Duckweed recipe!

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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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So no fish in the pond, just vegetabilia?

It is amazing the Nordmans introduced a system that is still working!
In rest of Europe it is virtually gone.
It was introduced in most of Europe around the same time.
Development of society towards larger state units, that had to establish armies with ever more advancing, costly military tech and full time employed military experts. The state bureaucratic system had to develop to rule and guide, that needed a reliable taxation.

But most countries there have retained a (pre?-) historic custom, the right to roam.
It is thought it predates the times when the land owning system got established.

I wish Britain introduced a Right to Roam system. You would love it.
 
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Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
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Geoff Dann, you have entirely missed the point here. Conversations like this often crop up ... (just the other day, we had one about the advisability of wearing cotton clothing in the cold and wet) ... where specific instances of something, which are fine in themselves, run counter to more generally accepted wisdoms.

Sometimes wearing cotton in the cold and wet is fine, but usually one advises against it, right? And, if someone posts about wearing cotton in the cold and wet, one would want to see someone mention the potential pitfalls of that. It is the same here. Members are just putting into this thread some reasonable and responsible cautions about pond flora and water sources so that, having read your informed and informative article, other people don't then just go blithely down to the canal and scrape whatever greenery they find sitting on top of it to stir into their fried eggs.

The “point” here is that someone who makes a living writing and teaching about fungi and foraging shared a simple and fun recipe and as almost inevitably seems to be the case these days, the “usual suspects” felt compelled to chirp up, infer that the OP didn’t know what he was doing and to steer the thread so it became all about them and their opinions and experiences and degenerated into a back and forth between the same limited number of contributors.

I suspect that a straw poll of the fee paying members who support this forum their contributions and actively participate in forum events would show that most would to hear far more from people like the OP and perhaps a little less from our small cadre of overseas correspondents who seem to scan the forum 24/7 desperately looking for threads that they can crowbar a comment into in order to maintain their double digit daily post count.

The nature of forums and the internet in general is such that threads are never going to follow a linear path and it would be boring if they did but sadly this forum is starting to resemble a much loved local pub where the regulars have started drifting away because every conversation gets dominated by a bunch of loud people who don’t live locally and don’t quite “get” local etiquette and customs but nevertheless feel that everyone should get the benefit of their wisdom - and always sneak off to the toilet when it’s their turn to buy a round.

One of the drawbacks of online communication is that we don’t get the non-verbal feedback from our audience we do in the real world to help judge when people are tiring of the sound of our voice or getting irritated at our tone and hopefully we won’t get to a situation like a pub where all the regulars have been driven away by the bore who keeps reminding the landlord that without him, the pub wouldn’t have any customers! ;)

There's a treat ahead for you, Janne ... Uncle Ray did do a series on wild foods ... nice sections on leaching tannins from acorns etc. He had a lovely old sidekick along with him for this one - Gordon Hillman - who sadly passed on recently

They are all on you tube

Here's the first one:


Sadly, if Uncle Ray himself was a member of this forum, I’m sure the “usual suspects” would still be compelled to chirp in to offer him some helpful “advice” on a few things like food hygiene, choice of vehicle, dangerous animals etc, etc.

I’m sure that the OP has enough confidence in his own abilities (which, I suspect in the field of fungi and foraging are at least on a par with RM) and broad enough shoulders to shrug off the grief that he has got for posting a simple recipe but it is hardly a great incentive for him to start similar threads in the future. Even if the OP is not discouraged then a lot of other less confident members with potentially interesting tales to tell will shy away from starting threads (or joining in existing threads once the “usual suspects” have got stuck in) and the forum will become poorer for it.

Rather than hogging every thread, if people genuinely feel that the forum will benefit from their expertise and experience, perhaps the way forward is for them to start a blog (as the OP has done) where they can indulge whatever hobby horses they choose and give other forum members space to “breathe”.

Just sayin’ :)
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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My point was that it is advisable to be cautious. Mr Dann knows his stuff for sure, but his audience does not. He knows his pond is safe, but somebody wanting to try the weed growing in his local ( possibly toxic) pond does not.

Mr Dann has apparently investigated the area around it, so he knows the risks are very small. Your local pond might be downstream from a disused factory. When I mean downstream, that includes the ground water.

