Forage and grow 2017
As the summer draws to a close, my strawberries come to the end of their season, wild berries come into full swing.
Over the last number of weeks blackberries,rosehips and hawthorn berries have been ripening. Hawthorn and blackberries cover our hedges and in my opinion underused in the industry and in general life.
I admit to being oblivious to the uses for hawthorn and rosehips, however as a child blackberries, were always a part of a country walk this time of year, pick a berry walk on oh that’s a big one look, *picks and eats said berry. In recent times I have discovered a fondnes for the hawthorn dipping sauce / dressing we make in the restaurant, I have also began to expand my range of the wild edibles, to the extent, the weeds I. The front lawn are no longer safe. (thanks Alan for stopping the spraying).
Now more so than ever foraging is a bigger part of my life, to the extent, that I can’t leave the house now without a tub, or scissors in the car, to the dislike of my fiancee that I stop in the most random places or so it would appear, to pick up something or to investigate a brief glimpse of something.
I’m looking forward now to elderberies which are fruiting, and ripening nicely for harvest o errors the next few weeks.
As for the tunnel well it turned into a weeding nightmare to the stage where I just got frustrated and pulled half of it out and in the process some of the plants with it. Most of them now to be fair are coming back with a vengeance. This mass weeding allowed more plants to flourish, green beans, tomatoes and butternut squash have taken over their own areas, quite literally making a carpet of green for me to pick from. Earlier I trimmed the white and red currant bushes to see if I can multiple them I am glad to report roots appearing so I now have about 5,of each so happy out. Along with my Logan berry bush which has produced berries.
Thanks to my aunt for apples and black currants, birds hot to the berries.
Stay tuned for more surprises on the Facebook page, and the restaurant page also.
Don’t forget we are doing a demo for the food festival in Tralee which is 23rd Sept at 12pm call by to see what we are getting up to.
Follow the blog for more or myself @chefpaulc on Twitter and Instagram
traleeculinarygangsters 
I’m with you…Buckets, baskets and bags have become a thing in my vehicle too. If I can’t get into the bush for whatever reason, Alley ways have become a nice target for foraging with crab apples, apples, choke cherries, raspberries, rhubarb and dock. We have Hawthorn here too, I hope to explore it this year and learn some uses. I can spend my days just foraging around here, but I can’t forget my garden and herbs. That needs attention as well. Happy Foraging and happy growing!
LikeLike
Always have a bag or contianer wellies and a knife in the boot
LikeLike