Foraging Part Two and Three

Part two was interrupted yesterday.

So today we returned for Part three.  It started off wet drizzly and windy.  Eventually the wind dropped and the rain dried up a bit so off we set.

I went out in my not very smart foraging kit in an old pair of jeans today and an old hoodie sweatshirt together and hair scraped up out of the way as the brambles always go for my hair. Being armed with (a carrier bag with three bowls in it today) and got into the thick of the Blackberry bushes.  I look like something that has been dragged through a hedge backwards, but have been in my element.  I was always in the thick of things as a kid and always into mud pies. Although I was not strictly naughty I did get up to mischief.  These days as an adult if I wear light colours especially if they are new they get christened with something no matter how hard I try.  However, I am what I am, I am me and being true to my nature, which is never easy when other people have impressions or expectations of who and what I am.

Today we met up with acquaintances purely by change whilst out who live near to where we Blackberry and the husband said that hardly anyone picks the berries let alone the young uns these days (bless him he is in his 80's and classes us as young uns).  I think we were brought up to the Blackberry, nettling, gathering what we could from the wild to fill the Pantry shelf. It was a necessity back then and it is something that my family has done for many years. Old habits die hard.  We have happy memories of these trips out as well.  Like the time I took my 8 year old step-daughter and 10 year old step-son out Blackberrying for the first time and G reversed the car and backed into a tree.  The tree leaped out and attacked him.  No damage but lots of laughter and even now the kids still talk about those times.  So must have done something right somewhere down the line.  

As a result of such expeditions and seasonal events I believe that we have a greater appreciation of growing  up in harder times and know how to get through things; i.e. making Blackberry or Bramble jelly.  Can always be slapped on bread (that used to be a regular when we were younger).  I have on Croissants, Pain au Chocolat and Pain au Lait as well as lots of other different things usually with some cream cheese.  Can also be used in baking, puddings and sauces.  At the end of the day though it keeps grumbly tummies filled and happy which is the whole point of the exercise at the end of the day. I forage to make nice things to eat for storage on the Pantry shelf which saves money elsewhere, and allows me to put other things onto our plates as a result.

Yesterday (day 2) I managed to collect about 1lb of Blackberries which more or less made 3kilos. 

Today (day 3) have managed to collect 2.5kg of Blackberries.  That is 3kilos in total. The Blackberry jam and the Blackberry jelly were going to be started today however I have had to defer that until tomorrow.  I found a few more fallen apples and brought them home with me to go into the Blackberry jelly. I also found three large fir cones.  They came home as well as I use them in Christmas decorations and I also have been collecting them for filling a coal scuttle for the front room.  We have fireplaces in this house, but they are not usable and would need extensive work to do something with them.  It is not our house though and despite wanting fires, we are not going to fork out here.

I still need more to make some other preserves and would also like to make some wine.  So I am going to go out foraging on my own without G and the dog to see what I can find, armed with a bit bigger foraging kit. It will probably be Thursday or Friday before this happens.  It will be weather dependent as usual. It will be a good two mile walk or so.  I am after more Blackberries, nettle seeds, maybe some poppy seed pods, elderberries, crab apples, haw berries, sloes, Rosehips and Rowan berries.  If I can find some Sea Buckthorn that would be magic, as well as any wild plums.  Some of the items are available but I am probably asking too much for wild plums like Damsons and the Sea Buckthorn.  Sea Buckthorn makes a lovely cordial/syrup full of health benefits, but can be a bit tart. Elderberries, apple and Blackberries can be combined together to make a pie mix (I use a sugar syrup to add to this) however be very light on the Elderberries as they can be a little over-powering.  I really would like to know more about Mushrooms as I do not really know what I am looking for or which ones are edible apart from a Puffball and we like eating them when we can find them. I wish I knew more or someone who could teach me.

There are a lot of things that I would get made. I am trying to gather the seasonal items first and then pay catch up with a lot of basic stuff for this year.  Next year though will be different as will be following a different format altogether and hopefully will be a bit more together on the gardening.  Sometimes timing and circumstances are against you.  That is real life.

Right, am off to put my feet up.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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