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my foraging diary

So much forage. Loads of red clover has sprung up (I have it in my head that I should limit the quantity fed?), willowherb is going to look stunning when it flowers theres so much . Today I got loads of raspberry & a few types of willow. The broadleaf plantain is so enormous I think it might be the greater one. I've had enough of cuckoo spit though

I'm doing really well getting winter rations together this year


Red clover has strong medicinal properties :thumb:
 
Has anyone noticed how many fruits are on this years hazel trees. Millions here. Its a struggle to get branches without. I left some forage in the sun to dry & the hazel split open which I found interesting since they are still very immature (I tried eating one)
 
Has anyone noticed how many fruits are on this years hazel trees. Millions here. Its a struggle to get branches without. I left some forage in the sun to dry & the hazel split open which I found interesting since they are still very immature (I tried eating one)

OOh you'll have a feast in a couple of months time! They're very tasty when mature and I like them when they are quite young.

The Hazel that I cut is part of the hedge across the road and is owned by Mr Hay Farmer. Sadly he trims his hedges and so there's never a large crop of nuts. The ones in the garden are very young trees and so haven't produced any - hopefully next year.

Here, in Kent, they're called Cobnuts. I think they are mostly Filberts, but I can't tell the difference between them and Hazels. The trees look extremely similar.
 
Here, in Kent, they're called Cobnuts. I think they are mostly Filberts, but I can't tell the difference between them and Hazels. The trees look extremely similar.
Ours had a label on it saying it was an 'something Cobnut' (can't remember the something bit). I recall reading somewhere that filberts/cobnuts/hazels were all the same sort of thing, like redcurrants/blackcurrants/whitecurrants: is that true?
 
Ours had a label on it saying it was an 'something Cobnut' (can't remember the something bit). I recall reading somewhere that filberts/cobnuts/hazels were all the same sort of thing, like redcurrants/blackcurrants/whitecurrants: is that true?

Haha, yes I think so. There are slight differences I think, though. For instance, Filberts are a bit longer than Hazelnuts. Filberts are usually cultivated, whereas Hazels can be found wild. I think the term Cobnut is generally only used to describe the nut, not the tree. With currants, they are all members of the Ribes family. There are differences between how you should prune currants, as some produce fruit on old wood and some on new (don't know which though :)).
 
I've been pretty bad at foraging again this year. :roll: But I'm feeling somewhat better post-jabs now.

Went foraging Saturday, got bitten to death (I react badly to bites) and saw a mole. Stayed and watched it for a considerable amount of time. Didn't have anything to take pictures of it though. :(
 
There are differences between how you should prune currants, as some produce fruit on old wood and some on new (don't know which though :)).
I believe black fruit on new and red on old (I have both), and flowering current is on new too (need to desperately cut ours right back this year!). No idea about white but maybe like red?
 
OOh you'll have a feast in a couple of months time! They're very tasty when mature and I like them when they are quite young.

The Hazel that I cut is part of the hedge across the road and is owned by Mr Hay Farmer. Sadly he trims his hedges and so there's never a large crop of nuts. The ones in the garden are very young trees and so haven't produced any - hopefully next year.

Here, in Kent, they're called Cobnuts. I think they are mostly Filberts, but I can't tell the difference between them and Hazels. The trees look extremely similar.

If the squirrels don't beat me too. I'll take my camera out & get some photos. The trees are huge - quite a few of them growing beckside. Maybe I should sell the nuts on ebay & make a million
 
hazels

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Some of the hazel trees are massive

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We also have knapweed . i presented some & Mouse shook her head twice & glared at me :lol:
 
Those are very large Hazel trees and they do indeed have a large crop:D It's interesting as the Hazel I forage comes from Hazel hedges around farmer's fields, so it gets cut down each year and is therefore much less prolific. It looks as though your Hazel branches are hanging down, presumably with the weight of their crop whereas the hedge branches grow erect.

I've not tried mine on Knapweed:) It always appears very stiff and dry and doesn't look very appetising. I haven't seen any this year yet. The forage is not brilliant here at the moment because of the dryness.
 
Those are very large Hazel trees and they do indeed have a large crop:D It's interesting as the Hazel I forage comes from Hazel hedges around farmer's fields, so it gets cut down each year and is therefore much less prolific. It looks as though your Hazel branches are hanging down, presumably with the weight of their crop whereas the hedge branches grow erect.

I've not tried mine on Knapweed:) It always appears very stiff and dry and doesn't look very appetising. I haven't seen any this year yet. The forage is not brilliant here at the moment because of the dryness.

I noticed the same when out yesterday. Everything is either tinder dry or bolting to seed.

Still managed to get a decent amount yesterday. In part because a blackthorn round the park has doubled over, and will inevitably be chopped down as a 'health hazard'. As for knapweed, mine have always enjoyed it.
 
