Selfsufficientish.com

There are lots of people who know what to forage but perhaps feel unsafe or unsure about going out on there own. Perhaps a buddy or 2 could meet up and forage together. Maybe even learning off eachother and finding new forage sites? I know where i live there are not many if any foragers and i get a lot of funny looks when going out on my own. I would like to be in a small group not only for the company but i may learn more off others. What do you think?

Brilliant idea, where would you go, forest or heath land?

I have a foraging guide book and have learnt alot from this but im not brave enough to try fungi i would like somebody to show me first hand as i dont trust myself with just a book.

Thats a fab idea!! Its great to share ideas, but also have the company of a like minded person.

sounds great. would help people like me who dont have a clue what there looking for to have a like minded person who can teach them

Hey guys,
Just a thought but why don't you get together, I mean Macclesfield, Derbyshire and Long Eaton, its not that far away from each other

Well if anyone is interested and doesn't live too far then pm me and maybe a day foraging and learning off each other can be arranged. I have plenty of books that will help, just need a good place and pleasant company.

Good luck all of you if you do meet up, sounds like it could be a great day out.

Sometimes you do have to make that leap into the unknown with foraging. Try and keep to some of the basic rules of foraging safety though.

Wash things before eating them especially in urban areas where rats may be present.

NEVER eat foods that you are not 100% sure about ESPECIALLY MUSHROOMS and BERRIES. You may only make the mistake of eating a poison once. If there are a few of you with books and one of you looks at something, rather than say to the group "i think this is ......." ask "what do you think this might be". That way you should get an unbiased point of view.

Try to be aware of the poisonous lookalikes that are around so you can make an informed decision.

Remember some people can have an allergic reaction to even the most innocuous wild foods so try a little bit at a time rather than munch them right down, until you know what you can stomach.

I always leave many plants in the Apiaceae (formerly the Umbelliferae) family alone as things like hemlock and fools parsley are pretty similar to many edible plants.

Right hope I have not frightened you off, just trying to stop you for accidently killing each other.

Oh and some conservation tips.

If there is just one plant leave it. Don't over pick, about 3rd of a plant will do unless it is an invasive species. Try to give something back if you do take a plant.

Andy Hamilton wrote:If there is just one plant leave it. Don't over pick, about 3rd of a plant will do unless it is an invasive species. Try to give something back if you do take a plant.

Some really good advice there especially the last bit!

SPS and myself would love to go foraging but don't have anywhere near enough information to do it ourselves. I have a couple of books on fungi so am pretty sure I could identify some if not most of the edible ones from the poisonous ones (I have some experience with Fly-Agaric and Psillosibin already ) but we are more interested in fruits and berries.

If anyone on the SE-London area wants to go out foraging for the day then we'd love to come alone however neither of us are fit enough at the moment so maybe we should make plans for next years foraging season.

Andy Hamilton wrote:Good luck all of you if you do meet up, sounds like it could be a great day out.

Sometimes you do have to make that leap into the unknown with foraging. Try and keep to some of the basic rules of foraging safety though.

Wash things before eating them especially in urban areas where rats may be present.

NEVER eat foods that you are not 100% sure about ESPECIALLY MUSHROOMS and BERRIES. You may only make the mistake of eating a poison once. If there are a few of you with books and one of you looks at something, rather than say to the group "i think this is ......." ask "what do you think this might be". That way you should get an unbiased point of view.

Try to be aware of the poisonous lookalikes that are around so you can make an informed decision.

Remember some people can have an allergic reaction to even the most innocuous wild foods so try a little bit at a time rather than munch them right down, until you know what you can stomach.

I always leave many plants in the Apiaceae (formerly the Umbelliferae) family alone as things like hemlock and fools parsley are pretty similar to many edible plants.

Right hope I have not frightened you off, just trying to stop you for accidently killing each other.

Oh and some conservation tips.

If there is just one plant leave it. Don't over pick, about 3rd of a plant will do unless it is an invasive species. Try to give something back if you do take a plant.

Some very good advice there but what do you mean by give somthing back?

Oh yeah im also in derby (mickleover) and enjoy a bit of forraging. Wouldnt mind meeting up for a forraging expedition!!! my email address is youwerentinnam@hotmail.com