• 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

Looks lovely, I felt so embarrassed the other day, took my hubby foraging up our local woods (where I hadn't been before) and literally came back with a bit of grass and goosgrass - he laughed a lot but unjust didn't feel confident to pick anything else. Unthinkable your advice Scrappy's little helper is very wise
 
Looks lovely, I felt so embarrassed the other day, took my hubby foraging up our local woods (where I hadn't been before) and literally came back with a bit of grass and goosgrass - he laughed a lot but unjust didn't feel confident to pick anything else. Unthinkable your advice Scrappy's little helper is very wise

I bet your buns appreciated it though! [emoji3] The general rule in foraging is to err on the side of caution so you were right not to pick anything you weren't confident on.

It's amazing how quickly your confidence grows once you get a few more identifications under your belt. I hope your husband enjoyed his chortle as I'm pretty sure this time next year you'll be coming home with sackfuls of the stuff!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Opposite my house is a tiny patch of wasteland which people use to park on if need be. Up against the wall lies a beautiful array of dock, dandelion, herb robert & plantain. Its very convenient for a quick grab when I'm just setting off & realise OH has fed my forage stash to the bunnies before I got up. Well the neighbours have just been out with their shears & cut it all right back. I was thinking i was for their chickens but it appears not as its all been left there. How rude :lol:
 
Opposite my house is a tiny patch of wasteland which people use to park on if need be. Up against the wall lies a beautiful array of dock, dandelion, herb robert & plantain. Its very convenient for a quick grab when I'm just setting off & realise OH has fed my forage stash to the bunnies before I got up. Well the neighbours have just been out with their shears & cut it all right back. I was thinking i was for their chickens but it appears not as its all been left there. How rude :lol:


Oh dear!

Can you have an arrangement with them that they leave your bunnies' breakfast intact and you'll trim it for them when needed? :D
 
Opposite my house is a tiny patch of wasteland which people use to park on if need be. Up against the wall lies a beautiful array of dock, dandelion, herb robert & plantain. Its very convenient for a quick grab when I'm just setting off & realise OH has fed my forage stash to the bunnies before I got up. Well the neighbours have just been out with their shears & cut it all right back. I was thinking i was for their chickens but it appears not as its all been left there. How rude :lol:

Some people seem to have an obsession with tidiness and will feel uncomfortable with what they see as weeds. And remember "a weed is just a plant in the wrong place" :) At least they haven't sprayed the plants with Roundup :shock:

I understand your dismay as we have what we call the green lane next to our house. It belongs to the farmer next door and is one of the very rarely used accesses to his property. That too has a wonderful display of different plants most of the year and I use it most days for the rabbits. I would be very upset if he tidied it up.
 
Oh dear!

Can you have an arrangement with them that they leave your bunnies' breakfast intact and you'll trim it for them when needed? :D

its a bit late & I'd feel a bit ridiculous - can you leave those weeds alone please ?:lol: I'd love to know their intentions, they are not the tidiest family
 
Just to add to this, are people aware that they can request the local council to leave alone so many metres either side of their property when they are trimming hedgerows? We've done this and our property is clearely marked on their map. Sadly there are very few others who have requested the same :(
 
Some people seem to have an obsession with tidiness and will feel uncomfortable with what they see as weeds. And remember "a weed is just a plant in the wrong place" :) At least they haven't sprayed the plants with Roundup :shock:

I understand your dismay as we have what we call the green lane next to our house. It belongs to the farmer next door and is one of the very rarely used accesses to his property. That too has a wonderful display of different plants most of the year and I use it most days for the rabbits. I would be very upset if he tidied it up.

your (well your farmers) green lane sounds lovely. I hope it remains so for Tethra & Tui.

I guess I'll just had to be more organised - the next spot is about 90 seconds walk away so it won't kill me :lol:
 
Just to add to this, are people aware that they can request the local council to leave alone so many metres either side of their property when they are trimming hedgerows? We've done this and our property is clearely marked on their map. Sadly there are very few others who have requested the same :(

that's really interesting. I had no idea - not that it applies to us. I never see the council trimming anything round here, I don't think theres much need, its all tucked away & not interfering with roads
 
your (well your farmers) green lane sounds lovely. I hope it remains so for Tethra & Tui.

I guess I'll just had to be more organised - the next spot is about 90 seconds walk away so it won't kill me :lol:


I read that as 90 minutes to begin with :lol:

I don't really like taking stuff from peoples' forecourt. People can be very odd round 'ere :shock:
 
There are many things I'm just not confident about foraging unless I've seen it fruit. Apple trees (or are they) are a perfect example. I'm pretty sure I've located 2 massive ones, one very local but they have no fruit. Why would they have no fruit? Or have I just noy identified them right? I've not foraged from them.

Found a broken willow (unsure which) this morning so raided that. Bind weed is very popular here at the moment
 
Apple tree leaf is quite easy to identify. Take one that you know is Apple with you next time and compare. One of the walks we go on is next to a railway line. All along it there are Apple trees, grown no doubt from when people have thrown cores out of the window from trains years ago :love: Don't know why they would have no fruit :?

Yes, Bindweed is extremely popular here as well atm. Also Nipplewort, which I'm finally able to identify in its young unflowering form. Trick is to look for the basal leaves. They should have like a double leaf (not easy to describe you'd need to see it :oops:)
 
Apple tree leaf is quite easy to identify. Take one that you know is Apple with you next time and compare. One of the walks we go on is next to a railway line. All along it there are Apple trees, grown no doubt from when people have thrown cores out of the window from trains years ago :love: Don't know why they would have no fruit :?

Yes, Bindweed is extremely popular here as well atm. Also Nipplewort, which I'm finally able to identify in its young unflowering form. Trick is to look for the basal leaves. They should have like a double leaf (not easy to describe you'd need to see it :oops:)

One of them is growing next to two smaller trees that are bearing fruit. The lack of fruit makes me suspicious. Poor barren trees. I'll have to look out for Nipplewort.

I do love forage names
 
I've been irritating myself (although pleasing Boo) by covering the house in forage to dry for winter. Well I'm really excited to report that the mini bunny bothy Bob built is also an excellent drying facility. The top floor has mesh windows on the front & both sides for air flow, the roof can be propped open when there is no chance of rain
 
I've been irritating myself (although pleasing Boo) by covering the house in forage to dry for winter. Well I'm really excited to report that the mini bunny bothy Bob built is also an excellent drying facility. The top floor has mesh windows on the front & both sides for air flow, the roof can be propped open when there is no chance of rain


Have you posted a photo anywhere? Sounds great! :D
 
MM waits patiently for a photo of bunny bothy :D

I need to get Boo to model it but she's asleep at the moment. I don't want to awaken the beast ...she'll be grouchy. I'll ask her if she is up for it later. The fact that its full of drying forage might encourage her
 
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
 
I think the only thing I have seen about Clover is that it's high in protein. I think that's the case for both Red and White. I feed the latter and don't really restrict it.

Does anyone feed or know anything about Wild Carrot? I would have thought it OK, but have just seen it on an unsafe list. We have lots in the garden atm.
 
Back
Top