I love this time of year. The weather is good here in the UK and it’s a great time for walking in the great outdoors and for foraging for fruit.
Last month I managed to pick some wild raspberries locally. The blackberries are now ripening and I’ve already had several dishes full of the young, ripe blackberries. I’ve also found a good source of cherry plums (yellow and red ones) and they are really sweet. The apples are starting to weigh down the branches of the trees. I’ve also notices that some of the cobnuts (English hazelnuts) are starting to turn brown (though they won’t be ready for picking until the end of September – if you pick them too early you get nothing but empty shells).
If you are new to foraging and you don’t think there is much free fruit in the local area I suggest you start walking regularly and you open your eyes and look for the fruit. I found that it took a couple of years of walking to actually be able to spot fruit bushes and trees. Once you get the knack of it you start to see them in places you’ve maybe been walking for years and you’ve just never noticed them. You would not believe how many apple trees grow near to my local canal, all because someone many years ago was kind enough to toss away their old apple core. I’m thinking of going down there myself with a few and donating to the foragers of the future. In fact, I think we should all make a point of planting fruit bushes and trees in such places, especially as the price of food is starting to go through the roof.
Anyone out there involved in projects like this? I’m just wondering if there are guidelines or laws in relation to planting in these open spaces? If you know of any good links, please do add them in a comment below.
photo credit: erix!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
hi, just found something today that i thought was a cherry tree but the leaves were waxy almost like a rubber plant leaf in texture, what is this? there is a stone but i didn’t taste it, just in case!! if you know of it, i can then live another day!!xxx
I wouldn’t be able to tell you what it is from that description. May be you could ask at a local nature reserve or you could ask around where you live. I find that the older generation seem to have a good knowledge of free food in the area.