Elderflower wine

[Andy Hamilton]

I made a few gallons of cider last year from scrumped apples, thats if it is still scrumping taking apples from public land.

This year I am going to knock at the doors of all the people who grow apples and see if I can pick them for some in return. Saw so many trees that had fruit on it left to rot last year.

[Wombat]

Sorry Guys,

I must have had an impoverished childhood.

Nev

[Muddypause]

I made a few gallons of cider last year from scrumped apples, thats if it is still scrumping taking apples from public land.

Actually, that brings up quite an interesting point. I don't think there is such a thing as 'public land' in the UK - every part of the country is owned by somebody. There are public rights of way, and land that has open access to the public, but the public don't own it. Of course much land, particularly urban land, is owned by local or national authorities, who use our tax money to keep it and administer it on our behalf; does that make it 'public land'?

So, I wonder what legal status foraging has; Richard Maybey, in his book Food For Free, I think makes some mention about being able to take what grows above the ground, but needing the owners permission to take what is below the surface. But this presumably excludes crops of any sort, and I wonder how it stands in terms of rights of ownership. I wonder if an apple tree that is no longer harvested by the owner counts? Maybe there are some sort of 'foraging rights' that define the situation. Anybody know?

[cheap&cheerful]

I still think scrumping is when the tree is in someones garden, foraging is when it's on common land.

When I was a kid my parents used to farm me off for the summer hols down to my aunts in Southampton.
It was my cousins job to keep an eye on me. He was not best pleased about this. Years later I can understand his resentment, having to drag his little cousin around and a GIRL to boot, probably didn't do his street cred any good at all. The consequence of that was him and his mates were 'orrible to me. One time they shoved me up yet another tree but this time when the farmer came out they b***ered off and left me. Eventually my cousin HAD to come back for me...serves him right He's a lovely man now but he was a 'orrible little boy!!

Nev......you must of got up to SOME mischief.

Jill..

[Wombat]

Nothing............................that I'll admit to!

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

Not just plants below the surface, (means it is illegal to dig up dandelion root!) also some protected plants; wild flowers being the most obvious.

I think there is a bit of common land left in England, but very little and it is either marshland or mountainside. Lot of people crammed on our small isle, does oz have much 'common' land?

Cheap&cheeful - I think we were all horrible little boys

[Wombat]

Oddly enough unowned land is generally referred to as "Crown" land.

There is not much of Oz that is not owned by somebody, In our area there are some open spaces which are sort of parks. They are owned by the council but i dond't know of any vegetational restrictions, most don't have much in the way of vegetation anyway

Nev

[cheap&cheerful]

So what your saying is everytime we pick something from the hedgerow, elderflowers etc..we are technichally breaking the law??????????

There must of been someone that checked it out with Hugh Fernley Whittingstalls, A Cook on the Wild Side, programme. Must be some kind of legal department at the BBC/ITV.

Andy..I bet when you was a little boy you had a face that said "butter wouldn't melt in your mouth" , and now you tell me you was a right little horror


Jill..

[Andy Hamilton]

Andy..I bet when you was a little boy you had a face that said "butter wouldn't melt in your mouth" , and now you tell me you was a right little horror

Always in mischeif but never in trouble

I have gotten a lot of wild food from an area owned by magdalyn college I supose I should have permission from them before?? Does seem ludicrous that it is techinically stealing. Interesting point about HFW, I wonder if we should be good citizens and report him

[Muddypause]

So what your saying is everytime we pick something from the hedgerow, elderflowers etc..we are technichally breaking the law??????????

Are you asking me? If so, you missed a vocation as a politician or journalist. What I actually said was

"I wonder what legal status foraging has...I wonder how it stands in terms of rights of ownership. I wonder if an apple tree that is no longer harvested by the owner counts? Maybe there are some sort of 'foraging rights' that define the situation. Anybody know?"

I'm not at all sure it is illegal - there could well be some sort of ancient right to forage, but equally there must be some point at which we are prevented from just helping ourselves to anything we like.

However, I would suggest that in many situations, in practice it makes most sense to continue doing it until you are told to stop; use your discretion.

[Andy Hamilton]

However, I would suggest that in many situations, in practice it makes most sense to continue doing it until you are told to stop; use your discretion.

and make sure that you shake mushrooms and leave some to ensure that more grow back

[hils]

wondering if anyone has any suggestions about using less sugar or alternative ways of sweetening?

The sugar isn't for you, it's for the yeast! Most of it should be transformed, as if by magic, into alcohol. Synthetic sugar substitutes won't work, but you could experiment with honey or maple syrup. You may be able to find locally-made honey (heaven knows where supermarket refined sugar has come from).

(Apologies for any indiscretions from a webforum newbie.)

[hay331]

Well I picked my elderflowers, plenty around here I'm pleased to say and it was a pleasure picking them on a nice sunny day. My recipe said seperate the flowers from the green stalks, it took me about 2 hrs for 2 pts . Is there some special trick for doing this as I still have to get my cordial done and drying for infusion (my daughter tells me it is good for colds, chesty mucus, anti inflammatory plus more).

[Guest]

When I got mine going, it will look more than I expected to and I got some nasty brown stuff in the airlock.
Is that just stuff that would have ended up in the trub?

[shiney]

We have a neighbour who has a little apple tree next door and she lets all the beautiful fruit fall on the ground and rot. I must go and ask if I can have some this season. 8)

But we do have a peice of open land locally that has a bramley and eater on it that we go and get our apples from. Most people don't go apple picking or blackberrying anymore. Shame isn't it?

More for us, I guess!