• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

my foraging diary

I find it's not too difficult to ID a plant as a Willowherb, but it's much more difficult to decide which one it is. Rosebay and Greater are easy, once you get to know them, but the others I find more difficult. Of course as far as rabbits are concerned they can have any of them and mine are particularly fond of them.

Rosebay doesn't grow here, but I fondly remember when my daughter got married we collected masses of it from the local woods to decorate the wedding venue :love:
 
Ooooh fab re the willowherb, the forage are behind my work is jam packed with what I think it willowherb - waiting for it to flower to be sure :lol:
 
I read the whole of this thread last night, way too much scrolling :lol: but its great having all this info in one place. It also transpires that not so long ago I thought I knew what willow herb was! My confidence ebbs & flows with these things. The other week I got Cow Parsley Paranoia & binned it all :lol: I will set myself on willowherb ID again now its flowering
 
Hope all is well W&S

I'm determined to bring back some milk thistle today, it's been located I was just without secateurs at the time
 
I'm determined to bring back some milk thistle today, it's been located I was just without secateurs at the time

Milk thistle doesn't really need secateurs, or do you usually use them for all forage? I must admit I usually just use my hands, apart from some brambles and of course tree twigs. Also, if you use secateurs for milk thistle I think you'll need to clean them afterwards as the milkiness will exude all over the blades :)

Well done for finding it though :)
 
Ouchy! it looks like it needs secateurs (unless google has shown me the wrong thing & I'm identifying it wrong)

I do use my secateurs a lot, I'll maybe use my rubbish cheapy ones rather than my new ones that cut hair
 
hi guys sorry ive not been on in a while ive had a lot on and internet has also been playing up too which hasnt helped. Ive still been foraging though lol.. i found some lovely ripe raspberries yesterday so just had to eat some while i was picking the buns stuff. I cant believe how much everything is changing with the plants since i first took photos of them. I found that site about willowherb fab by the way and im still not 110% sure sometimes about the id.
 
Hello, pleased to see you back posting and to learn that you're OK and still foraging. Yes, isn't everything changing and fast :lol:
 
I feed it and the rabbits love it :thumb:

Parsnipbun's book also says it's OK until it seeds. She also says it can be dried. It's Field Bindweed that I now don't feed.
 
Parsnipbun's book says " Can be gathered and dried in armfuls until flowering. Unlike the field bindweed, whilst the seeds of this plant (contained in a small egg shaped capsule) are reported as toxic, the stalks and shoots are edible and nutritious, high in sugars and starch. They dry easily but must be collected before the seeds."

I feed the leaves, stems and flowers, but not the seed capsules. I take Parsnipbun's text to mean that once the plant has started to flower it is not so easy to make sure there are no seed capsules.

The leaves by themselves are fine.
 
thanks for making that so simple for me. Thats the info ive not been able to find. None of the buns are overly keen on any fower really, they prefer leaves so if i can i just pick them off and leave the flowers to look pretty :lol: i will take some pic later of what might be a willow herb x so glad to be back on Ru its killed me not havng access.
 
hi guys sorry ive not been on in a while ive had a lot on and internet has also been playing up too which hasnt helped. Ive still been foraging though lol.. i found some lovely ripe raspberries yesterday so just had to eat some while i was picking the buns stuff. I cant believe how much everything is changing with the plants since i first took photos of them. I found that site about willowherb fab by the way and im still not 110% sure sometimes about the id.

Missed you! :wave:

Glad to see you back xx
 
Mine had their first bundle of bindweed of the season last night. I'll pick some for drying today. We have so much willowherb (I think I see 3 types) - I got loads of the Rosebay one yesterday. Its nice to feel so confident with ID. They tried their first (unless they've found it themselves in the wilderness of a garden) sow thistle too. They make even sweeter pipe music eating them than dandelions:love:

Last week I proudly demonstrated my dried forage selection for winter to OH who said "well that is one week sorted". I think he underestimates the amount it shrinks to but nonetheless I am back on it. I was at OH's grandads funeral on Monday & could not take my eyes of the lush weeping willow in the cemetary:oops: Then driving back on the motorway I was obsessed with all the daisys & elderflower (want that for me). But I have been advised that foraging is not always appropriate, specifically at funerals & when bombing down the motorway :lol:
 
Last edited:
Mine had their first bundle of bindweed of the season last night. I'll pick some for drying today. We have some much willowherb (I think I see 3 types) - I got loads of the Rosebay one yesterday. Its nice to feel so confident with ID. They tried their first (unless they've found it themselves in the wilderness of a garden) sow thistle too. They make even sweeter pipe music eating them than dandelions:love:

Last week I proudly demonstrated my dried forage selection for winter to OH who said "well that is one week sorted". I think he underestimates the amount it shrinks to but nonetheless I am back on it. I was at OH's grandads funeral on Monday & could not take my eyes of the lush weeping willow in the cemetary:oops: Then driving back on the motorway I was obsessed with all the daisys & elderflower (want that for me). But I have been advised that foraging is not always appropriate, specifically at funerals & when bombing down the motorway :lol:

Hi there stranger :wave:

Can you translate the above for me please? :lol:

Also, I hope the funeral went peacefully and your OH is OK? (and you too ...)
 
Back
Top