Foraging calendar

[The Goatreich]

Is there a good foraging calendar around that anyone knows of? I'm thinking mainly wines and fruit ciders, but for some reason SWMBO is interested in eating things instead of fermenting them. :wha:

 

[calumscott]

Hugh Fearlessly-Eats-It-All is usually a good source of foraging info. I've got a few of his books, maybe there is something on the River Cottage website?

 

[Low Farm]

this is one of a number of books ihave and most dates are covered in this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-R...1593/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1315908132&sr=8-3
and the river cottage hedgerow book is good to http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...vpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_160fcfv98b_b

all the best

 

[Low Farm]

Hugh Fearlessly-Eats-It-All

surely you mean "Who Flipping Eats it all"

 

[The Goatreich]

Cheers guys. My parents live in a very rural area and there's loads of potential for get ****** au naturel, so I'll likely grab a sample of what's in their garden and post them up here for ideas of what to do as well as checking those books.

They have a few different types of apple, so I'm obviously thinking cider/scrumpy, although I'm fairly sure they're not cider apples.
Same deal for the pears they have.

Sloes, Damsons, greengauges and plums are fairly self explanatory.

 

[narmour]

Cheers guys. My parents live in a very rural area and there's loads of potential for get ****** au naturel.

Didn't know nudist drinking parties were the thing to do in rural Wales!!! :grin:

 

[markpeace]

Don't neglect the elder. You've missed the flowers for this year, but the berries already look like they're plumping up, the make lush wine - about as good as you're going to get from British berries. Ditto for bramble.

I quite like nettle beer, though its an acquired taste. If you chop the tops of some now with a strimmer, you'll get some fresh growth in the next month or so. I'm planning on doing a proper malt-based beer and experimenting with nettle and pine in place of hop (on the basis that it'll add antiseptic and, um, piney-ness).

If you're interested in foraging, you might interested in this little websitey thing wot I made.... www.foragable.com ... it's building up a calendar, amongst other stuff, based on what people are finding.

M

 

[GeorgeSalt]

Something TOH and I have been working on is our own foraging map/calendar. Very easily done using Google Maps and shared privately within a chosen group or publically. Plot what you find where you find it, and add notes on times of year, etc. There's enough choice of pin shapes and colours to provide for easy seasonal codes.

It's a matter of watching what's around you, and remembering when you read something about seasonal foraging targets to keep an eye out. Frommposts I;ve read just today I know that elderflowers are still widely available on Orkney, elderberries are forming in Yorkshire and I can look out the window and see them ripening in Norfolk. You'll always have to adjust the published sources for your own local conditions.

 

[TheKench]

Might I recommend "Booze For Free" by Andy Hamilton:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Booze-Free-Andy ... 1905811705

Beer, Wine and Cider-making tips, with foraging advice broken down by season, and recipes for a lot of left-field stuff you probaby wouldn't otherwise consider!

 

[xyombee]

^ +1

 

[artyb]

Might I recommend "Booze For Free" by Andy Hamilton:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Booze-Free-Andy ... 1905811705

Beer, Wine and Cider-making tips, with foraging advice broken down by season, and recipes for a lot of left-field stuff you probaby wouldn't otherwise consider!

i got that for crimbo... :party:

 

[Brewtrog]

Might I recommend "Booze For Free" by Andy Hamilton

Yet another recommendation for this book, and especially the "Carrot Whiskey" from it, though it needs a far more appropriate name, seeing as it isn't a whiskey (still a very nice drink). It also gives you growing tips if you want to be a green

 

[hedgerow pete]

there are many books already writen for wine making by months, including the one called " winemaking , month by month by Brian Leveretth"

 

[Crastney]

Might I recommend "Booze For Free" by Andy Hamilton:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Booze-Free-Andy ... 1905811705

Beer, Wine and Cider-making tips, with foraging advice broken down by season, and recipes for a lot of left-field stuff you probaby wouldn't otherwise consider!

i got that for crimbo... :party:

Me too! Fantastic book.

 

[wurge]

Might I recommend "Booze For Free" by Andy Hamilton:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Booze-Free-Andy ... 1905811705

Beer, Wine and Cider-making tips, with foraging advice broken down by season, and recipes for a lot of left-field stuff you probaby wouldn't otherwise consider!

i got that for crimbo... :party:

Me too! Fantastic book.

I too received this for crimbo. I enjoy the casual writing style.

 

[wezil]

I find my eyes are the best foraging calendar followed by my taste buds. Were ever you go just look around you and see what's about (smart phones are a help if your not sure if something is edible or not) Ps sloes are edible but you wouldn't want to eat them raw):p Plums, Bullaces (yellow and red Damson type fruit ,very nice to eat. I collected 5kilos not 100 yards from my house) blackberries, elderberries, cherries, rose hips and sloes are all out round my way (Northish London/Herts border) and rowan berries for the adventurous:evil: