Selfsufficientish.com

Hello all,
I am currently finishing a design degree in Cornwall, and after a series of agriculture products I have chosen foraging for the final one. I am in the process of designing a new type of container/basket for collecting ingredients. I have a few ideas already, which I am happy to share here with photos of my drawings. However, I would like to hear your views.
I am going to end up with two products, one for the elite, hard core forager. I think this will be a range of bags affixed onto a belt.
The second is a modern, funky product which is flat packed and handy, for those who occasionally collect blackberries etc when out for a walk.
All of your suggestions and advice would be gratefully received,
Thank you!

I'd say any sort of pop-up or folding container would be a good idea, I tend to just have a rucksack and a series of bags or plastic boxes, for nuts as harder fruits etc I use a large shemagh scarf as a recepticle, be interested to see your designs.

Hi
This sounds interesting - which Uni are you at? I'm studying design at the OU at the moment and I, too, am doing a project. Mine's on rainwater harvesting.

In answer to your question though, it would depend on what you are foraging. Soft fruits, such as blackberries or elderberries, tend to get squashed in a bag. A plastic container is better and I prefer lots of smaller containers to one big one. Again, so that the fruits don't get crushed at the bottom. I tend to use margarine tubs or the large yogurt tubs.

Separate compartments would be better so that you can keep different finds apart.

How would you get the fruit out? If it's a bag, then you can tip it out but you need to be able to empty each compartment of a fold away product separately.

Cleaning could also be a problem. How would you clean the juice of squished blackberries out of a bag?

Somewhere to hold a pair of scissors or secateurs would be useful too, as would somewhere to keep some gloves to protect hands from thorns.

How would you carry the product in the car once full? I rarely go out foraging directly from home as I live in town. I usually drive to a friend's house and we go from there. What would I do with the belt on the way back? If it sits on the back seat then do you still have the problem of getting it in and out without squashing/spilling the contents.

I think this is really interesting and look forward to seeing the final result.

Good luck with it.

Zoe

I'm at Falmouth Uni, very nearly finished.
Can anyone recommend an online file sharing program I could use to show you all the 2 PDFs?
Thank you!
Amy

When I'm out mushrooming, I avoid plastic, otherwise they sweat and go horrid.

Rosehip wrote:I'm at Falmouth Uni, very nearly finished.
Can anyone recommend an online file sharing program I could use to show you all the 2 PDFs?
Thank you!
Amy

Hi
Someone at the OU recommended Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTI3N ... rc=global9 I've not tried it myself but it looks like it might do what you are looking for.

Zoe

I do a lot of foraging of soft and hard stuff!! I think a rigid container for the berries is the way to go. For nuts it doesnt really matter and for leaves etc I prefer to use a rigid container again as I dont want the leaves getting ruined before I get home. Being able to be hands free is ideal,I like the idea of a belt.
I always take a stick with me to pull down high branches etc and also to put in front of me if going through long grass,so again to have hands free is ideal especially if also using a knife.
Best of luck and I look forward to seeing what you eventually end up with

Rosehip wrote:I'm at Falmouth Uni, very nearly finished.
Can anyone recommend an online file sharing program I could use to show you all the 2 PDFs?
Thank you!
Amy

Can I suggest that you PM people who want to see it and get their email addresses? Just because I worry that if you post a public link to your work it might be stolen?

When you've posted 25 times you can PM just fine. Before then, you can receive PMs, just not reply.

Remember that this is a public forum, and everyone viewing (even guests) can see the links, so we can't guarantee that an unsavoury character might see it and see an opportunity for themselves. I wouldn't want to see all your hard work stolen by an unscrupulous person!