FORAGE IDENTIFICATION:SEE POST 133 FOR UPDATE re 31st May!

[bunnylover177]

Really enjoyed myself. Has made it impossible to drive past verges at any speed at all so any traffic queue around Brentwood could be my fault.

I wondered before I went if Twig's area would be denuded of all planet life after these courses and what her bunnies would eat - I was so wrong - the next lot will be glad to know we hardly made a dent in it and we did try hard! Took a hay bag of fantastic forage back for our 13 buns which will take them a week at least to munch through.

My main recommendation if you are going to her next course is to bring big bags particularly if you can do any drying or even just have somewhere to hang the hawthorn, black thorn, crab apple, wild rose branches for your buns to eat later after they have got through all the hogweed (my buns new favourite), luscious long grass, dead nettle, hops, silver leaf and lots of other green stuff I learnt about on the day. Wow!

 

[Dave81]

I'm going to plant up the 2 strawberry plants I brought back with me tomorrow, just found a strawberry planter in all my stuff in the attic, i've got spare compost as well.

I spotted some of the Geranium which bunnies can eat not when out foraging but when at the garden centre earlier today, I may go back and grab a couple of them once I get in some more compost

 

[parsnipbun]

They just cut the huge wide verges on the way into the village this morning . . what a WASTE!!!!

Still all the forage along the bridlepaths and in the village though

 

[Dave81]

They just cut the huge wide verges on the way into the village this morning . . what a WASTE!!!!

Still all the forage along the bridlepaths and in the village though

Oh No! You would think they would just leave it, not like it's doing any harm in the 1st place

 

[parsnipbun]

Its really wet here at present but if tomorrow is dry I will see if any can be rescued and dried out -

 

[Freakinfreak]

Awwww, boo!!!

 

[parsnipbun]

Just popped on to say that I am not on much at present so PLEASE EMAIL using the email you have already been given fr any queries about the 31st. Everyone should have details of location, timings etc etc

The day is now forecast to be cloudy and cold (and possible rain!!) so we will arrange sessions indoors as well as outside - but obviously there will be outdoor sessions so PLEASE bring waterproofs and suitable shoes etc etc

 

[sillyrabbit]

Wish I lived in England! :lol:

I love foraging but I'm always too scared to actually pick anything incase I've identified it wrong

 

[Shrinkie]

Wish I lived in England! :lol:

I love foraging but I'm always too scared to actually pick anything incase I've identified it wrong

:lol: I'm the same. Although I've seen many people post photographs of what they think might be "X-species" and the lovely folks on here can help identify or you can maybe start very simple like dandelions/yarrow and just noting what else you can see and get to be familiar

 

[sillyrabbit]

:lol: I'm the same. Although I've seen many people post photographs of what they think might be "X-species" and the lovely folks on here can help identify or you can maybe start very simple like dandelions/yarrow and just noting what else you can see and get to be familiar

I have a book with pictures and everything, I'm just paranoid :lol:

 

[MightyMax]

I have a book with pictures and everything, I'm just paranoid :lol:

Understandably so ... So am I :lol:

When Cow Parsley looks similar to Hemlock, I think we have to be careful :shock:

 

[keletkezes]

Pictures don't account for touching stuff, feeling the differences and seeing it in a different light Or, often, just how BIG the damn stuff is!

 

[parsnipbun]

Hi Everyone!

Well it looks like its going to be a bit of a wet one tomorrow but we are having a reorganisation here so that for the morning at least the forage can come to you!

We are shifting ‘the conservatory buns’ to be ‘the living room buns’ or possibly ‘the spare room buns’ for the day - so we can straddle the conservatory and kitchen area!!


the afternoon WILL be outside at least at first so do please bring suitable clothing (umbrellas will reallybe rather inpracticable as you will already have a bag in one hand and forage in the other).

I have cooked two batches of ‘bunny shaped biscuits’ and am on the third cake - so we wont go unrewarded for our day! Steve is also in the midst of baking the bread and calzonis and tortilla.

Last session the kind neighbour let us park in his field: so later today I will ask if we can repeat that as it does make parking easier.

Steve or I will meet and greet and tell you if thats the case.

see you all tomorrow!

twigs

 

[J&R]

Have a great day everyone. I'm really disappointed to be missing out and would have loved meeting other bunny people but don't want to inflict my tummy bug on anyone else.

Hope the weather stays ok for you all

 

[Kavanne]

Whoever is there today please give peaches a lot of love from me

 

[antigone]

We just got back. Thank you Twigs and Steve for your hospitality, the course and the wonderful food. The bunnies would also like to thank you because for the first time they had something different to hay, pellets, dandelions, carrots and grass. It was also lovely to meet your animals and some people from the forum. I hope you will do the course again some time.

 

[Tracy]

A big thank you from me and Paul too. The course was fantastic and the food was wonderful. I feel like I have learnt lots and at last feel confident in distinguishing cow parsley from hemlock. :thumb:

It was lovely to meet other RUers.

Our bunnies are going to have a wonderful forage feast this evening.

 

[orangediva]

What a wonderful day, I'd recommend it to anyone. Really interesting seeing all the plants and especially discussing how to tell the toxic but similar ones ( hemlock I mean you! ) apart. Thank you Twigs and Steve for the incredible vegetarian feast, lovely cakes and hospitality. If there is a garden plant one I'll be first in the queue! Lovely to meet everyone too.

Ps mine have eaten every bit I've given them and they say thank you too .

 

[Santa]

Fabulous day, so nice to meet everyone and to add more to my forage repertoire. Thanks to Twigs and Steve for being great hosts and tutors.

We are very lucky to have a large garden and I've found plenty of new things that I now recognise and can add to my repertoire (or avoid, depending on what they are)

Or at least I think I recognise them - fellow foragers, anyone disagree??

Campion:

Willow herb:

More willow herb:

Burdock:

Silver leaf:

Speedwell?

Comfrey? Or is this Russian Comfrey, it's growing on the compost area.

Patch of all sorts of random things including dock, comfrey (Russian or not?), nipplewort?, think there's some willow herb in there too somewhere, thistles

Avens?

Briony (very toxic!) in flower...need to do a sweep round and dig this up when I do another ragwort dig at the weekend

And for those who were there at the mention of wild rhubarb??

I'm particularly rooting for them to like the willow herb because there's LOADS of it. I gave Snowdrop a piece and she practically inhaled it, she couldn't stuff it into her mouth quickly enough. All the others sniffed it suspiciously and then carried on with their normal stuff.

 

[antigone]

Great photos and identification skills! I am not sure about avens or rhubarb, which does not mean that you got them wrong. It only means that I need more practice.
I finally figured out who you are.