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my foraging diary

any idea what this is? I'm not expecting it to be safe with its trumpety flowers, just curious as its everywhere

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check out my forage haul, it is mostly plantain. There was an unbelievable amount

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That's a wonderful lot of Plantain :D It's not growing so well here now. Most of the plants have seeded and the leaves have become tough and leathery.

You are right to think your pretty flower is not good for bunnies. It's not good for waterways either :(

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/himalayan-balsam
 
That's a wonderful lot of Plantain :D It's not growing so well here now. Most of the plants have seeded and the leaves have become tough and leathery.

You are right to think your pretty flower is not good for bunnies. It's not good for waterways either :(

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/himalayan-balsam

Thanks Omi. What a rotter of a plant - its all down the waterside . My plantain could be leathery? I'm not sure. They are enjoying it though
 
I've been to Wycoller again - sent by Mouse to pick more Willow before the seasons out.

Found pineapple mayweed - just checking its bunny approved?
 
Yep got one bag full of willow & hawithorn & another with plantain, silverweed & a few other bits. Its willow but no idea of type.
Thats funny - I've seen the mayweed about lots but never bothered to pick it as it didn't seem worth stooping for :lol: This was a decent amount. I just offered Mouse it. Sniffed for a good 2 minutes (I thought she was having a turn) then gobbled it all up. She said its the best forage she's had all year
 
Good work J&B!

I've been on a reachable apple tree hunt for ages now. There are a lot of street apple trees around here but I can't reach the branches. Yesterday I explored a new foraging area and I found a couple of trees I could reach! They were next to a steep slope so I could scramble up and prune some branches. Almost broke my neck coming back down. I was super excited because I thought they'd love the leaves. Turns out they're not that fussed. They do eat them eventually but they're the last bits of forage they go for. I should have known they were going to blooming well do that! But on the plus side, this new forage area is an absolute gold mine for big fat juicy dandelions and at least they go down a storm.
 
Good work J&B!

I've been on a reachable apple tree hunt for ages now. There are a lot of street apple trees around here but I can't reach the branches. Yesterday I explored a new foraging area and I found a couple of trees I could reach! They were next to a steep slope so I could scramble up and prune some branches. Almost broke my neck coming back down. I was super excited because I thought they'd love the leaves. Turns out they're not that fussed. They do eat them eventually but they're the last bits of forage they go for. I should have known they were going to blooming well do that! But on the plus side, this new forage area is an absolute gold mine for big fat juicy dandelions and at least they go down a storm.

your 2 make me laugh the way they are always sending you out on food missions then scoffing at your findings, its tantamount to domestic abuse. Always exciting to find a new foraging spot - for the time being anyway since you'll be moving North soon? To be fair mine like apple sticks much more than leaves
 
Good work J&B!

I've been on a reachable apple tree hunt for ages now. There are a lot of street apple trees around here but I can't reach the branches. Yesterday I explored a new foraging area and I found a couple of trees I could reach! They were next to a steep slope so I could scramble up and prune some branches. Almost broke my neck coming back down. I was super excited because I thought they'd love the leaves. Turns out they're not that fussed. They do eat them eventually but they're the last bits of forage they go for. I should have known they were going to blooming well do that! But on the plus side, this new forage area is an absolute gold mine for big fat juicy dandelions and at least they go down a storm.

I would say persevere with the Apple sticks. OH summer pruned our trees a few days ago, so we had a huge amount of sticks with leaves on. First day that I offered them, they were only picked at. I was amazed. The following day, another tree was pruned and more were offered. These were totally consumed. I mused to OH at what gournets they were to select the taste of one variety over another. His take was that they haven't had any Apple leaves for months and so had to be super careful as they saw it as a new food and were wary. Hate to say it but it looks as though he was right as every day they get through loads of any variety. So maybe that's what's going on with yours.
 
I would say persevere with the Apple sticks. OH summer pruned our trees a few days ago, so we had a huge amount of sticks with leaves on. First day that I offered them, they were only picked at. I was amazed. The following day, another tree was pruned and more were offered. These were totally consumed. I mused to OH at what gournets they were to select the taste of one variety over another. His take was that they haven't had any Apple leaves for months and so had to be super careful as they saw it as a new food and were wary. Hate to say it but it looks as though he was right as every day they get through loads of any variety. So maybe that's what's going on with yours.
Ours get apple approx. once a week minimum most of the year so never 'forget' it; this makes sense :D Their first experience with per was pretty much he same, super cautious when we expected ravenousness!

your 2 make me laugh the way they are always sending you out on food missions then scoffing at your findings, its tantamount to domestic abuse. Always exciting to find a new foraging spot - for the time being anyway since you'll be moving North soon? To be fair mine like apple sticks much more than leaves
Lopsy loves the lot, always has! But leaves go too quickly, a stick can be devoured for ages. He was giving the already-over-chewed stick a brief going-over every time he passed it yesterday when I was cleaning them out (and refusing to give them food ;P).
 
your 2 make me laugh the way they are always sending you out on food missions then scoffing at your findings, its tantamount to domestic abuse. Always exciting to find a new foraging spot - for the time being anyway since you'll be moving North soon? To be fair mine like apple sticks much more than leaves

You have no idea how much they bully me! In fairness, practically every animal I've ever encountered has cottoned on pretty quickly that I'm a bit of a wet blanket and have gone on to take full advantage. You can imagine how it went the one and only time I had a go at horse riding!

Yes, hopefully I will have moved up North before the end of the year. I'm excited to explore new foraging spots up there. But I do think I've been really spoilt for acres of good foraging spots down here. Especially when you consider it's London. People must have fought very hard in the past to preserve these green spaces.
 
