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news Self-sufficiency

Group Foraging Days

Family Foraging Courses/Group Foraging Courses Don’t see a course in your area? Want an unique Christmas present?  Think you could get between a group of 2 to 14 people together who would like to go on a wild food walk? Then  email Dave (dave (at) selfsufficientish.com) with a list of preferred dates and locations, if you find one mutually agreeable click on the button below to book and pay for the course. Only £300 a day You will be sent a personalised card with a personalised voucher (or emailed if it is needed urgently). Suitable for landmark birthdays (30, 40, 50 60), Hen or Stag Days, Anniversary’s or work away …

Categories
news Self-sufficiency

Group Foraging Days

Family Foraging Courses/Group Foraging Courses Don’t see a course in your area? Want an unique Christmas present?  Think you could get between a group of 2 to 14 people together who would like to go on a wild food walk? Then  email Dave (dave (at) selfsufficientish.com) with a list of preferred dates and locations, if you find one mutually agreeable click on the button below to book and pay for the course. Only £300 a day You will be sent a personalised card with a personalised voucher (or emailed if it is needed urgently). Suitable for landmark birthdays (30, 40, 50 60), Hen or Stag Days, Anniversary’s or…

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news Self-sufficiency

Elderflower Cordial, elderflower champagne and elderflower wine – Andy Hamilton

Although we already have an elderflower cordial recipe on our elder article it is one for making it in bulk. I decide that as I have just made a smaller batch of elderflower cordial, some elder flower champagne and our forum is buzzing with talk of elderflower wine it would be good to put up a few recipes here. Elderflower cordial – Elderflower Champagne – Elderflower wine For any problems with elderflower champagne please see Andy’s other site. Elderflower Cordial An easy to make drink that can be frozen in plastic bottles, leaving room for expansion, so it can be enjoyed all year round. It will keep for almost a…

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news Self-sufficiency

Hawthorn Ketchup recipe

During most of my autumn courses I either run through how to make hawthorn ketchup or I have some on hand to try (preferable both!).  This year I thought I would at least get round to having the recipe up whilst they are in season .  This makes a very red and very delicious ketchup which can be used in the same way as a tomato ketchup. Please note that those on any heart medication are advised not to eat haws/hawthorn berries. Ingredients Mixed haw berries (midland hawthorn and common) 500g haws 300ml vinegar – red wine, cider or malt 170g sugar spices to taste – coriander, cumin…

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news Self-sufficiency

Preserving Cherries Andy and (mostly) Dave Hamilton

Town planners of 20th century often included cherry trees in their planting schemes as they loved the blossom. The fruit was something of an afterthought, but not for us foragers. It has meant that added to the list of usual places to hunt for cherries you should include housing estates and parks. You will more often than not find the bitter bird cherry. but on some occasions you can strike the jackpot and find some deliciously plump variety that will rival anything you can buy in the shop. During June/July we are well into fruit season and the most opportunistic amongst us will not have to buy any fruit again until there is snow on the ground. This is a time when fruit is …

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news Self-sufficiency

Sumac – Dave Hamilton

Stag Horn Sumac – Rhus typhina The Forager’s Lemon Staghorn Sumac makes a tasty lemonade. The small furry drupes form a larger structure called a panicle – picture by Dave Hamilton Sumac is one of those plants you may have seen a thousand times but never really realised it had an edible use. It’s not a truly wild plant in the UK but it does readily escape from gardens as it sends up suckers when the roots are disturbed.  In this way trees can ‘escape’ from gardens over long periods of time and become ‘wild’. The sumac leaves are high in tannin and were traditionally they were used in the…

Categories
news Self-sufficiency

Group Foraging Days

Family Foraging Courses/Group Foraging Courses Don’t see a course in your area? Want an unique Christmas present?  Think you could get between a group of 2 to 14 people together who would like to go on a wild food walk? Then  email Dave (dave (at) selfsufficientish.com) with a list of preferred dates and locations, if you find one mutually agreeable click on the button below to book and pay for the course. Only £300 a day You will be sent a personalised card with a personalised voucher (or emailed if it is needed urgently). Suitable for landmark birthdays (30, 40, 50 60), Hen or Stag Days, Anniversary’s or work away days. The day will…