A little Foraging Part One
It has been a quiet day here today. I did manage to escape with a friend for a little while and then went off on my travels into the wilds of Peterborough to see whether I could find any wild fruits, hips, haws, crab apples etc. I was successful and I had a lovely time in the quiet and peacefulness of the area I was foraging. There is something very beautiful about autumn all the lovely colours and lots of items to make things with, whether that be edible or items that can be turned into something else or used to decorate with.
I have been lucky with what I found. I had bunged them all in one bag and so I had to set too and segregate everything earlier on. I now have to go back through everything and take off leaves and quality check the items to make sure that they are in good condition for preserving. When I go foraging, I go armed with a couple of bags at least, usually a pair of scissors (forgot them today) and I wear a pair of Marigold rubber gloves to protect my hands. I have managed to lose the index finger off my gloves today think it must have been the Sloes!
Crab apples off the tree which are a lovely green colour. They were ripe for the picking.
However underneath the tree was loads of fallers and they were a lovely yellow colour and so I have picked a load up. They have not been de-leafed or processed yet will do that tomorrow and give them a bit of a wash too. They will come in useful for several preserves that I have in mind. However, there will be more on the preserves themselves later on in the week as a follow-on post to this post.
I also picked a few Rosehips. This year there are loads of hips and they are quite large.
I intend to go back later in the week as there are several projects using Rosehips that I want to have a go at including Rosehip Syrup.
There was also some Spruce for a new project to me, but yet again more on that later on in the week. If you do not try something, how do you know whether you like it or whether it is going to make a useful appearance in your homemaking preparations each year. This one is therefore an experiment with this particular item as I have not used it before. Have made something similar, but not this exact one.
Sloes were also found which I was very pleased about as for the last couple of years I have not been able to locate any. I aim for the Sloes found today to go into a jelly of some sort. Yet again more on that later in the week. I will go back later in the week for a few more Sloes for Gin (although I do have some Sloe Gin in the cupboard)!
I also came back with some more Larch cones on little twigs on larger branches and indeed solo.
I still need to locate some large cones though as I need them for by the side or the fireplace to decorate the Coal/Log bucket and also for some decorations.
I still have Haws and Rowan berries to locate as well as some acorns if I can find any. Teasels will probably get later in the week I did see several possible sites to use. I can have a good look when I go later in the week. I also need more Nettles.
Overall, not a bad little foraging session, two hours of bliss out in the fresh air on my own and it has been a nice day.
More on the Preserves later on in the week.
Catch you soon.
Pattypan
x
What will you use the Nettles for? I thought you could only pick them when young and fresh in the spring? A good haul. My Crab Apple jelly refused to set (a first!) so is now Crab Apple Pectin for jams using low-pectin fruit.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennie, I was always taught about using Nettles in the Spring also, but I am aware that several people have used the tops of the young nettles in the autumn too notably for Nettle Beer, Have only picked the tops not the complete nettle and only those that are light. It is for Nettle wine. A favourite country wine of mine, and supposed to be good for the joints. It has root ginger in, in any event. I also intend to dry some of the nettle for green powder to add to stews etc. Sorry about the Crab Apple Jelly but a good use of it by using it as pectin. Have plans for Rosehip and Crab Apple jelly and also Sloe and Crab Apple Jelly. I am going to dry Rosehips for wine making earlier in the year we used to do this in the cooker or Rayburn but as I have a Dehydrator am going to do them in this. I take all the gubbins out of the Rosehips with the point of a knife or a teaspoon and then just the shells dried. A fiddly job but I like the end result. They can be used as a Vitamin C powder and sprinkled in with Muesli, Granola and other foods as well. Take care sweetheart xx
ReplyDeleteAround here I've been seeing a lot of new nettle growth where we've weeded and these would be fine to pick fresh. You can also use the roots. I tincture them as a prostate tonic for hubby but a previous apprentice had been buying the root powder as a general tonic, which I'd not come across before. Don't forget you can make a fantastic syrup combining the sloes, rosehips and blackberries if there are any left after today's downpours.(recipes on my blog) I haven't picked my rosehips yet but have put up four jars of hawthorn/haw brandy. I use a lot during the year as I mix equal amounts of hawthorn with motherwort tincture and then take 1tsp a day to prevent heart palpitations. It works really well. Have you tried soaking your hands in ginger tea for 15 mins to help with your circulation? I've found it works well for some people. Also, did you manage to find some quince? I wish you lived closer as I've had loads this year. So far I've made one batch of jelly, some quince and pear gin and new experiment in quince and apple marmalade using a recipe from Mrs Beeton. I have another bag to make jelly from in the next couple of days. If I have the energy I may make some more crabapple jelly, but I'm drowning in apples and pears at the moment!
DeleteHello Sarah, lovely to hear from you. Unfortunately, the Blackberries have finished around here. I did manage to pick a load and have bottled them in a syrup for the Pantry shelf for puddings. Could I do the syrup with just Sloes and Rosehips and perhaps add a bit of Crab apple or indeed some of the bottled Blackberries. Just an idea. I have not tried the Haw Brandy before and will have a look at that. You know such a lot about herbs and are always willing to share and teach and for that I thank you. This evening I have turned some of the Rosehips after hand processing them into a Raw Rosehip Syrup which I have never tried before. Fingers crossed it will turn out for me, even if it will take about three months to be syrup. If I end up with some extra hips, I may make some more of this. I have tried this for the Vitamin C not to be diminished. Thank you for the suggestion for the Ginger Tea I will try that. My hands get quite bad at this time of year when it starts getting colder, and often they feel to me as if they are just lumps of ice on the inside. My friend has given me a couple of kilos of the Quince today which I hope to process tomorrow. I made jelly for the first time last year and that was lovely. I thought I might have a go at the Membrillo this year and might get a little jelly from it as well. Thank you for thinking of me re the Quince. I wish I lived nearer tooxx The Quince and Pear Gin sounds fab as well. I have not tried Quince pieces in syrup yet either. Your Quince and Apple marmalade recipe also sounds really good. I hope you get your jelly made in the next few days too. My Nan had an acre plus of land (originally 6 acres) which were set to Apple Orchards and a large double veg plot, chickens, plum, pear orchards but the rest were apples of different varieties. We used to go and harvest right from me being small and it was always a time of family coming together. I do miss those days. We had bought some fruit trees for planters last year, but were away on holiday in Cornwall when the drought hit. Unfortunately we lost the trees. I have more Crab apple jelly to make as well. Let me know how you get on with your Quince and Apple marmalade and thank you once again for your kindness. Take care Tricia x
DeleteThanks for sharing the blog so well and I hope you have something new for me to study.
ReplyDeleteវាយប៉េងប៉ុងតាមអនឡាញ