I would say persevere with the Apple sticks. OH summer pruned our trees a few days ago, so we had a huge amount of sticks with leaves on. First day that I offered them, they were only picked at. I was amazed. The following day, another tree was pruned and more were offered. These were totally consumed. I mused to OH at what gournets they were to select the taste of one variety over another. His take was that they haven't had any Apple leaves for months and so had to be super careful as they saw it as a new food and were wary. Hate to say it but it looks as though he was right as every day they get through loads of any variety. So maybe that's what's going on with yours.

I think you may be right Omi. They are getting eaten and Snoopy at least is getting a bit more enthusiastic about them. Fudgie has always been a bit more of a fussy madam. She has been very keen on willow though, which has been a nice surprise as I would like her to enjoy a decent variety of food
 
You have no idea how much they bully me! In fairness, practically every animal I've ever encountered has cottoned on pretty quickly that I'm a bit of a wet blanket and have gone on to take full advantage. You can imagine how it went the one and only time I had a go at horse riding!

Yes, hopefully I will have moved up North before the end of the year
. I'm excited to explore new foraging spots up there. But I do think I've been really spoilt for acres of good foraging spots down here. Especially when you consider it's London. People must have fought very hard in the past to preserve these green spaces.

yay !

Today I've achieved my summer mission of having 2 hay box boxes full of a lush selection of dried forage & herbs. It seems loads. Aiming to get a third box before the season is out. But thats only one box per bunny ! for 4-5 months :shock:
 
Best of luck with your kinda-imminent move and finding new forage spots, SLH!

Today I've achieved my summer mission of having 2 hay box boxes full of a lush selection of dried forage & herbs. It seems loads. Aiming to get a third box before the season is out. But thats only one box per bunny ! for 4-5 months :shock:
I know right! We never get very much because we focus so much on what's there at the time so we basically just reduce what they have to bramble and veg leftovers (now we eat a lot of bunny-friendly brassicas). Sometimes we manage to get something dried so any bunny sitters have at least enough to deal with them over Christmas but given I don't expect to be going anywhere as a pair over Christmas we should be alright. We've still got a number of boxes of willow in the garane that have been in there for about 3yrs now :roll: Our season runs well into November so I might have a lastminute dash out before the first real damaging frosts reach the canal towpath. I'm considering reconfiguring the airing cupboard into either a drying area for rabbit forage (lot of rack-type shelves, maybe mesh in frames) or somewhere to keep guest towels etc. (one more shelf to be added, normal wood slat type), but it depends what other furniture I keep I suppose.
 
Very excited that my pineapple mayweed collection is giving off loads of seeds as the flowers dry. I think its my favourite weed! The bunnies love it, it smells gorgeous, it doesn't grow tall & I think its pretty. Consequently I have taken loads of seeds & put them all over the garden. I'll report back
 
Very excited that my pineapple mayweed collection is giving off loads of seeds as the flowers dry. I think its my favourite weed! The bunnies love it, it smells gorgeous, it doesn't grow tall & I think its pretty. Consequently I have taken loads of seeds & put them all over the garden. I'll report back

OH harvested lots of wildflower seeds from the garden yesterday and put them into jars. He'll now distribute them in the hedgerows around us :)
 
Bunnies had a leaf breakfast today :) I like this time of the year as I like them to have leaves and there is a good variety at the moment. Overnight they are still getting the prunings from the Apple trees and this morning they had Alder and Ash leaves.

I must admit I do get a kick that most things in the garden find a use. Leaves and plants generally for the bunnies. Fallen apples for the chickens and wild birds. And of course all of the insects which use the plants for food and shelter. Plus of course we get to eat lots of the stuff which is growing.
 
Mine are back on enjoying Ash - they defo have times when tree leaves are more tasty (I think in general the start & end of the season). Fine by me as they are much easier to pick & dry. There is something therapeutic about feeding bunnies stuff from your garden, we are looking after the insects too in our predator unfriendly space.

Do your bunnies get a tiny taste of apple? Cos Mystic Mouse has said Tethra really wants some & is worried you love the chickens more than him as they get loads
 
Mine are back on enjoying Ash - they defo have times when tree leaves are more tasty (I think in general the start & end of the season). Fine by me as they are much easier to pick & dry. There is something therapeutic about feeding bunnies stuff from your garden, we are looking after the insects too in our predator unfriendly space.

Do your bunnies get a tiny taste of apple? Cos Mystic Mouse has said Tethra really wants some & is worried you love the chickens more than him as they get loads

Don't worry Mystic Mouse :) I never used to feed any fruit to my bunnies, but I think it's because Tethra is now an Elderly I think he deserves a little treat now and then, so as of this year both bunnies get a small amount of Apple each day. They do both love it :) And tell Mousiepie that the chickens have to make do with those which have fallen, whereas the bunnies get some of mine each day, which is picked. I eat at least one Apple every day these days. I thought also afterwards the bunnies get the Carrot tops.
 
Don't worry Mystic Mouse :) I never used to feed any fruit to my bunnies, but I think it's because Tethra is now an Elderly I think he deserves a little treat now and then, so as of this year both bunnies get a small amount of Apple each day. They do both love it :) And tell Mousiepie that the chickens have to make do with those which have fallen, whereas the bunnies get some of mine each day, which is picked. I eat at least one Apple every day these days. I thought also afterwards the bunnies get the Carrot tops.

Mystic Mouse has obviously been communicating with you directly! This is nice to hear, I'm glad they are enjoying their apple
 
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