Ive been in southern Germany for a fortnight and walked through some lovely countryside. Huge amounts of wild flowers (aka forage!) here. I keep pointing it out to OH :lol:

Anyhow, I’ve just seen a sign at the edge of an amazing field with a hand drawn picture of a bunny and a cow with a message that translates as, “Thank you for not walking through our food!”

See, definitely forage.... :lol:
 
Ive been in southern Germany for a fortnight and walked through some lovely countryside. Huge amounts of wild flowers (aka forage!) here. I keep pointing it out to OH :lol:

Anyhow, I’ve just seen a sign at the edge of an amazing field with a hand drawn picture of a bunny and a cow with a message that translates as, “Thank you for not walking through our food!”

See, definitely forage.... :lol:

How lovely :love:

I have friends in Southern Germany (near Oberstdorf) and it's certainly a beautiful part of the world.
 
Ive been in southern Germany for a fortnight and walked through some lovely countryside. Huge amounts of wild flowers (aka forage!) here. I keep pointing it out to OH :lol:

Anyhow, I’ve just seen a sign at the edge of an amazing field with a hand drawn picture of a bunny and a cow with a message that translates as, “Thank you for not walking through our food!”

See, definitely forage.... :lol:


I love that part of Germany :love:

What a fantastic message! How are you doing? xx
 
Its no wonder it takes me hours to come back from anywhere, I'm seriously obssessed.

Todays haul: buddliea, bindweed, knapweed, lavender, rose, hazel, ash, willowherb, willow, plantain (ribwort, broadleaf & really rather big), raspberry (smells awesome), herb robert, hawthorn, dandelion, grass (all fresh looking after the rain), geranium, blackthorn, vetch, rowan, hogweed, silverweed. I think thats it. This tables worth is perhaps half of it, I have a cotton tote bag stuffed with raspberry & 1/3 aldi bag still "unpacked"

There is probably enough raspberry growing to feed all the rabbits on RU.

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Can you get yellow willowherb?
 
Its no wonder it takes me hours to come back from anywhere, I'm seriously obssessed.

Todays haul: buddliea, bindweed, knapweed, lavender, rose, hazel, ash, willowherb, willow, plantain (ribwort, broadleaf & really rather big), raspberry (smells awesome), herb robert, hawthorn, dandelion, grass (all fresh looking after the rain), geranium, blackthorn, vetch, rowan, hogweed, silverweed. I think thats it. This tables worth is perhaps half of it, I have a cotton tote bag stuffed with raspberry & 1/3 aldi bag still "unpacked"

There is probably enough raspberry growing to feed all the rabbits on RU.

CjETbsVm.jpg
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KyzBB2hm.jpg
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iH8UWhmm.jpg
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Can you get yellow willowherb?


Absolutely awesome, especially in this drought :D

How much will you dry?
 
Its no wonder it takes me hours to come back from anywhere, I'm seriously obssessed.

Todays haul: buddliea, bindweed, knapweed, lavender, rose, hazel, ash, willowherb, willow, plantain (ribwort, broadleaf & really rather big), raspberry (smells awesome), herb robert, hawthorn, dandelion, grass (all fresh looking after the rain), geranium, blackthorn, vetch, rowan, hogweed, silverweed. I think thats it. This tables worth is perhaps half of it, I have a cotton tote bag stuffed with raspberry & 1/3 aldi bag still "unpacked"

There is probably enough raspberry growing to feed all the rabbits on RU.

CjETbsVm.jpg
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KyzBB2hm.jpg
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iH8UWhmm.jpg
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Can you get yellow willowherb?

Gosh, that's amazing :thumb: There's not much to be had here. It's all dying as it's so dry :( Got some left in the garden but not much.

Is this your yellow plant? There is no yellow willowherb :) https://wildseed.co.uk/species/view/83 I've never fed it and don't know whether it is safe.
 
Is this your yellow plant? There is no yellow willowherb :) https://wildseed.co.uk/species/view/83 I've never fed it and don't know whether it is safe.
I read somewhere, unfortunately don't remember where, that it's a good safety precaution not to feed anything that's resident of bog and the like (in the link the plant likes 'permanently wet' areas) since rabbits wouldn't normally venture to them and so wouldn't normally eat them. That obviously doesn't mean they're toxic etc., as I expect rabbits wouldn't naturally come across banana, but it's a good rule of thumb :)
 
Not sure how much I'll dry. Defintely the raspberry thats not on the table & I'll make some hogweed crispies. Boo assures me they'll get through it all in 48 hours

Gosh, that's amazing :thumb: There's not much to be had here. It's all dying as it's so dry :( Got some left in the garden but not much.

Is this your yellow plant? There is no yellow willowherb :) https://wildseed.co.uk/species/view/83 I've never fed it and don't know whether it is safe.

No but I have that one growing locally. I'd picked one piece & left it on the table with the safe stuff meaning to post it here but Bob fed it to the bunnies!

I've just got a better photo

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Its growing in with rosebay willowherb in vast quantities
 
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