Wild food foraging course

On Saturday went on a wild food foraging course with the Peterborough in Transition group. We met at the Olive Branch community garden and the first part of the morning was walking around the site and finding edibles that would normally be overlooked.

There were lots around the site. Chickweed, dandelion, nettle, hawthorn, crab apple, bramble, elder, rowan to name but a few.

We talked about making sure that plants were correctly identified before consuming them, but what wasnt gone into much detail on this course (but was on the previous one I've done) was that care should be taken when introducing something new into your diet that you do so with caution as it may not be something that your body can tolerate and that only small quantities of anything new should be tried at one time.

Another important thing is not to take more than 10% from any one plant and to leave enough for other creatures to eat it, and for the plant to have enough resources left in itself to survive. There are also rules about digging up roots. In some cases permissions from the land owner must be sought, even if the plant (for instance horseradish) is plentiful and on a public route. There are also laws about not taking from crops that are commercially grown ie scrumping, but picking from a self seeded apple tree down the side of a country lane is perfectly permissible. Essentially, make sure you know and stay within the law when out foraging.

After the tour round the community garden site we all set off on bicycle towards the town park. I've never cycled in a big group before but it was an absolutely amazing feeling. I know we annoyed many motorists and that made it all the more sweet (sorry motorists!!)

There wasn't that much to find in the town park except lime leaves, and then we had a wander through the cemetery. There were a couple of things there we'd not found else where, but I've forgotton what it was now, had little purple flowers and a lovely smell to it (was ground ivy). Will look it up when I get my book (is on order).

We went back to the Olive Branch and had tasters of some of some wild garlic pesto which was absolutely delicious, and collected enough leaves from the plants we'd identified earlier to make a salad (complete with edible flowers). We also made a risotto with nettles and hazelnuts which was lovely.

Risotto being cooked on the rocket stoves (that were made on a previous course)

Risotto rolled in lime leaves. Absolutely delicious.

Had quite a lot of trailer envy with this!

My eldest made a batter and we fried dandelion flowers which were fabulous. Youngest has decided that she likes dandelion flowers just to eat, so my fellow allotmenteers will be thrilled if she picks them all before they can set seed!

I was pleased that I had retained the knowledge from the previous course, and as that was an autumn one it was nice to see what's available in the spring. It also was a fab day out.

Wildfood/foraging courses do run up and down the country, google search for more details. A good all round starter book is Food for Free by Richard Mabey, This guy is trying to live a whole year just from foraged food. I certainly plan to go out and about and make use of what nature has in plenty for us.