Whats your Foraging technique?

[Harasimow]

Do you go to a particular habitat at a particular time of year (eg wet grassland in May for Meadow sweet, Oak woodland in October for chanterelle's)

Or do you just go for a walk wherever/whenever you fancy it and try to I.D. any plants you find that look like they might be edible.

So far I have tended to do the latter but I think I would have more success if I start doing the former!!

[Silver Ether]

I walk a lot locally and know a lot of the spots where I can find stuff ... already done my first batch of ransom pesto Don't do fungi ... not knowledgeable ... and I will gather anything that I spot while out and about any where .. Lucky enough to have a varied habitat and permission to take stuff .. other than the coast...

[kit-e-kate]

A bit of A and B really. If i'm going from a forage-y traipse about somewhere i've not been before i'll take a guide book with me, and have a glance at it before gathering anything likely looking. Once I find a good place or a good walk, i'll go back round that route a few times at different time of the year. I always take some old newpaper with me too, because its good for wrapping finds in, and if you don't find anything you can keep it all folded up and you don't look like an empty basketed chump!: )

HTH!
Kate
: )

[Harasimow]

Last year I started to write my finds in a notebook (location + time of year) So far my book contains Victoria Plums, Blackberrys (a particuarly good patch), sloes, gooseberry, puff ball shrooms, pear, Apples, comfrey (for fertilizing not eating) and elderflowers/berrys

I work in the countryside and in different habitats so that helps alot!

[Slippery Jack]

I tend to employ both methods. I live in a city and have no transport though, so often, my choice of location is enforced by that (not that I do badly you understand ).

Keeping a notebook sounds like a good idea. As time passes though, and you gradually find new sites, you will build up a kind of mental map of good foraging spots. Where you find mushrooms one year, you will likely find them again the next year.

I find that for mushrooms, you're looking for anywhere where there are lots of places where trees meet grass. that's where you will find most. It also helps if the site has had a good few decades (or ideally centuries) as a functioning ecosystem, without too much disturbance. Thus, long established parks , churchyards and gardens can be very productive. You will get to know the good sites, until you are going back year after year.

[wulf]

If you are fortunate enough to have a garden, don't forget you can forage in your own back yard, too. Lots of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) in my plot and I've just identified hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) out there in large quantities too (leaves and flowers can be used like cress).

It is all about being observant for what is growing in a suitable location to harvest from.

Wulf

[sarahkeast]

I am starting to notice more things, spotted a couple of elder trees while out on my bike today. It is really my first year to be thinking about this, so guess it will evolve over time. I do a lot of trail/fell running and also mountain and road bike, so am learning more to keep my eyes open for different things, guess this means it is more B. Lots of brambles and winberries on local fell which is great. And wild garlic everywhere. Need some more ideas.

Managed to get my kids to eat nettle soup the other week, didnt tell them what it was till afterwards tho ! tee hee.

Is it worth getting a book with illustrations that goes thru the seasons ? recommendations ?