WiLD FOOD: FEBRUARY

THIS IS a favourite month for blackberry collecting – just make sure if you're foraging on the roadside or someone else's property that the plants haven't been sprayed.

There's lots of lore and legend in North Canterbury about the best way to outsmart the prickles. It's essential to wear long sleeves and cover your legs. You can use something like a raincoat or a horse blanket to cover bushes so you can lean in further to pick fruit.

Alternatively, you can employ a Food Farm trick: take a weed-whacker with you and cut a path through a patch for better access.