When I see floating pond weed my brain connects that to nutrient rich water.
As he explained, and the photo, I guess the nutrients are coming from surrounding vegetation ( leaves and such)
 

Woody girl

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Mar 31, 2018
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I am not accustomed to living on land which has been marinated in human waste for several thousand years.
I'm sorry. I know I'm new on the forum. But this comment is uncalled for. I realy don't understand how a simple recipe can degenerate to this bitching sort of comment and other comments that are one upmanship. I'm trying to pick my words carefully. Is there not enough of this sort of stuff going on in the world without bringing it here . I come here to learn and have pleasant chats, share any wisdom ideas and maybe a personal experience that might be helpful or funny to someone else. It's sad and I do agree with the last few comments. Chill out and let's have another wierd mad or crazy cook up. The name of the game... bushcraft... is about having a good time. You'd never see or hear Mr mears acting like this.
 
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Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
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I'm sorry. I know I'm new on the forum. But this comment is uncalled for. I realy don't understand how a simple recipe can degenerate to this bitching sort of comment and other comments that are one upmanship. I'm trying to pick my words carefully. Is there not enough of this sort of stuff going on in the world without bringing it here . I come here to learn and have pleasant chats, share any wisdom ideas and maybe a personal experience that might be helpful or funny to someone else. It's sad and I do agree with the last few comments. Chill out and let's have another wierd mad or crazy cook up. The name of the game... bushcraft... is about having a good time. You'd never see or hear Mr mears acting like this.

My best advice - use the ignore function. :)
 

Billy-o

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Apr 19, 2018
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.. less from our small cadre of overseas correspondents ...

... a bunch of loud people who don’t live locally and don’t quite “get” local etiquette and customs

Pleased with this prose, were you?

It wasn't entirely the reason that I left the UK to live in Canada, nothing like it in fact. But your kind of verminous, casual intolerance has become an appalling stain on the place I was born; and now affects every detail of public discourse.

You really can't make your point without reaching so low?
 
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Robson Valley

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Nov 24, 2014
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The various species of Lemna are site indicators for highly eutrophic standing water.
This isn't bushcraft. Lemna is convenient to use in many waterwater treatment systems.
Just something to pick up on and recall for next time. The plants and the water are suspect.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
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Nomad64's point was eloquently put though :)

Seriously though, if there is such disrespect of the UK's landscape, environment and people, and an obvious total disbelief that anyone here has any experience or knowledge worth presenting, why participate in a UK based forum at all?

Come on, it's not what is said most of the time, it's how it is said. Even the sentence starting 'Geoff Dann, you have entirely missed the point here ….' could so easily have been much more polite (I'm sure Geoff hadn't missed the point and I'm sure Billy-o knew it).
 
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Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
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(I'm sure Geoff hadn't missed the point and I'm sure Billy-o knew it).

Well, I don't know that xenophobia is ever elegant, but let me address something else

In truth, I didn't know that Geoff Dann hadn't missed the point, Broch, and I thought my remark well-intended. Possibly it was sharply put, but I'd have to be convinced of that

It did seem to me that Geoff Dann was getting increasingly upset about a commentary which I didn't really see as aimed at him ... and his condescending 'sigh' coupled with the little dig at the colonies probably accounts for any bit of vinegar in my post when I pointed this out. His subsequent aggressiveness around the subject of founding English history is another matter.

I must say I was surprised to be singled out by Nomad64 for the kind of attention paid to my posts. But, at the same time, being aware that there are number of knowledgeable and salty old buzzards on this forum (including Geoff Dann ... which is why, in part, why I like the place so much) I am also aware that, even though I have only really been here 20 minutes, I could be seen as one of their number. Which is fine by me, I suppose.

I think, in short, Geoff Dann sounds like a grown up to me, who doesn't need other people to look after him
 
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Nomad64

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Nov 21, 2015
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Pleased with this prose, were you?

It wasn't entirely the reason that I left the UK to live in Canada, nothing like it in fact. But your kind of verminous, casual intolerance has become an appalling stain on the place I was born; and now affects every detail of public discourse.

You really can't make your point without reaching so low?

Well, I don't know that xenophobia is ever elegant, but let me address something else

In truth, I didn't know that Geoff Dann hadn't missed the point, Broch, and I thought my remark well-intended. Possibly it was sharply put, but I'd have to be convinced of that

It did seem to me that Geoff Dann was getting increasingly upset about a commentary which I didn't really see as aimed at him ... and his condescending 'sigh' coupled with the little dig at the colonies probably accounts for any bit of vinegar in my post when I pointed this out. His subsequent aggressiveness around the subject of founding English history is another matter.

I must say I was surprised to be singled out by Nomad64 for the kind of attention paid to my posts. But, at the same time, being aware that there are number of knowledgeable and salty old buzzards on this forum (including Geoff Dann ... which is why, in part, why I like the place so much) I am also aware that, even though I have only really been here 20 minutes, I could be seen as one of their number. Which is fine by me, I suppose.

