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Anyone started drying forage for winter?

K

Karen's

Mama Doe
I've made a start today, I have 5 buns now so need to stock up! I left it too late last year and pretty much only had bramble leaves.
I've got plantain, dandelions, clover, and herb Robert. Not tried drying herb Robert before so we'll see how it goes.
Can you dry willow and hawthorn leaves? I seem to think the hawthorn leaves just went brown and didn't look appetising.
 
I have :wave: I only started foraging in July last year and most things were last their prime so it was a struggle to find enough to feed and dry so this year I'm ahead of the game! I dry out Hawthorne with no problem, but not tried willow. What's herb Robert? I've never heard if it!
 
Herb Robert is on the pics of safe forage in the plant images sticky in this section. I'd never heard of it before I started foraging, it's just a weed and seems to grow all over and is easy to recognise. It's a bit smelly but the buns seem to enjoy it! :lol:
 
Yes I have started drying - I was so busy in spring I missed drying the cleavers but am drying a lot of cut leaf wild geranium at present - and also selling it on here for anyone that wants to dry their own. I am also drying plantago lanceolata. herb Robert is a type of wold geranium as well - the 'robert' part is from rubra for red.

Later I will dry willow and also the apple and pear leaves as they come off the trees.

The neighbour has also started cutting the hay fields on his farm and so buns had their first hay of the year today.
 
I'm trying but he is eating faster than I can pick!!

I dry hawthorn branches (with leaves).

I've tried Apple but he's not keen sadly as I'd have loads later in the year :(

Plantain is now plentiful in the field with dandelion and bramble to add variety for now.

I've dried some sticky weed but, again, he isn't that keen :(

I need to find something else in bulk. I'll look into Herb Robert :)


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Yes, I always start drying the minute the greenery starts to flourish again :D The buns get loads of fresh stuff too, so sometimes it seems like I'm doing nothing else but cutting my garden's forage every day :lol:
 
I found a big rose bush growing wild near to where I live today so I've picked some to give to the buns fresh, but I'll also pick some to dry too.
There are quite a few buddleia trees near to me too, I believe that's bunny safe, so I will give that a try too.
It's funny you can walk the same route regularly and all of a sudden you notice something you hadn't seen before, I found some weeping willow trees recently and I've walked that way loads of times and never noticed them.... Needless to say, in my horticultural experience they required a little pruning :D
 
Ha ha!!

My mum has a huge weeping willow in the garden. She's been drilled to save the cuttings and leaves!

I must try rose. We have lots of them. I assume wild (as in dog roses) and cultivated are fine?


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Ie never dried forage before, but there's so much near me I'd like to try. How do you dry it?

Is it too late to dry cleavers? I notice it's getting tiny flowers I now, can the buns still eat it like that?

I found a few willow trees today further into the area I forage in. It made my life let alone my day. Oh, the things that please us.... :lol:
 
I still have loads of brambles from last year. Someone on the plots lets me cut their Jerusalem artichoke foliage as they never dig them up so I will have masses of that to dry once I remember to take my secateurs to cut it! It dries super well. I also need I go cut some hawthorn to dry. Don't have any access to willow :(
 
Elena said:
I still have loads of brambles from last year. Someone on the plots lets me cut their Jerusalem artichoke foliage as they never dig them up so I will have masses of that to dry once I remember to take my secateurs to cut it! It dries super well. I also need I go cut some hawthorn to dry. Don't have any access to willow :(
Click to expand...

Ooooh, can bunnies eat the leaves of globe artichoke plants? Dad has loads on his allotment.


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Last edited:
Dunno about globe artichokes as I've never grown them but Jerusalem ones are high in fibre so really good for them. They love them too, eat the whole thing, stalks and all.
 
SJH said:
Ha ha!!

My mum has a huge weeping willow in the garden. She's been drilled to save the cuttings and leaves!

I must try rose. We have lots of them. I assume wild (as in dog roses) and cultivated are fine?


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Click to expand...

I believe wild (dog) roses - are they the ones that get rosehips? I believe the leaves and flowers are ok, but not the rosehips. Cultivated roses are fine too. Mine seem to like the leaves and rose petals.
 
Karen's said:
I believe wild (dog) roses - are they the ones that get rosehips? I believe the leaves and flowers are ok, but not the rosehips. Cultivated roses are fine too. Mine seem to like the leaves and rose petals.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I'll give them a try. :)


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midori1999 said:
Ie never dried forage before, but there's so much near me I'd like to try. How do you dry it?

Is it too late to dry cleavers? I notice it's getting tiny flowers I now, can the buns still eat it like that?

I found a few willow trees today further into the area I forage in. It made my life let alone my day. Oh, the things that please us.... :lol:
Click to expand...

Cleavers with flowers are fine
 
I pick grass and forage for my lot every day, but its all I can do to keep up with them (eight rabbits and two whistler pigs) so nothing is being dried ...
 
Fancy a bath?! :lol:

age7a6u2.jpg


That's probably a tenth of what's outside the fence. There's loads more inside their plot but I don't feel right going in unless they're there but I don't think I'll need too!! It's out on the grass now roughly drying off and then I'll divide into about three bunches and hang it up somewhere. Not worked out where yet. :oops:
 
Elena said:
Fancy a bath?! :lol:

age7a6u2.jpg


That's probably a tenth of what's outside the fence. There's loads more inside their plot but I don't feel right going in unless they're there but I don't think I'll need too!! It's out on the grass now roughly drying off and then I'll divide into about three bunches and hang it up somewhere. Not worked out where yet. :oops:
Click to expand...

Oooh that looks tasty. What is it?

I've just tried drying a few brambles in the oven. Doesn't seem that successful so airing cupboard it is!


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