foraging courses of sorts!

[Andy Hamilton]

Whenever I go out foraging I am always a bit fustrated as I know there are some foods that I am not 100% about. - It seems a waste as I go home without what could be a bumper amount of food. With some of the posts here I believe that I am not alone. Yet between us I am sure that we know pretty much most of what is out there and edable.

I thought that armed with some photographic equipment (either digital camera or camcorder) some of us could pool our knowledge and record our findings for a comprehensive forage. - or perhaps just with a note book!

Now here is the tricky part how do we organise such an outing? Well if we try and make it so that each part of our world that we inhabit is covered we could be onto a winner, rather than organising an event with people traveling from all over the place. In other words if you are in Sydney you lot have a day out, londoners do, midlanders, south west etc....

any takers or suggestions?

[Cab]

I guess I've been taking images of wild edible plants and fungi for about five years, haven't got 'em all of course, just the ones I like to eat.

Many of those pics I've already got online over at Downsizer, and although the aim isn't to produce a field guide I do like to see a picture with a description, I think it helps.

Where exactly you want to go with this depends on what you want to get out of it; are you looking at a sort of online foraging field guide, or a simple set of guidelines for a range of species?

[Shirley]

I'm sure that the Neeps! could do something in the north east of Scotland! It sounds like a great idea - we've already got some outings arranged to collect sloes and mushrooms!

[Andy Hamilton]

I was more thinking of the benefit that members of this forum could get out of it. Many foraging courses cost £50 and upwards, my thinking is that you can't beat knowledge that is passed on from someone else and it why pay that amount when we can teach each other.

I then got to thinking that it would be a shame to miss out on recording the findings to share.

So really what I am trying to achieve with this suggestion is a good day out and a chance to share some knowledge.

Myself and Dave will be happy to share what we know with others it anyone wants to join in for the south west?

Good one shirley for NEEPS could be a good day out. I still plan a visit up there at some point when money is less tight so might join you (next year perhaps )

[thebristolbloke]

South West would be lovely!

Am still trying to scratch out bit's and pieces from books but you can never be too careful. Would love to help out any way I can


phil

[Dave]

Would it be an idea to get the groups all round the country to film their exploits and we could put it up on the .tv site?

Phil - shall we say provisionally 16th Sept? It's about three weeks time and their should be some mushrooms up by then

[Cheezy]

The 'shroom's are up now, I'm surrounded by them at work. Unfortunately I'm not a 100% sure of the type. They look just like white button mushrooms when they are just up, but develop into flat parasol's with a little skirt half way down the stem and pink gill's.

Hey if you had a photo I.D section for foraging I might be able pick them

I've just been over to our weathering racks at lunchtime and picked 1Kg of the most ripe blackberries, in 20 mins. Jam making tonight!.

I work on a big site, and we have a little wood land and lots of field, it's great you go to work and get paid to forage at lunch!

There are wild apple trees, elderberries, sloes, blackberries, mushrooms, damsons. Thousands of bunnies, even seen a deer!.

[Andy Hamilton]

Hey if you had a photo I.D section for foraging I might be able pick them

Just stuck up a thread with some guidelines on what to describe too. Have a look at that then post up some pictures and will see if any of us can help out.

[Dave]

There are a lot of mushrooms up already but I prefer to wait till there has been a little leaf fall so there should be a bit more variety around. Giant puffball season should be coming to an end has anyone found any this year?

I don't know how to do the quote boxes lets try this -

They look just like white button mushrooms when they are just up, but develop into flat parasol's with a little skirt half way down the stem and pink gill's.

- I've always steered clear of anything with a little skirt like that as the death cap and destroying angel both look like this. They are both deadly so as an ammeter mushroom picker personally I wouldn't eat them.

There's a saying "There are old mushroom pickers
there are bold mushroom pickers
But there are no old bold mushroom pickers"

[thebristolbloke]

16th am in London mate

Could do the weekend after??


phil

[Andy Hamilton]

thats ok by me (provisionally) what about you Dave?

[hedgewizard]

Are you guys kidding? Bristol's practically Wales! Other than the 90 minute journey I'd love to!

[Andy Hamilton]

Are you guys kidding? Bristol's practically Wales! Other than the 90 minute journey I'd love to!

Which part of dorset you in mate, perhaps meeting up in the middle somewhere might be an option?

[Shirley]

We are going blaeberry picking with the Neeps! on Sunday afternoon at Bennachie. We'll have a look to see what else we can find...

Haven't got a digital camcorder... so I doubt we can do the film bit... you might be relieved at that though LOL. Got the camera though - it goes everywhere with me.

[hedgewizard]

I'm just east of Dorchester, and Glennie's in Taunton. Don't know where Luath is, but it'd be right up her street I reckon!