April foraging

[Bozle]

Agree- A great little book.


Timin;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-Collins-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007183038

 

[benp1]

i have no connection.....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FOOD-FOR-FREE...goryZ276QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[william#]

OffroadersSimon: I’ve been foraging, and I’m going to be living mainly off worms, snails and these mushrooms I’ve found.
Lindsay: And I’ll be living off pizzas.
Simon: Pizzas?
Lindsay: Yeah, there’s a Pizza Hut just down the road.

- The Offroaders

 

[xylaria]

I'm new to foraging and having dusted off my copy of Lofty's book am completely lost as to where to start - everything looks like water hemlock. OK that's an exaggeration, but any suggestions for better books to get started? I can't seem to get past the constant paranoia of immediate fatal poisoning from the wrong berry!

Learn to ID basic groups.
Such as if the flower has four petals, and the young plant is growing in a rosette it probably part of the cabbage family, which has quite a few choice edible plants. Bitter cress is out at the moment as that really nice.

Carrot family has to be learned IMHO before you start eating wild plants as it contains some of the most harmful plants in Britain.

As for berries the berries of purging buckthorne produces nausea with one or two berries and the shrub does not look like anything that is edible.
Nightshade family I have given the fruit to people who are convinced that they can tell if something is poisonous by if it tastes bitter or it makes their lips swell. Woody nightshade fruit tastes like the after taste of saccharin tablets and doesn't make your lips swell but is undoubtedly not that good for you.

What most people do is start on easy plants and slowy learn more. IMHO there is no quick road and survival taste tests are best left to survival situations not general foraging in known environments.

 

[spamel]

Well, I am well on the way with my ramsons, I've found masses of the stuff and they are very strong, just the way I like it! The flowers and bulbs will knock your socks off, the young leaves are a bit strong but nice in egg mayo sarnies! I've got two or three seperate surces for hedge garlic aswell, so I'm good for keeping vampires away!

I've ID'ed Ladies Smock, a bit mustardy I thought, and I think I have lesser celandine figured out, if so, the local wood is carpeted in the things. I've never seen a plant cover so much ground in one go! I'm gonna give the bulbs a whirl, I assume they are still good fo eating at this time of year? (Shouldn't really assume, I know!)

I've got nettles and dock leaves to help relieve the inevitable stings, and there are bluebells everywhere, although they are more for the eye! I'm really enjoying starting to build up my knowledge of plant lore, I've got some herbs growing in a window box and my apple mint outside the kitchen door in the shadey part, which is shooting up fast and smelling lovely. I had a mint tea the other night and it was fantastic with a hint of bee poo!

I love this time of year! I'll take my camera with next time out, see what I can do pictures wise!