What I foraged today!

[binley100]

Elderberries are late this year .....I'd already had loads this time last year and haven't found any Damsons either

[veggiechicken]

I haven't seen any either - still green here,

[Feral007]

Well I just foraged some blackberry canes. Well I think they are wild blackberry canes. Was at the pumping site and the canes are just trying to trip me up as usual. No leaves as yet. I don't recall seeing any blackberries on them, but then I wouldn't have taken any notice as it is on crown land and therefore would be sprayed by council. So have re-homed a few into the new fruit forest. Pity there weren't any wild hazelnut and walnut and almond trees down there........

Will put some raspberries next to them and trench around that area to stop them 'getting out' and will mulch over them when the weeds inspector has a visit planned. Between the 'invisible briar rose' and the 'invisible wild blackberries' this place will need to be renamed the invisible feral farm.

If they don't turn out to be blackberries I'll be a bit sad.

[taff]

9lb yellow cherry plums, 3lb red cherry plums. I was going to keep them separate, but they'll make a nice colour jam if mixed so going to splash out on a maslin pan tomorrow.....

[Nicos]

Elderberries are just about ready here.
Managed to make 1 litre elderberry vodka yesterday...looks like it's going to be a good year for them! Hic!

[Feral007]

I'm not sure if my wild blackberries might not be wild raspberries instead............oh well I do like a good mystery!

[Farmer_Gyles]

2.5lbs blackberries
3lbs possibly cherry plums - can anyone confirm? the photo is of two of the little 'plums' with a victoria plum on the right for size reference

i expected cherry plums to be either red or yellow - these are yellow turning orange turning red(ish)
most are small, about the size of a cherry, but some are much bigger - and all definitely from the same tree
there are hundreds more on the tree, but not easy to reach them through brambles etc

[binley100]

Blackberries ............wasn't going to get any more but had a little accident with some I'd already got ....

[BroadRipple]

This is great -= am becoming obsessed with foraging. Perfect combo of cooking and gardening, isn't it? and of course there's bargain-hunting thrown in. Surely time for an Olympic event? (and they're OFF after the dubious berry bush...oh no, the Londoner's been distracted by an interesting skip).
Am curious what you're doing with your cherry plums...and am never sure how to spot them. Also, rosehips - any alternatives to syrup? Sloes - any alternative to gin? elderberries...any alternative to, um, chucking a few with apples?
And, most of all, HELP. I've found some damsons (or are they wild plums? how to tell? does it matter) but they're not quite ripe (not coming easily off the tree) AND are in full view of loads of passers by!
Shall I pick what I can, and add more sugar?
or risk leaving them to ripen, and coming back to find they've been taken?
I'd love your foraging advice on all this as you're obviously expert foragers...practically woodland creatures.

[veggiechicken]

Where to begin BR? I've never found cherry plums so can't help there.
Rosehips discussed http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ips_67575.html
Sloes here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...jam_57310.html
Elderberries http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...lly_37705.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_62500.html
And for damsons/plums - no it doesn't matter if you're making jam - but unless they're just a few days from ripening I wouldn't pick them underripe!
I do like something for nothing!

[Kaiya]

I make hedgerow jelly from anything I find - apple (or apple peel/core from other apple recipes), rosehips, blackberries, elderberries, sloes... chuck it all in.

Alternatives to sloe gin are things like blackcurrant whisky and elderberry vodka. Elderberry wine (and elderflower cordial or champagne earlier in the year) are other options, and I think there's an elderberry sauce recipe in either the River Cottage Preserves or Hedgerow books - apparently amazing, though I've never had the patience to make it.

Rosehip jelly is the food of the gods - a jelly that works with meat, cheese and yoghurt.

Hawthorns make a fantastic sauce - like ketchup and worcestershire sauce's love child.

[mrswadders]

on saturday - 19lbs yellow plums and 7lbs of lovely juicy red ones! oh and another 3lbs of hazelnuts on friday! - getting more from the hedgerows than lottie this year!!!
Has anyone else noticed the lack of apples/size this year? We normally get loads(boot load) from our usual spot, had a look at the weekend v.disappointing

[veggiechicken]

The apple crop here is almost non-existent, in the garden or on the wild trees

[lulubell]

The only thing i've found aound swansea is blackberries and a few apples, had 2 kg of blackberries and 1/2 bag of apples this morning, been keeping an eye out for damsons, sloes etc but not seen any anywhere

[taff]

Alternatives to sloe gin are things like blackcurrant whisky and elderberry vodka...
Rosehip jelly is the food of the gods - a jelly that works with meat, cheese and yoghurt.

Hawthorns make a fantastic sauce - like ketchup and worcestershire sauce's love child.

Another alternative is quince vodka, but you do have to keep it out of the light , and it stays a lovely gold colour, if you leave it in the light, it goes a nasty brown colour

got recipes for the jelly and sauce?
I did try rosehip jelly last year, but it didn't set, so I used it [with haws] for hedgerow vodka - very nice.....