my foraging diary

[Omi]

I had a forage today, no violently tugging at Ash - practically fell off. Still had to wrestle with the willow though

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about Ash We have a very large Ash tree behind the chicken house, which, depending on the strength of the wind overnight, is currently shedding around 6-8 compound leaves a day. The rabbits get those mixed with their Apple leaves

 

[MightyMax]

The leaves on our apple trees have been turning yellow for several weeks now. I have been picking a very large handful early morning for the rabbits, when I'm on "watch" while the chickens free range. I noticed this morning that there was more than one handful available for picking, so they had a second handful this afternoon The Dandelions have become quite large and also the Cow Parsley has grown a lot recently. The Common Hogweed is growing well and so is the Common Mallow. We still also have lots of Plantain (both types).

Cow Parsley and Dead Nettle in abundance .. :shock: Weird at this time of year!

Re the apple/pear leaves .. forgive me being a dunce here. Do you feed them whilst yellowing? Or do you grab the green ones? I've not been brave enough to feed yellow ones, but I'll soon be running out of green ones I think!

 

[Omi]

Cow Parsley and Dead Nettle in abundance .. :shock: Weird at this time of year!

Re the apple/pear leaves .. forgive me being a dunce here. Do you feed them whilst yellowing? Or do you grab the green ones? I've not been brave enough to feed yellow ones, but I'll soon be running out of green ones I think!

Not being a dunce at all :lol: In fact I could well be doing this all wrong, but I only feed yellow ones atm. So my reasoning is that I take them from the tree just before they fall. In that way it prevents having to pick up fallen leaves, which might have bird droppings on them. It also means that the green leaves are still providing benefit to the trees for a little bit longer. Wildies after all would be eating fallen leaves rather than green ones. I might be wrong, but I think the yellow ones are higher in sugars, so if a rabbit is prone to "tummy troubles", perhaps too many yellow ones might be a problem. Mine are absolutely fine with them though and they are a big favourite at the moment.

 

[Scrappy's Little Helper]

The white dead nettle is looking better than ever round here. Nice big green juicy leaves :thumb:

Today I also found what I'm pretty sure is a fresh spurt of sticky weed. I picked some but now I've got the foraging paranoia. It looks and feels like sticky weed but I thought it only grew in the spring :? Does it have an evil twin like cow parsley and hemlock?

 

[MightyMax]

Not being a dunce at all :lol: In fact I could well be doing this all wrong, but I only feed yellow ones atm. So my reasoning is that I take them from the tree just before they fall. In that way it prevents having to pick up fallen leaves, which might have bird droppings on them. It also means that the green leaves are still providing benefit to the trees for a little bit longer. Wildies after all would be eating fallen leaves rather than green ones. I might be wrong, but I think the yellow ones are higher in sugars, so if a rabbit is prone to "tummy troubles", perhaps too many yellow ones might be a problem. Mine are absolutely fine with them though and they are a big favourite at the moment.

Thank you very much Omi

 

[MightyMax]

The white dead nettle is looking better than ever round here. Nice big green juicy leaves :thumb:

Today I also found what I'm pretty sure is a fresh spurt of sticky weed. I picked some but now I've got the foraging paranoia. It looks and feels like sticky weed but I thought it only grew in the spring :? Does it have an evil twin like cow parsley and hemlock?

I don't know that it does :lol: What could be as annoying and clingy as Cleavers, I ask myself :lol:

Omi and I were saying a few posts back that we thought of dead nettle as a spring plant. But with the milder weather it's springing up again with the cow parsley ...

 

[willow and squiggles]

Mine are enjoying the new growth of ground elder at the minute. I keep meaning to rob the ash trees of all the leaves i can reach :lol: but its not on my usual walk and keep forgetting. I will have to go and get some before they fall so i can dry them all. Im going to be gutted when all the trees are bare, what will i be able to get then?

 

[joey&boo]

Mine are enjoying the new growth of ground elder at the minute. I keep meaning to rob the ash trees of all the leaves i can reach :lol: but its not on my usual walk and keep forgetting. I will have to go and get some before they fall so i can dry them all. Im going to be gutted when all the trees are bare, what will i be able to get then?

