise any. I can't wait now.

John; The birch sap is the thing I am looking forward to the most and should be the easiest of the plants to find.lol I have always wanted to do it ever since the episode RM did many moons ago.

On the subject of birch tapping, I have heard and seen a few different methods but I dont want to take a drill or similar with me to the woods. I have heard of people cutting 'v's but have seen some stabbing the knife upward, whats the best way to get a good flow with out tools? Also the health of the tree is of primary importance to me.

Cheers

 

[addo]

Just drill away with a 10mm bit,about 20mm into the main stem of a tree around 300 mm diameter. Plug it afterward.
You wont do any harm and you'll get plenty of sap compared to stabbing your knife in. Just change the tree you take from each year.
It tastes great, and the wine isn't bad either.

 

[Harvestman]

Had a morel from a lawn at my place of work a few years ago. Have watched that bit of grass like a hawk ever since, but no sign. Shame, because it was absolutely delicious with some garlic.

 

[Bluefrog]

Had a morel from a lawn at my place of work a few years ago. Have watched that bit of grass like a hawk ever since, but no sign. Shame, because it was absolutely delicious with some garlic.

Thats why they say only take a 3rd of whats there unless theres hardly anything there

 

[Mang]

I'm about to sign up for this online course http://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/wildfoodmentor.html It's £7 per month for 9 months at the moment, but is soon to change to a £30 flat fee. Marcus used to do a piece in Bushcraft & Survival Magazine and they were very readable. Full marks to Woodland Ways for their innovative course!

 

[Melonfish]

garlic mustard (jack by the hedge) young Ramson shoots, chickweed, Dandelion shoots, young nettle leaves
spotted some oyster mushrooms last week and there's plenty of ear fungus.
as for birch sap, nothing round here just yet but i expect it soon

don't know my edible flowers that well so i couldn't tell you about them but there are alot suddenly shooting up.

 

[locum76]

Why not chickweed in March?

Indeed, I've eaten it right through the year. Not a lot because it's kind of bland but I have, none the less, eaten whenever I've found it and been bored enough.

 

[Geoff Dann]

Had a morel from a lawn at my place of work a few years ago. Have watched that bit of grass like a hawk ever since, but no sign.

I hope there was more than one when you took it. Otherwise you taking it might be the reason you never found any more!

 

[Hairy Steve]

Sheep's sorrel in our hedges now - nice munch when you're walking.

Last week's extreme low tides gave us at least 7 different shellfish - great treat

Haven't found a decent Morel in years

 

[persistent king]

im new to foraging but have just purchased collins gem food for free for £4.99 from amazon and find it very usefull and full of pics and what to look for and when.

This book is a must i.m.o for a biginer.