Winter Forage?

I know its a way off (heck we haven't even had summer yet) but as I look at the massive bounty that is around at the moment, I can't help but wonder about when its all gone. What do people who feed just forage do in winter?

I'm drying as much and as great a variety as I can gather ATM. However with limited drying space and Lolly Hop eating half, I fear I will never have enough.

I'm even more worried with the school holidays fast approaching. My favourite forage spots aren't exactly child friendly. One time I went foraging in just trainers and 3/4 length trousers and no socks. (It was a really hot day & I didn't think it through). I got so excited by the amazing huge & bug free dandelions in a wood that I lost myself. It took an age to find my way back to the wild meadow that had the path home in it. I had to break my way through a bramble bush, & found myself right in the middle of a dense patch of thistles. Doh! My legs looked like I'd lost a fight with a pack of wild cats by the time I got home. Haven't gone foraging without full length trousers, socks & boots since. I seem to have a magnet drawn to brambles & stinging nettles.

Anyway I digress, the main question is my foraging opportunities will soon be limited, and I wondered what forage feeders do in winter? Are there still plants you can gather? Switch to shop bought veg? Grow stuff indoors?

Any words of experience appreciated.

Thank you.

You can grow your own dandelions/plantin etc in cat litter trays (same as grass).
Not sure how much there is to forage during winter as I'm new to it myself but I'd aim to forage from trees myself as you can collect a lot more, quickly and can still dry it out.

Forage only became the mainstay of my bunnies diet last spring when I learnt from & was inspired by here. I dried some for winter but it was scarce pickings & they had their last at Christmas. I fed them lots of cabbage & herbs over winter. I'm desperate to avoid that for this winter by drying loads more. I'm half way there I reckon. This I intend to mix in with hay & readigrass with very little store bought additions. I hear you with the brambles & nettles - I foraged in a skirt earlier in the week. Ouchy

Joey&boo and I had this conversation on here a little while ago. I think it depends quite a bit where you are located as this will determine how much is still available in the winter months. I live in the South East and, depending on the weather, it's really only perhaps Dec/Jan/Feb where then there are no wild plants to forage. During this time I feed tree leaves and tree twigs. There are lots of trees, which are rabbit friendly and lots of trees here are quite late in shedding their leaves.

We also grow kale, spinach and parsley in the garden which is usually OK during the winter.

Bramble leaves are available all year round, although they are nicer now and can be dried. Most of the forage plants and herbs will dry successfully for winter feed. Either dry flat on a rack (eg on top of a rabbit run) or hang in small bunches for a few sunny days. They need to be fully dry, stored properly, and checked for mould regularly. Store in paper bags (eg sandwich style or posh dress shop ones) or cardboard boxes (cereal boxes to storage boxes) in a dry, airy place. Don't use plastic bags.

I go through a lot of cabbages from the farm shop and our allotment in winter. If I remember, I dry loads of willow and mint in short lengths and store it in cereal boxes.

During Winter just gone, I was still managing to get bramble from round my garden. I know I haven't dried anywhere near enough to last all winter for 10 rabbits, but it's better than none.

Shimmer said:

Bramble leaves are available all year round, although they are nicer now and can be dried. Most of the forage plants and herbs will dry successfully for winter feed. Either dry flat on a rack (eg on top of a rabbit run) or hang in small bunches for a few sunny days. They need to be fully dry, stored properly, and checked for mould regularly. Store in paper bags (eg sandwich style or posh dress shop ones) or cardboard boxes (cereal boxes to storage boxes) in a dry, airy place. Don't use plastic bags.

I go through a lot of cabbages from the farm shop and our allotment in winter. If I remember, I dry loads of willow and mint in short lengths and store it in cereal boxes.

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I've used plastic bags for some of mine. I do my drying in a few stages & when I think its dry I put it loosely in paper bags on the window sil & perhaps a month later it goes in a sealed bag. Obviously I'll double check each batch before feeding. My willow is in cotton tote bags & rose in cardboard box.

We managed to fresh-forage feed all last Winter: there was bramble and even hazel! We just finished the dried forage when we were away for them two weeks. We keep ours in big boxes