Foraging in the UK

[sparkplug]

I've promised myself to make an effort to learn a bit more about picking wild food this year - not so much for 'survival' as for the table.

I've gleaned a few really good suggestions from here, but I was wondering if there is a good book that the learned collective might suggest for a beginner to try.

I'm not too worried about recipies as those are usually more easy to 'google' - I'd be more interested in learning what to look for, where and in what season.

I'm avoiding the whole mushroom issue for now but would like to move on from nettles

Thanks in advance

 

[robin wood]

food for free by richard mabey. I worked my way through it in the 70's when it came out. The bottom line on foraging is it's interesting and increases your understanding of/closenes to the world around you but it's not easy to fill your belly.

I don't know what Raymondos "wild food" book is like but its going very cheap at the book people at the moment, £4
https://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/web...tatusRef=review.status_live&fromPage=category

 

[xylaria]

My favorite at the moment is wild food by roger phillips. I got re-print last year for my birthday. It hasn't been updated since the 70's so some foods covered such as comfry are now known to cause health problems with long term use. The receipes work reliably, and knowledge contained in it is certainly broadening my knowledge base.

When I am out I use collins wild flowers [fitter, fitter& blamey] with edibilty symbols I have added in the margin, rather than any food based book. I am yet to find the perfect wild food book.

 

[Shewie]

Have a look at these for starters ...

http://www.wildfoodschool.co.uk/ug001.htm
http://www.pfaf.org/index.php

It might be worth giving Rhoda a shout aswell as this is her bag.

I`d recommend RMs Wild Food DVD as it`s got some useful info and Gordon is a star.

One of the members on here who writes for the Bushcraft mag was starting something up on his website but I can`t remember who it was right now.

 

[EatWeeds]

Hey Sparkplug don't knock Nettles ;-)

Another good title is Edmund Launert's Edible and Medicinal Plants of Britain and Northern Europe. It's out of print but you can usually pick up a copy at Amazon.co.uk, Alibris.co.uk or Abebooks.co.uk

If you want to really learn wild edible plants, take one of Marcus Harrison's Beginner courses at http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfs2k9.htm/. You'll get an extremely good grounding and Marcus really knows his stuff.

I would also highly recommend that you also pick up a copy of his "Essential Survival Greens" book at http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfsbooks.htm. It includes a cd-rom with photos. It also has a chart that lists plants flowering by month, although you'll soon realise that you'll need to start identifying edible plants often before they flower. Sometimes once the plant has flowered you can't eat it... so what good's that!

If you want a good identification book that uses the patterns method of plant identification, then checkout "Botany In A Day" by Thomas J. Elpel.

You can also pick-up a copy of Ray Mears Wild Food DVD at www.wildfooddvd.co.uk

 

[Neil1]

There are a lot of good books out there (many mentioned here), but you cannot beat actually being shown a plant, then smelling and finally tasting it.
As Eatweeds said you could venture down to Cornwall and do a course with the WildFood School. I have worked with Marcus a few times over the years and his levels of knowledge are outstanding (he's a nice bloke too!).
Neil

 

[Mikey P]

My favorite at the moment is wild food by roger phillips. I got re-print last year for my birthday. It hasn't been updated since the 70's so some foods covered such as comfry are now known to cause health problems with long term use. The receipes work reliably, and knowledge contained in it is certainly broadening my knowledge base.

When I am out I use collins wild flowers [fitter, fitter& blamey] with edibilty symbols I have added in the margin, rather than any food based book. I am yet to find the perfect wild food book.

Another vote for 'Wild Food' by Roger Phillips. This and the Richard Mabey book, 'Food For Free', will pretty cover everything you need for the UK, although you will need a more specialised book for funghi if you wish to go that way too.

 

[EatWeeds]

Actually I've just remembered 'Food From The Wild" by Ian Burrows. That's a really nice book. Not hugely comprehensive but definitely one to use and for the bookshelf.

What I like about it is that it's broken down into sections such as fruit, nuts and seeds, flowers, greens and vegetables, herbs, roots, whole plants, seaweeds, fungi.

It's also a beautiful book.

Robin

 

[sparkplug]

Thank you all for the useful suggestions. I think I'll start with a couple of books and then look at a course. I'm looking forward to it!

 

[rik_uk3]

Remember that in the UK, picking fruit/veg/salad is more of a supplement to the food you carry, you won't live full time on it.

 

[crazyclimber]

I use 'Food for Free' by collins gem. great small pocket book for when you're out and about

 

[calibanzwei]

I use 'Food for Free' by collins gem. great small pocket book for when you're out and about

Ditto - great little book (that would be another vote for Richard Mabey!).