I think, in short, Geoff Dann sounds like a grown up to me, who doesn't need other people to look after him

TBH, I hadn’t really thought of you as being one of the “usual suspects” (but as one of their number currently seems to be taking a sabbatical, if there is a vacancy and the hat fits, feel free to wear it!;)) and although I quoted your previous posts in my response, my comments were intended to apply equally to all those who felt the need to post pedantic and irritating replies to the OP.

If you wish to see my comments as a xenophobic attack on you and others then, I guess that is your prerogative but since that the collective view of our Canadian contributors seems to be that we Brits are a verminous people, living on an island of sewage, I’ll take your concerns with a large pinch of salt.

Far from being intolerant, I think the forebearance of most members to the behaviour of some of our overseas members has been remarkable - I can’t help thinking that if a bunch of Brits pitched up on a US forum and behaved in the same way, things would get unpleasant, very quickly.

FWIW, I really enjoy posts from members offering differing perspectives, (especially the wry and humerous contributions from Joe T), and genuinely wish there were more active members from elsewhere in the world with interesting tales to tell. However, I fear that if ever a member of the San community or similar did post on here, some members would still feel compelled to explain to them how they and their ancestors have been doing bushcraft all wrong for a hundred millennia! ;)

IMHO having a small group of “salty old buzzards” (whether home grown or foreign) with way too much time on their hands, engaging in an eternal contest to see how high up a wall (or over a pile of duckweed) the can pee is not a recipe for a healthy forum. I suspect that most members would prefer to see posts from a wide variety of people whether newbies or old hands who aren’t interested in online w!lly waving or slapping people down but who have a real passion for the outdoors and bushcraft and actually get out and do stuff or make things and post (ideally with pictures) about their experiences.

If these members are deterred from posting because they don’t fancy running the gauntlet of critical scrutiny by the “buzzards” then the forum will be much the poorer.

Sadly, far too many threads go like this;


and (on occasions when people don’t quite “get” British cultural norms), like this;


I hope the OP posts similar items in the future (without the need for a two page disclaimer setting out all the H&S and food hygiene protocols he had followed to keep the “buzzards” happy), but would fully understand if he has got better things to do with his time. :)
 
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Janne

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Feb 10, 2016
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Off Topic

Nomad 64, the reason I have not posted anything on this thread is because I am tired of you attacking me.
Over the last very few years you have doubted my wilderness experience, written rubbish about the country I live in, and commented on my monetary situation. Plus criticizing me and some other forum members living outside UK.
Stop.
What about you posting some site related posts instead? Maybe even start a thread? About something nature related, instead of whining like a hurt child?

Best regards
The Buzzard
 
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Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
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Off Topic

Nomad 64, the reason I have not posted anything on this thread is because I am tired of you attacking me.
Over the last very few years you have doubted my wilderness experience, written rubbish about the country I live in, and commented on my monetary situation. Plus criticizing me and some other forum members living outside UK.
Stop.
What about you posting some site related posts instead? Maybe even start a thread? About something nature related, instead of whining like a hurt child?

Best regards
The Buzzard

Janne, when you say that you “not posted anything on this thread” - presumably, you mean apart from posts #5, 7, 10, 12, 18, 20, 22, 28, 36, 39, 41 and 44. You were front and centre of the barracking of the OP so please stop playing the victim.

If you don’t want people commenting on your “monetary situation”, then why on earth do you take every opportunity to share details of your apparent financial success and material possessions in what sometimes seems an almost desperate attempt to impress. FYI, talking about personal wealth is generally not considered good manners on this little island.

This is a bushcraft forum where people try to get away from the grind of the 9-5 and celebrate the simpler pleasures in life, particularly those that money can’t buy, If you look at other people’s posts on here in contrast to yours, they rarely if ever feel the need to let others know what their day job is, what qualifications they have, how big their house is, how many cars they have in the garage and although a sizeable number of members are ex-forces they don’t tend to advertise the fact.

I’m puzzled that you seem to think that I am “whining like a hurt child” - you are the one complaining that I’m being mean to you. Basic rule of the playground - if you like dishing it out (as you and the other were to the OP), don’t complain if you sometimes get some back.

The good news is that I’ve taken the advice from one of the previous posters on this thread - I’ll be seeing fewer of your posts in future so much less likely to feel moved to comment.

:)
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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If legal, you can maybe put crayfish in it?

I did that in a two ponds I had in East Sussex ( Mayfield area),( I asked the council in Crowborough and they OK'd It.)
It was a fun thing to do, fish for them with my young son, and cook them.
 

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