what are we all foraging now?

[feral chef]

just curious what we are all finding out there in the wild?
ive been getting an unatural amount of hen of the woods. Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum. this isnt even half of 1 haul and ive had about 3 trips like this (i hate cleaning the stuff)

[grrlscout]

WHOA! I wish we had mushrooms here.

Personally, I'm not foraging anything. Been way too busy to get out there. If I were, it's olive and prickly pear season.

If you come across a breba crop of figs, figs.

If you have a really really tall ladder, dates.

[DOGMAN]

I've dabbled in collecting and using wild edibles in the past, but never really pursued it- beyond identification. However, one of my goals this year was to change that and to really learn and use the tasty stuff in my area. I am very excited that Oct 8th I am taking a one day class on the subject!

[crashdive123]

I've dabbled in collecting and using wild edibles in the past, but never really pursued it- beyond identification. However, one of my goals this year was to change that and to really learn and use the tasty stuff in my area. I am very excited that Oct 8th I am taking a one day class on the subject!

I took a class a while back and it was like sensory overload. In that day, while hiking, over 50 wild edibles were identified. I then had to narrow my focus to a few so that I could really learn them.

[gryffynklm]

Out this way Autumn Olive is ready. Its an invasive species. It make a decent jelly. The flavor is difficult to describe its a fruity flavor that reminds me sort of like grape, peach with a hint of like a cranberry??? Writing that sounds odd. It's a small red fruit about 1/2" in diameter with small white spots. I this is the first time considering making something. The juice is good i don't know if it will get to a jelly jar. LOL

On the home front, Its pear time. By the way last years Perry "Pear wine". turned out disappointing. Its more like a cider. I didn't like it, If i do wine again, I will kill off the wild yeast and use an appropriate wine yeast to have better control of the fermentation.

[LowKey]

mmmm pear cider. If you lose control of that fermentation, I'd take that off your hands.
Mostly hickory nut time here. Pretty bad squirrel infestation this year though. And not enough acorns to keep em busy. Not going to get any white oak acorns for the yearly attempt at flour. And probably not enough reds to make failure worthwhile. LOL. I did score some butternuts today on the way home. Just a bucketful. And it's not an edible, but I've been collecting milkweed fuzz. I want to try spinning it for candle wicks. I read about that somewhere. The cranberries in the back yard'll be ripe this weekend. Going to get about a pound this year but I got the plants sanded at just the right time so the runners for next year should be excellent. The last of the bean crop gets picked this weekend too.
And the fishing boat has to come out of the lake...sadly. Was hoping to get a few more bass. They're letting us keep up to 2-pounders there are so many of them.

[bobzilla]

Walnuts,mowed over(new) plantain,and some early hickory nuts,however I'm fighting a loosing battle with the squirrels,will have to get the dog and 410 out.
Squirrel stew with plantain and new carrots?Turnip coleslaw?

Thanks,Bob

[gryffynklm]

I finished mowing and it looks like it knocked the chestnuts from the porcupine I think I'll harvest the nuts in the morning. I have a primitive event in the city ark on wednesday, Perhaps I'll do a fall harvest demo for the school days thursday and friday. Low Key, If I try wine again I'll let you know if its any good. Last years pear wine is very low in alcohol and tastes like it wanted to go vinegar. It was my first attempt and rushed last minute lets try this scramble to get the equipment.

[LowKey]

I've been wanting to try my hand at hard cider. Not much of a wine guy. Still collecting bottles and equipment. Luckily I have a farmstand here that has bulk apples almost year round. They have a storage barn and pull the crates one at a time, so should be able to get good apples for the first try sometime soon.
So many things to try, so little weekend left.

Stupid state has a hunting season on gray squirrels from the second Monday of September until jan 2. But closed during shotgun Deer season (Nov 28 to Dec 10)...

[mouse111111]

I've got a HUGE amount of persimmons this year, the only thing they're good for is bread. Walnuts, although not as many as I would like so I won't sell any this year. White Oak acorns and I found a few puffball mushrooms.

[oldtrap59]

This dry summer was really hard on the nut crop around here. One bucket of pecans (5 last year) Hardly any hickory nuts Acorns what there is are very small Not many walnuts. Hope for a better year in 2012.
gryf Do you use just a standard berry recipe for that autumn olive jelly? It's all over out here in the edge of our timber.

Oldtrap

[whitewater4x4]

amen crashdive123 Have had about the same experience. I think I would have been better served to stick to either the 10 best tasting or the 10 most common . I have managed to introduce my grand daughter (5 yr old ) to wood sorrel( sheep shank as my pop calls it) . She likes the sourness and she said she liked the greenbrier.

[rwc1969]

Off the top of my head for me personally,

Right now it's wintergreen, a few autumn olives left, rose hips, mullein leaves, red willow bark, garlic mustard greens and roots if you fancy those, I did see some fresh spring greens too, mustards, but they're all bolting now, burdock root from the first year plants, cattail roots, but I've yet to get out the waders and try those. I did find a nice stretch of river where there appears to be some easy to get to and harvest cattails and the toxins should be about as low as possible considering where I live and the kind of stuff that ends up in our water.

Now's a good time for roots, the plants have mostly died back and all the energy is in the roots. The ground isn't frozen yet so digging should be easy. Most of the good roots in my area are somewhat rare though, so picking them is kind of counterproductive. however, there is an endless supply of burdock and cattail root. I found out that burdock root, when harvested at the right stage is actually pretty tasty, especially in stir fries.

[aflineman]

Got some Shaggy Manes, Chantrells, Elderberries, and a few late year Huckleberries. Also got a couple of Grouse to go with the Shaggy Manes

[rwc1969]

Still quite a few Nannyberrys or Blackhaws or Wild Raisins as some call them.

[BH51]

.......Wood's ear faired best as did puff'balls but I've yet to find any hen-of-the-woods.........
One of my favorites, "porcini" failed to make a good show as conditions were not favorable....
Musqadine grapes are wrapping up and wild pecan are most currantly sought.....Black walnuts
are in and many go to buy'ers in the, city near'by..Red & White oak acorns are plentiful...BH51