Foraging

[Toddy]

I've been working in different parks throughout Glasgow all week. One of the friends I was working with brought in a van load of plant stuffs to work with the kids (1500+) and their teachers.
Everything from Flag Iris, Rowans, Yarrow, Bour, Heather, Brambles, Gale, to Alder and Willow.
By the end of the week we had it mostly all stripped down either for faggots, candles, and hoops or prepped for dyestuffs.
Messy, but fun

At home and around I carry a bag with poly bags and bits of waxed cotton inside to collect 'stuff'. My dawn and evening walks this week have netted everything from acorns and eldercurrants to meadowsweet roots and rosehips.
I used to carry a basket but a little too much like Miss Marple, y'know ?
Now I carry a haversack type bag that lies against my hip.
One of my friends is a basketmaker and she made a traditional Scottish kishie from oatstraw and rush rope and she is inclined to use that when out foraging.

What do you use? Did you make your own ?

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Sniper]

I don't get much of a chance to do any real foraging, but I do tend to carry a plastic carrier bag just in case I come across anything useful. I have found a small bramble bush in the back jungle I mean garden at work but greed took over and none of the lovely berries made it into the bag past me gob. Not that there were many to start with but the rose hips are developing but still not ripe yet so maybe soon if we get a bit of sun.

 

[spamel]

I remember eating stacks of blackberries when I was a kid and the family had gone down to Wembury for the day. We always used to finish off with a bramble picking sesh and bring back a haul. Well, this particular day was no different except they were really sweet, so I ate loads of them. My younger brother had been in the rock pools puicking periwinkles, another treat we used to enjoy. After the drive home, I was feeling a bit queasy.

As soon as the car door was opened, I was out and spewed everywhere. My younger brother screamed as thick red stuff jetted out of my mouth, he thought it was blood! My Grandma set about coming outside to give me the mother of all rollockings as she thought, with the sound of a pint of masticated blackberries hitting the deck, that I had tipped my brothers bucket of periwinkles on the floor to spite him!

Not a pleasant day in the life of a teenager!

 

[R Doull]

when ever I'm out TRYING to do a bit of foraging (very limited plant knowledge) I've got my "food for free" book and plenty of bags.. then I get home and try to find a recipe to try what I have.. so far it's nettles, sorrow, silver weed and hawthorn berries.. Ohh and brambles.. gonna try acorns later though and Meadow sweet (if I can work out where to look for it.. )

 

[xylaria]

I use a wicker basket. The handle needs repair, it one of those jobs that I will get around to. I have tried to make my own, but the upsett was so lopsy I filled it with soil and planted daffiodils in it. I love to make my own, basket making is as easy a sawing wood, the art comes in making something that straight and strong which is not easy at all.

I knitted a bag out jute twine last year to collect apples. Being knitted the bag expands the more wieght that is put in it. Apples aren't very suitible for the basket as they are heavy and can get marked from it.

For small items when I have nothing I pick a few dock leaves, and wrap the find in them by using the the stork the lock off the wrapping so it doesn't fall off. I have found that I can dry some things while wrapped up, like poplar fluff, and the little bundle stays intact for storage.

 

[Tony]

Shelly was out yesterday with an old woman that we know that had agreed to take her to some places for blackberries, it's great being shown new places by people.

Anyway, we generally use some old honey pots that we've got, they're plastic with handles as they're about 8" across, they can get filled up and then the lid goes on so the contents doesn't get crushed. The kids use the yoghurt pots from Lidle, the big ones, again with a handle.

I've also got one of those maxpedition folding belt pouches which i really good, especially with a bag in it.

I would use a traditional basket as long as it works better than those, I think that's what i'm looking for, the best way of collecting and carrying a decent quantity.

 

[firestarter31]

I use a brown willow basket i weaved on a basket weaving course i went on for collecting fungi , but must admit my teeenage boys think i look like a bushcraft version of little red riding hood!

 

[xylaria]

Shelly was out yesterday with an old woman that we know that had agreed to take her to some places for blackberries, it's great being shown new places by people.

