uk

morell fungus fungi mushroom forage foraging forager fre food wild thrifty sustainability sustainable self sufficient

Foraging in Spring – Free food in the wild UK

Free

Foraging in Spring, for food in the wild, is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

Wild Garlic ramsons forage forager foraging in Spring free food in the wild uk sustainability thrifty

Wild Garlic – ‘Ramsons’ – Ready to forage right now! – Great in a stir-fry or pesto

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem. Start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground, or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Below is a list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick during Springtime in the UK.

If you haven’t tried foraging before, why not just go for a walk around your local park or woodland and see if you recognise any of the plants or fungi that appear on this blog.

Take a tub or bag with you and make sure that you wash your foraged finds before you eat them.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

Get Foraging in Spring!

Early Spring:

Birch Sap ● Bulrush ● Chickweed ● Cleavers ● Dandelion Root ● Gorse Flowers ● Ground elder ● Hairy bittercress ● Hop Shoots ● Jack-by-the-hedge ● Morel ● Nettle ● Oyster Mushroom ● Sweet Violet ● Velvet shank ● Wild Garlic

Late Spring:

Borage ● Brooklime ● Bistort ● Carragheen ● Chickweed ● Cleavers ● Cow Parsley ● Dandelion Flowers & Root ● Dog Rose ● Fairy-ring Champignon ● Fat Hen ● Gorse Flowers ● Hawthorne leaves & blossom ● Hop Shoots ● Laver ● Mallow leaves ● Mint ● Morel ● Nettle ● Primrose ● Prunella ● Rosemary ● Sea Beet ● Sorrel ● St George’s Mushroom ● Sweet Cicely ● Sweet Violet ● Tansy leaves ● Watercress ● Wild Garlic ● Yarrow

Identifying your foraged finds

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

Dandelion jam jelly honey make home-made thrifty sustainability gift present DIY dandelions

Dandelions – flowers and leaves great in salad – turn the roots into a coffee-like drink

morell fungus fungi mushroom forage foraging in spring forager free food wild thrifty sustainability sustainable self sufficient

Foraging in Spring for the elusive but tasty Morell

Dog Rose forage foraging forager wild food may uk thrifty sustainability

Dog Rose – you can eat the petals!

Ground Elder forage foraging in Spring uk free food wild thrifty sustainability save money

Ground Elder – great eaten raw in salads

 

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:
My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
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Hazelnut Hazelnuts foraging for free food wildfood bushcraft forager forage survival gather harvest nut nuts

Foraging in August – free food in the wild UK

Free

Foraging for food in the wild is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

Hazelnut Hazelnuts foraging for free food wildfood bushcraft forager forage survival gather harvest nut nuts

Foraging Hazelnuts in August

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem. Start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground, or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Below is a short list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick in August in the UK.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

If you haven’t tried foraging before, why not just go for a walk around your local park or woodland, see if you recognise any of the plants or fungi that appear on this blog.

Take a tub or bag with you, and make sure that you wash your foraged finds before you eat them.

Get Foraging in August!

Borage    Black Mustard    Blackberries    Brooklime    Cauliflower Fungus     Carragheen     Cep    Chanterelle    Cherry Plums   Chicken of the woods    Chickweed    Cleavers    Crab Apples   Dandelion Flowers & Root    Elderberries     Fairy-ring Champignon    Fat Hen   Field Mushroom   Giant Puffball   Gooseberry    Green Walnut    Hazelnuts   Hedgehog Fungus   Horse Mushroom    Laver   Mallow leaves    Mint    Nettle   Mulberries     Parasol Mushroom   Primrose Leaves    Prunella Raspberry    Rosehips    Rosemary   Sea Beet     Shaggy Cap    Sorrel     Watercress   Wild Cherries    Wild Damsons    Wild Fig   Wild Strawberry

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

 

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:

My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
If you would like to receive Thrifty Sustainability updates by email when a new article is added, please subscribe here:


 

Gooseberry gooseberries forage foraging bushcraft forager wild food uk

Foraging in July – free food in the wild UK

Free

Foraging for food in the wild is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

Gooseberry gooseberries forage foraging bushcraft forager wild food uk

Gooseberries

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem. Start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground, or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Below is a short list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick in July in the UK.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

If you haven’t tried foraging before, why not just go for a walk around your local park or woodland, see if you recognise any of the plants or fungi that appear on this blog.

