autumn, natures bounty in the hedgerows - go forage

[Chris Sheppard]

we got geese flying over too ,, bit high yet need an exocet to knock them bleeders down

 

Elderberries & sloe look good when I wandered down the field the other day

 

Reckon these are low enough a well placed .410 would do the job

 

I thought we were just a tad early with the sloes round us but it's strarted to colour the gin fairly well so hopefully jobs a good un

[rovers90]

For tea last Saturday we had wild (wild..it was livid when I shot it!) Northumbrian duck breast with a blackberry sauce (blackberries picked from the hedgerow of course) accompanied by roast potatoes and cauliflower, both of which came from my allotment. And the wife still had to put brown blumin' sauce on it!

[Taupotreeman]

One of the things I miss about Ol Blighty is the abundance of goodies in hedgerows etc. I haven't had Elderflower champagne for yonks and srumping for old english pears and apples was great. You could fill up the freezer on free stuff with the addition of the odd bunny or two. Too much 1080 over here to consider eating rabbit when you don't know where its been feeding.

[Bolt]

blackberry vodka (which appears to be 'sparkling').

brambly apple snaps

cider (or mabe vineger - never can tell).

not started the sloe gin yet.

 

going to experiment with the hazel nuts this year. try sticking them in vodka I think.

 

 

 

 

Hmmmmmm..................................I think I see a theme forming.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

So far this year i have been mostly eating fungus!

 

now thats a suprise!

 

Horn of plenty, boletus edulis, chicken of the woods, grifola frondosa, the field parasol and many a fine oyster mushroom, plenty of signal crayfish to be had localy too. easing pickings round here.

[Charlieh]

i love signal crayfish, very tasty but tricky to get trapping licenses round here unless your work on river conservation i normally get a load in mid summer from some of the river keepers i work with, but other than that most the ones i get go off to cefas for research.

 

we made some elderflower champagne, its lovely stuff the wife normally makes a load only problem is keep remembering to release the pressure in the bottles every week, scared me half to death a few times this summer as bottle tops got blown off during the evening

 

 

I have just pressed our first two litres of apple juice of the year, and got some pears coming this afternoon to press as well

 

I really want to get into growing some fungi next year, Im guessing some plugs in some fresh cut birch and oak would be best, as im after oyster,shiitakes and some chicken of the woods,

[Highland Forestry]

We're doing alright here for Autumn forgaging..

 

So far we've enjoyed some wild mushroom soup (chantrels)

We enjoyed a few Grouse back in August allong with some blaeberry off the hill and then more recently we've had Brown Hare, Pheasant and some nice Mallard.

Yesterday I bagged a nice roe buck which will adorn my freezer on Monday or Tuesday.

 

Hopefully get some time go pick some Sloes for winter gin over the weekend!!

[chestnut]

i have had loads from the hedgerows this year - and just about all of of it has been turned into booze:thumbup1:

 

i have also turned lots of fruit and veg off the allotments into wine

 

so far i have made or have brewing

 

redcurrant wine

gooseberry wine

pea pod wine

elderberry and bean wine

damson wine

elderberry wine

blackberry wine

mixed berry wine

apple wine

english hedgerow port - using sloes, damsons, elderberries, blackberries and raspberries

 

also made blackberry cassis

blackberry vodka

raspberry vodka

damson gin

 

as we have had a bit of frost over the weekend - i shall be out this week picking rosehips (surprise surprise - they will be made into wine too )

 

might dig up a few parsnips too and get them fermenting

[Big 'Ammer]

Had a good weekend.

 

Brace of mallard and a brace of partridges, 2 giant puffballs and 9lb of sloes!

[Tom D]

i made crab apple vodka last year, its great for cooking with, slop a bit in any apple pudding:thumbup: