About Gavin
Forager, Herbalist, Hill-Walking Leader, Field-crafter, and general outdoorsy person
Entries by Gavin
Sloe, Sloe, Sloe!
Winter is upon us, the frosts have started already and it’s tempting to wrap up warm and stay indoors, but there’s still a whole world of food to be had out there. For this article I want to pick on a commonly used plant that seems to not get much use outside of making booze. I am of course talking about the humble Sloe of the Blackthorn bush (Prunus spinosa).
Not a banana – plantain herb
plantain leaves, stalks and flower heads can be eaten raw – and this is where the surprising taste comes through. At first, it’s a bit of a plain “green” taste, but give it a good chew, get your juices flowing and get it to the back of your mouth and… Mushrooms.
What on Earth is Bletting?
If you’ve been around foragers in winter, or been reading about it, or been foraging yourself, the chances are that you’ve come across the expression “bletting”; But what does it actually mean?
A Forager’s Visit to Corfu
I recently stayed on the East coast of Corfu (Greece) for a week, and whilst the intention was to have a week of complete relaxation, I don’t think it’s possible for a forager to ignore plants, ever.
Yew liqueur, you!
So, we all know (or should know) that every part of the Yew tree is highly toxic to humans. When I say highly toxic, what I mean is that a very small amount can kill you.
Wild Carrots
I was out for a wander in deepest Essex recently and I came across a patch of land where Wild Carrots (Daucus carota) seem to thrive. You can barely take a few steps without tripping over some. Anyway, I wasn’t entirely prepared, but I did a quick video on my phone so I could show them… […]
Himalayan Balsam – Invasive Pest or Tasty Food?
I was out for a walk around the Lee Valley last night, particularly looking out for Elderberries and Yarrow for some home-brewing projects I have planned. I found what I needed, but I could help also noticing the huge amounts of pink flowering Himalayan Balsam along the river’s edge just about everywhere. Whilst it looks […]
A Definition of Foraging
Introduction to a foraging definition I wanted to post something along the lines of a definition of foraging and what it means to me, but I am in no way an absolute authority, hence it’s more of a discussion point rather than a hard and fast definition. This is what it means to me, but […]
Lime or Linden Tree Flowers – Tilia x europea
As something I’ve been aware of for some time, and looking out for Linden tree (Lime) flowers in the local area; I was pleased to find a big, old Linden tree not far from where I live. And it was positively overloaded with flowers. Just for clarification, with these trees the name “Lime tree” and […]
Helper Sites
- The Forager Helper
- The Wild Herbalist Helper (coming soon…)