Foraging

[LadyG]

I kinda imagined that I'd be supplementing food and fuel, but so far, only a few blackberries and some dry logs and kindling, I looked for sweet chestnuts in Babworth woods, nothing, no mushrooms, crab apples or any other apples, m I in the wrong area, or was I over optimistic?

There was the parsnip field, but I was 'over-parsnipped, so I did not harvest any to take with me.

Edited November 2, 2020 by LadyG

[Hudds Lad]

possibly too late? everything seemed to peak early this year, loads of blackberries, sloes, damsons, bullace, crab apples etc. in July/August. plus lots more folk out and about picking it all clean.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

The infamous Mr Finch used to forage for booze on boats around the Braunston area. Available all year round too, but more so in winter with boats being unoccupied.

Jen ?

Edited November 2, 2020 by Jen-in-Wellies

[bigray]

It depends where in Babworth woods you've looked. There is a section that at present would normally have an abundance of Chestnuts although i've not been down for a few months.

[Man 'o Kent]

All mushrooms are edible -------  Some only once . . .

 

 

[Naughty Cal]

2 minutes ago, Man 'o Kent said:

All mushrooms are edible -------  Some only once . . .

 

 

There does seem to be a huge crop of mushrooms around the woods we are walking in at the moment. Wish we knew which ones were edible.

 

We are content with doing our foraging at the local farm shop. At least we know what they are selling there won't kill us 

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, bigray said:

It depends where in Babworth woods you've looked. There is a section that at present would normally have an abundance of Chestnuts although i've not been down for a few months.

They are crap near us this year, tiny and already gone from the shells

15 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

There does seem to be a huge crop of mushrooms around the woods we are walking in at the moment. Wish we knew which ones were edible.

 

Walked 4 grazing mashes and didn't see one, 

[Tam & Di]

Here in Burgundy there were dozens of perfect ceps about 10 days ago just after a couple of days of rain, but went again for our permitted short walk in lockdown yesterday and the slugs had beaten us to them all. Fetched up with just a few we can scrape the underside from and dry for later use.

 

Tam

 

Here's the friend we were with:

Edited November 2, 2020 by Tam & Di

[haggis]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

They are crap near us this year, tiny and already gone from the shells

 

I wonder why this is such a bad year for chestnuts. We have a wood in the village with lots of chestnut trees and this year I don't think I have seen a chestnut. When boating recently (on the shroppie) I saw one tree with huge chestnuts but that was the only one I have seen.  I wonder why when other trees and flowers seem to have been doing well this year. 

 

haggis

[dor]

We had a huge crop of blackberries this year from the bushes on our mooring.  They were a couple of weeks early though.  There is also a bountiful crop of sloes and damson in the hedgerows.  Acorns are also in abundance;  Not looked at any beech trees but wonder if this is classed as a mast year.  Fungi I must admit doesn't seem quite so common this year.  I suspect that much of the fruit and nuts relates to weather conditions earlier in the year whilst fungi is more related to current conditions.

[Jon57]

This reminds me of when walking the dogs one morning with the poo shovel in hand. When a couple on a hire boat approached me and asked if I was going foraging. Didn’t try to explain,so said yes.?

Edited November 2, 2020 by Jon57

[Tam & Di]

3 hours ago, Man 'o Kent said:

All mushrooms are edible -------  Some only once . . .

 

 

Shaggy inkcaps are good when young, but it is not advised to drink alcohol at the same time, so that writes them off for some. It does allow a sneaky puff for Di's "A Foodie Afloat" book though (see link below)

 

Tam

 

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Tam & Di

[Stilllearning]

44 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

Shaggy inkcaps are good when young, but it is not advised to drink alcohol at the same time, so that writes them off for some. It does allow a sneaky puff for Di's "A Foodie Afloat" book though (see link below)

 

Tam

 

 

I was discussing the probable wealth of fungi available locally with a neighbour yesterday, and bemoaning the 1 km travel limit. It’s been nice and damp for a while, and now warm and drier so may be forced to have a “breakdown” in a discreet layby on the way to the supermarket.

[Hudds Lad]

1 hour ago, Tam & Di said:

Shaggy inkcaps are good when young, but it is not advised to drink alcohol at the same time, so that writes them off for some. It does allow a sneaky puff for Di's "A Foodie Afloat" book though (see link below)

 

Tam

 

I've eaten inkcaps in the past, although i've not seen any for years.

Never heard of the alcohol advisory though, what's the risk might i ask??? genuinely intrigued

[Tam & Di]

I had to check with Google, which says: Coprinopsis atramentaria, commonly known as the common ink cap or inky cap, is an edible (although poisonous, when combined with alcohol) mushroom found in Europe and North America. I'd only heard that it can make people sick, but perhaps they didn't eat enough of them. ?   (or drink enough alcohol)

Tam

Edited November 2, 2020 by Tam & Di

[LadyG]

I asked a local  farmer if I could  take a bit of wood , lying in the hedge back,, lazy beggar, he was in his socks and boiler suit (it was 11.00 am ), but he said he was going to collect it for himself, did he have logs to sell then? Did he have potatoes to sell? 

Nope, obviously sold his potato quota, and spends his winter days watching TV.

I used to farm, and it was hard work all year round, if you were not working you were not making money.  Yes, short term one can live day to day,but long term, you have to work.

My cousin took a small rented farm to a thousand owned acres, supporting three families in  her lifetime  70 years, I'm not saying that is the way to go, but they started with a few beef, and now have business worthseveral millions. Main thing is, they are farmers, it's something they love.

The weddings are  great, usually 300 at the dancing bit, and 70-80 at the meal, we all  chip in, beef is on the menu, and everyone brings some dish, it's great.

Edited November 2, 2020 by LadyG

[tree monkey]

21 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

I had to check with Google, which says: Coprinopsis atramentaria, commonly known as the common ink cap or inky cap, is an edible (although poisonous, when combined with alcohol) mushroom found in Europe and North America. I'd only heard that it can make people sick, but perhaps they didn't eat enough of them. ?   (or drink enough alcohol)

Tam

It's generally the common ink cap not the shaggy that causes issues with booze, as I understand it induces vomiting, the compound is similar to one given to alcoholics to dissuade them from drinking

7 hours ago, LadyG said:

I kinda imagined that I'd be supplementing food and fuel, but so far, only a few blackberries and some dry logs and kindling, I looked for sweet chestnuts in Babworth woods, nothing, no mushrooms, crab apples or any other apples, m I in the wrong area, or was I over optimistic?

There was the parsnip field, but I was 'over-parsnipped, so I did not harvest any to take with me.

I find that spots nr canals can be stripped of burnable timber, certainly stuff that can be easily cut up with bow saws doesn't hang around