Anyway, we generally use some old honey pots that we've got, they're plastic with handles as they're about 8" across, they can get filled up and then the lid goes on so the contents doesn't get crushed. The kids use the yoghurt pots from Lidle, the big ones, again with a handle.

.

Wilko do a plastic cauldron for halloween, my kids use them with a simerlar effect. They are perfect for bilberries, and because of the curved sides if you fall over the fruit doesn't fall out. Another thing i have is a knitted head band. It was done in tube on cre8 childs knitting machine, it good for those unexpected lfinds and like the knitted apple bag holds quite a bit for its size. It also hold mushrooms with crushing them and without them touching each other, so eaters can be held as well as undentified.

 

[Toddy]

I make little 'baskets' or nests from big leaves for little amounts like fungi or a few berries, and I have a net one I made for crab apples and things like mucky roots. I made some fine mesh ones from insect screen fabric for leaves and acorns, but my bag is becoming more and more a bag of bags

cheers,
M

 

[British Red]

I use a traditional trug a lot - but often more in the garden and local hedgerows. If going further I have a huge tupperware type pot - square with a handle and a lid holds about a couple of gallons I guess. I always have a couple of very large ziplock (proper ziplock) bags in my smock. They are the perfect size to line one of the bottom bellows pockets for improptu gathering.

I laso use my game bag for all sorts of things - not home made or anything but being waterproof and having a net front pocket its very versatile

Red

 

[spiritofold]

I make birchbark "cones" for my kids. They look a bit like the drinking vessels Mr Mears makes. Stick a bit of dry rolled up grass in the bottom and then show them what to gather!
If we know in advance about gathering then we just take plastic tubs with lids and a builders bucket.

Nothing fancy.

 

[Nelis]

When I go foraging is mostly when I'm camping out. I then use either the compressionbag from my sleeping bag turned inside out, or the waterproof pack liner, also inside out. I think putting something in the bottom is a smashing idea.... Defenatlty going to try that.

 

[firecrest]

I use my pocketses!

usually you see, when I find things I want its when I havent got a bag on me.

Note to self - dont put any more Ink Caps in jeans...

 

[Nonimouse]

Plastic bags, paper bags and chinese take away containers all slotted into each other and kept in my 'day bag'

The 'moor down and ways from my house is a larder and so few people go down there it all goes to waste. The amount of stuff at work is also amazing and once again no people!

Just picked the last of the sloes and over don eit on blackberries. The Hawhips and rose hips are superb this year as are the self set apples and there should be a good crop of Walnuts. I leave the hazel nuts to the squirrels.

 

[MartiniDave]

I usually use a canvas "army type" shoulder bag, similar to an older style gasmask bag, but Chinese or Taiwanese made, with a tupperware box (or 2 if we're doing married foraging )shoved in it. When I've finished I just pop the lid back on and carry on with my bimble.

Dave

 

[Westnorfolk]

hi toddy, i am replanting a 400 yard hedge on my smallholding with a view to eating from it in the future years. so i can forage my own place. do you have the latin name for the large rose hips you scrape the seeds out of and eat? many thanks
dave

 

[gregorach]

I usually use an S10 respirator haversack - the design means that it stays open properly so you can collect with both hands. Back before I lost it, my leather bush hat frequently found itself pressed into service for foraging.

 

[Toddy]

hi toddy, i am replanting a 400 yard hedge on my smallholding with a view to eating from it in the future years. so i can forage my own place. do you have the latin name for the large rose hips you scrape the seeds out of and eat? many thanks
dave

I know it as Rosa rugosa,

http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/skye/rosaceae/rosa-rugosa.htm

http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/product_10294.html

I'm fond of our own rosehips, which seem to last so much longer, but this one produces a fruit crop.

Usual disclaimer, just googled for an image to check my I.D.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Westnorfolk]

thanks for that, great links
Dave

 

[Nonimouse]

Rosa rugosa is a cultivated rose found in gardens I would guess that what you are eating is either Rosa canina or Rosa Arvensis (or a hybrid version) if you are picking it wild. Post up a pick and I will ID it. BYW all rose hips are edible some just tatse better than others