Hedgerow Harvest

In the current economic climate I certainly have changed my eating habits - less waste, less extravagance and more variety.  In the "good old days" our predecessors used the food they could find around them.  When I'm working doing cooking shows,  I hear more and more people talking about these issues but one thing they don't seem to focus on is Mother Nature's Pantry!

There is a huge harvest to be gathered in the hedgerows - so why not turn back the clock and start to experiment with some of the forgotten treasures at our fingertips?  (Just avoid the dog walker's routes!!!!)

Each season, from Spring to Autumn we can enjoy the different foods available so watch this space for ideas - who knows, you might even like some of them!

NB:  When foraging (particularly if you are new to it) for your safety and welbeing it is best to stick to The Rules -  they can be found here in the Wild Food Code

Keep up to date with the Countryside Code

 Have a great reference book to identify plants, fungus etc.  One thing that many foragers don’t seem to be aware of is that just because one part of a plant or tree is edible, doesn’t mean each part is.  For example, the leaves may be edible, but the seeds may be toxic.  The berries may be a tasty treat, but the seed inside is toxic, or the roots are safe, but the foliage is not.  If you are not sure - don't pick it or eat it until you've checked it out!

Some sites which I found fascinating were:

http://www.wildmanwildfood.com/ where Fergus Drennan is a man on a mission - take advantage of his knowledge and experience.

I particularly like Wild Cooks as they are local to me in Yorkshire - fab month by month recipes.... http://www.thewildcook.com/

The Tree Councils http://www.hedgerowharvest.org.uk/  - there are some great recipes on here.

A well written and informative look at foraging - I love this one!  http://www.naturessecretlarder.co.uk/



Spring

Summer - early (to follow)


Summer - late (to follow)


Autumn (to follow)