Practically nothing in my experience

I'd been telling OH off for feeding my buns too much forage (as I want it to last) off the table & he said Joey had been stealing it. Likely story I thought but then I caught him in action last night. When someone (aherm F-in-law) doesn't tuck their chair in my special boy has learnt to get on the chair, front legs on the table & chuck it down to his wives. Clever Joey

 

[Horace the Bold]

[/B]
my special boy has learnt to get on the chair, front legs on the table & chuck it down to his wives. Clever Joey

This needs a bunny cam to record the thief in action [emoji7]

 

[MightyMax]

[/B]

Practically nothing in my experience

I'd been telling OH off for feeding my buns too much forage (as I want it to last) off the table & he said Joey had been stealing it. Likely story I thought but then I caught him in action last night. When someone (aherm F-in-law) doesn't tuck their chair in my special boy has learnt to get on the chair, front legs on the table & chuck it down to his wives. Clever Joey

:lol:

That reminds me of a bunny I had who did the same thing - got food for his wife (singular).

Except it wasn't forage - it was a mince pie :shock:

 

[joey&boo]

a mince pie :lol: My bunnies act repulsed by human type food, Boo has a smell & bolts away - even with my vegetarian fodder. Mouse did try her hardest to get some of my drink this morning though, it was the cutest thing as you could tell she really wanted some but the bubbles (it was one of those effervescent vitc & zinc tablets you dissolve in water) got in her way. I wonder if she is vit c or zinc deficient :shock:

 

[MightyMax]

a mince pie :lol: My bunnies act repulsed by human type food, Boo has a smell & bolts away - even with my vegetarian fodder. Mouse did try her hardest to get some of my drink this morning though, it was the cutest thing as you could tell she really wanted some but the bubbles (it was one of those effervescent vitc & zinc tablets you dissolve in water) got in her way. I wonder if she is vit c or zinc deficient :shock:

Have you a cold coming on? :wave:

 

[joey&boo]

Have you a cold coming on? :wave:

No. Just trying to top up nutrition which is being very neglected during this busy period x

 

[willow and squiggles]

When we rustle a packet the buns think its something for them. Oh was eating a shortbread watching tv the other night and tiggi was sat on the arm of the sofa next to him, She snatched the biscuit out of his hand, jumped off the sofa and started to eat it as though she hasnt been fed in weeks. OH jumped up tryed to get it and she ran off again, i was laughing my head off (whilst helping catch her) more at the panic from my HO than tiggi. The others started chasing tiggi for a bit and it looked like something off benny hill. By the time we got the biscuit there was hardly any left. :lol: They have followed him round like the pied piper since hoping to get more.

 

[joey&boo]

When we rustle a packet the buns think its something for them. Oh was eating a shortbread watching tv the other night and tiggi was sat on the arm of the sofa next to him, She snatched the biscuit out of his hand, jumped off the sofa and started to eat it as though she hasnt been fed in weeks. OH jumped up tryed to get it and she ran off again, i was laughing my head off (whilst helping catch her) more at the panic from my HO than tiggi. The others started chasing tiggi for a bit and it looked like something off benny hill. By the time we got the biscuit there was hardly any left. :lol: They have followed him round like the pied piper since hoping to get more.

:lol:i can picture that

 

[MightyMax]

When we rustle a packet the buns think its something for them. Oh was eating a shortbread watching tv the other night and tiggi was sat on the arm of the sofa next to him, She snatched the biscuit out of his hand, jumped off the sofa and started to eat it as though she hasnt been fed in weeks. OH jumped up tryed to get it and she ran off again, i was laughing my head off (whilst helping catch her) more at the panic from my HO than tiggi. The others started chasing tiggi for a bit and it looked like something off benny hill. By the time we got the biscuit there was hardly any left. :lol: They have followed him round like the pied piper since hoping to get more.

Very very funny :lol: Surprised you're old enough to remember Benny Hill though

 

[willow and squiggles]

:lol: Im 37 on friday (28th) My mum always says im old at heart lol.. I like old music, old tv and never like the new style clothes thats brought out. I dont think theirs many my age that loves miss marple, columbo and murder she wrote. :lol:

 

[MightyMax]

:lol: Im 37 on friday (28th) My mum always says im old at heart lol.. I like old music, old tv and never like the new style clothes thats brought out. I dont think theirs many my age that loves miss marple, columbo and murder she wrote. :lol:

I take that as meaning you're mature, which is a lovely thing

 

[willow and squiggles]

Yeah i will take it like that lol.. I dont feel 36 though and thats what counts, These buns keep me on my toes.

 

[Kara]

:lol: Im 37 on friday (28th) My mum always says im old at heart lol.. I like old music, old tv and never like the new style clothes thats brought out. I dont think theirs many my age that loves miss marple, columbo and murder she wrote. :lol:

I'm 35 and totally with you :thumb: