Foraging Walk

Max. 8 places.
Let’s go foraging…
Location to be shared nearer the time - likely to be north Sheffield, around Bradfield/Penistone-ish

IMPORTANT - DUE TO VERY LIMITED NUMBERS, PLEASE ONLY SIGN UP IF YOU DEFINITELY INTEND TO COME TO AVOID SOMEONE HAVING TO MISS OUT.

Join me for a wee forage where we’ll look for edible berries and mushrooms.

Autumn is by far the best time of year to head out and see what wild food we can find. Mother Nature will have been working hard in her garden all spring and summer long, and now it’s harvest time.

Most people will have picked blackberries at some point in their lives and will be able to identify various other common plants/trees, but when it comes to actually foraging, it’s a whole different ball game.

· How do I know if it’s safe to eat?
· OK, I’ve picked it, now what do I do with it?
· Does it need to be cooked?

On the day?
Foraging is a nice slow and some might say mindful way to enjoy nature. We’ll take a slow wander (maybe only 3-4 miles) as we look for different things to identify. We need to keep the group size small so that we don’t have a negative impact on our environment and won’t be picking anything in great numbers - but hopefully you’ll learn enough to give you the confidence to forage a few things for yourselves separately.

Depending on what we find, I’ll also share some recipe ideas to help you make the most of the things you collect and enjoy them for weeks, even months afterwards.

What do I need to bring?
Standard day hike stuff (water, brew, snacks, waterproofs/sunscreen etc) plus perhaps some small freezer bags, a paper bag is good in case we find an abundance of mushrooms, perhaps a small Tupperware (other brands are available) box. A sense of curiosity, patience and keenness to slow right down is essential. Oh, and good eyeballs, or glasses if that’s not available to you!

Where are we meeting?
We’ll let you know the location nearer the time as it can vary greatly between now and then. We also don’t want to tell the world to ensure we’re protecting the environment from over-foraging (think 90’s rave, need to know only!). But it’s likely to be north Sheffield; around Bradfield/Penistone way. Depending on where we end up, we may include a pub stop for a drink/food.

Caveat - I’m not an expert; I have no qualifications in this and don’t know all the plants/fungi but have been foraging for a number of years so have picked up a few things along the way and definitely have my favourites. You are responsible for anything you put in your mouth (keep it clean)! And of course, because it’s nature, we share with wildlife, so there are no guarantees.

The Countryside Act & Responsible Foraging
The countryside act says that foraging the 4 Fs from common land is acceptable so long as it is for personal consumption only. The 4 Fs are fruit, foliage, flora and fungus. This means moderate amounts for you and your family only, and most obviously not for Commercial Foraging purposes. The rules on common land are basically; ‘take what you want for personal consumption’ but to pick with respect.

The general rule of a responsible foragers code is that you never pick more than half of what you find of anything from anywhere and it should always look like you’ve not been there at all and if it does, you’ve picked too much.

Respect the trees, plants and mushrooms, the surrounding environment, wildlife that may have a dependence on what you are taking, other people and their property. The countryside act also states that you shouldn’t uproot any plant from common land. In addition, there are often localised Bylaws relating to picking in a specified area. To find out the local bylaws you need to look on park or borough websites or check the backs of the big signs when you walk into a park. If you see something that relates to the removal of plants or fungi from the area, then don’t do it. There are plenty of places where you can still forage so find one of those.

On private property you are not bound by the Countryside Act, however it’s still advised that you are sympathetic to the area and pick with respect, common sense and care. It is essential that before picking on private land, you have the landowner’s full permission. If you do see mushrooms on someone’s lawn, or a tree dripping with fruit that seem to be going to waste, then knock on that person’s door and ask if they wouldn’t mind you harvesting their bounty. You will likely be given a surprised look, but we have never had anyone upset by us asking. If they are willing, ensure you only pick what they are happy for you to take. Often people don’t realise what they have and are pleased to be enlightened!

As always, if everybody wants to contribute £2.00 towards our Meet Up site fees and other operating costs that will be great, thanks.