Now’s the time to forage
AS POET John Keats once wrote of autumn, it is a ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ and, for many, it is their favourite time of year.
With berries and fruit now ripening and ready to be eaten, many animals and birds look to make the most of this bounty before the chill of winter takes hold. But the wildlife need not be the only ones to make the most of what’s on offer; we too can forage at this time of year.
The towpaths along the canals and rivers are ideal places to gather in whatever is on offer, but, a word of caution, if you are not sure of what you are harvesting, don’t pick it. And whatever you do pick, please make sure you wash it properly and, as always, avoid anything that has grown close to busy roads as herbicides could have been used.
But if you do fancy some free fruit, you should be able to find blackberries in abundance. They have to be the most prolific fruits growing just about anywhere. Many species of birds and quite a few rodents will also have been making the most of what’s on offer, but you should be able to gather enough to make a pie or even some jam. Elderberries, too, should still be about, hanging like tiny grapes from the branches. These berries make great drinks, but they shouldn’t be eaten raw.
We can all recognise apples, and they will be ready to be gathered around now. The rotted windfalls will attract the last of the wasps, so be careful not to get stung. Apples are a great way to introduce children to the enjoyment of foraging as most like them, and they provide an ideal way to teach them where their food comes from.
If you are looking for apples, look out for crab apples or wild apples as they are sometimes called. They are great if you like making jelly and if you have a problem identifying the trees, the Woodland Trust has a handy identification app for smartphones. This will help you with identifying most of the trees you are likely to encounter.
Unfortunately, you will probably be too late for the hazelnuts if you go foraging because grey squirrels will probably have got to them first. The only evidence you will find of them is likely the discarded shells on the floor at the foot of the trees. You won’t be the only ones disappointed; hazel dormice too would like to make the most of the hazelnut harvest, but all too often they are outcompeted. This could well be a contributing factor in the downturn in their numbers.
Damsons might not be everyone’s favourite (me included), but many do like them, and they can often be found in areas close to towpaths etc. Obviously, you can’t go helping yourself to anything that is growing on private land, and as the Canal & River Trust says, ‘don’t take more than you can eat’. Leave some for others and the birds.
And for those who enjoy gin, now is the ideal time to forage for sloes. I’m told that they are best left until after the first frost as this softens them up, so you might want to gather them in, soak them in gin and produce a great festive drink for the winter ahead.