The crab apples are beginning to ripen as are the haws although it doesn’t look like a bumper crop this year, probably due to the dry weather.
I’m not anticipating much of a fungi season either more’s the pity!
The crab apples are beginning to ripen as are the haws although it doesn’t look like a bumper crop this year, probably due to the dry weather.
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Lots of Rowan Berries as well!
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It will soon be Mushroom gathering time - if they have survived the drought - I love Shaggy Inkcaps!
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Blackberries here soon I hope,I see a few have ripened, in the field near my house, depending how much I harvest, I would like to make a blackberry and apple pie.
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I can remember my Dad many years ago went mushroom picking…I’d be worried I picked the poisonous ones, how can you tell the difference,ST?.
Years of foraging with my Grandma in school holidays. She made all her own medicines/cosmetics etc., and passed her knowledge on to me. When she died - my lovely Auntie continued my eduction.
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I had a lot of elder berries in my garden and considered making wine but today I saw a rather tipsy looking pigeon eating them .
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Shaggy Inkcaps are supposed to make a really decent soup if you can find enough. I’ve tried frying them but they just tend to disintegrate in the pan , it could just be me being heavy handed, they really are fragile. How do you cook yours Silver Tabby?
The recent rains have meant a bumper harvest of Death Cap Mushrooms for those who want a kidney transplant or a quick exit before their wedding anniversary.
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Oh yes!
That’s a must to be able to identify. Once ingested there is no antidote, the toxins can’t be excreted from from the body.
Not so sure about a quick exit though Bruce, slow and very unpleasant I believe although I’ve no intention of finding out for myself 
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I only pick them when they are very young - and use them the same day. They do not keep. They are very tasty in soup - not yet managed to find enough to make it an exclusive - but have added them to ordinary mushroom soup - yummy.
I have also fried them with bacon - but they need to be really fresh to do that successfullly - definitely worth the effort though.
Thing to remember about them is - you must not drink alcohol for about 36 - 48 hours after eating them or you will be very very sick!
Yep,
I’ve only picked them when they are young and resembling closed umbrellas and as you say used them very quickly.
I think it’s The Common Inkcap that causes problems with alcohol however.
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Being red/green colourblond has always deterred me from foraging. Are any of you also colourblond but forage anyway?
@Chilliboot - they both do. If you want proof - try drinking lager with a bacon and inkcap sarnie! Not nice!
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Sure it wasn’t the bacon?
This is bugging me now, I’ll have to do a little reading up when I get back from the shops.
It does illustrate the point about being spot on with fungi though doesn’t it?
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@Chilliboot - here is an excellent foraging guide for you - not just for mushrooms but all sorts of interesting things - including recipes!
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@Chilliboot - I stand corrected … must have put a ‘Common’ in with the ‘Shaggys’ - I often pick both.
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Far to scared to forage mushrooms and fungi! 
And bramble cordage, really? Lovely idea but does anyone have that much spare time 
May be my City Girl roots are showing and I’ll be a right Earth Mother when I retire 
I’ve got a freezer full of frozen blackberries, though👍
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Now there’s a familiar sight, we’ve been stocking up on frozen blackberries too.
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What do you do with them?
My son has requested bramble jelly and after that I’m going to do some blackberry gin and blackberry jelly