Take a tub or bag with you, and make sure that you wash your foraged finds before you eat them.

Get Foraging in July!

Borage    Blackcurrant   Brooklime    Carragheen   Cep   Chanterelle   Chicken of the woods   Chickweed    Cleavers   Dandelion Flowers & Root    Dog Rose    Fairy-ring Champignon   Fat Hen   Field Mushroom   Giant Puffball   Gooseberry    Gorse Flowers    Green Walnut   Horse Mushroom   Laver  Lime Blossom   Mallow leaves    Mint    Nettle   Parasol Mushroom    Primrose Leaves    Prunella    Raspberry   Redcurrant   Rosemary   Sea Beet   Shaggy Cap   Sorrel   Sweet Violet Tansy leaves    Watercress    Wild Fig   Wild Strawberry

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

 

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:

My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
If you would like to receive Thrifty Sustainability updates by email when a new article is added, please subscribe here:


 

Wild Strawberry foraging in June in the UK forage bushcraft thrifty alpine strawberry

Foraging in June – free food in the wild UK

Free

Foraging for food in the wild is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

Wild Strawberry foraging in June in the UK forage bushcraft thrifty alpine strawberry

Wild Strawberry – small but tasty!

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem. Start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground, or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Below is a short list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick in June in the UK.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

If you haven’t tried foraging before, why not just go for a walk around your local park or woodland, see if you recognise any of the plants or fungi that appear on this blog.

Take a tub or bag with you, and make sure that you wash your foraged finds before you eat them.

Get Foraging in June!

Borage    Brooklime     Carragheen     Chickweed     Cleavers     Cow Parsley     Dandelion Flowers & Root     Dog Rose    Elderfower     Fairy-ring Champignon    Fat Hen     Gorse Flowers     Hawthorne leaves & blossom    Laver     Mallow leaves      Mint     Morel      Nettle      Primrose     Prunella     Rosemary     Sea Beet    Shaggy Ink Cap  Sorrel St George’s Mushroom    Sweet Cicely     Sweet Violet    Tansy leaves     Watercress     Wild Fig    Wild Garlic    Wild Strawberry     Yarrow

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

 

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:

My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
If you would like to receive Thrifty Sustainability updates by email when a new article is added, please subscribe here:


 

Dog Rose forage foraging forager wild food may uk thrifty sustainability

Foraging in May – Free food in the wild UK

Free

Foraging for food in the wild is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

Dog Rose forage foraging forager wild food may uk thrifty sustainability

Dog Rose – Edible petals and later, the rose-hips.

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem as you start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground, or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Below is a short list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick in May in the UK. As the weather gets warmer, there is plenty to be found for the eager forager.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

If you haven’t tried foraging before, why not just go for a walk around your local park or woodland, see if you recognise any of the plants or fungi that appear on this blog.

Take a tub or bag with you, and make sure that you wash your foraged finds before you eat them.

Get Foraging in May!

Borage    Brooklime     Carragheen     Chickweed     Cleavers     Cow Parsley     Dandelion Flowers & Root     Dog Rose      Fairy-ring Champignon     Fat Hen     Gorse Flowers     Hawthorne leaves & blossom     Hop Shoots     Laver     Mallow leaves     Mint     Morel     Nettle     Primrose     Prunella     Rosemary     Sea Beet    Sorrel     St George’s Mushroom     Sweet Cicely     Sweet Violet     Tansy leaves     Watercress     Wild Garlic     Yarrow

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

 

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:

My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
If you would like to receive Thrifty Sustainability updates by email when a new article is added, please subscribe here:


 

Repair Cafe by Ilvy Njiokiktjien Creative Commons-CC BY-SA 3.0, httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwindex.phpcurid=24316530

What is a Repair Cafe? – Sustainable skills

Free, Making & DIY, Sustainability, Thrifty

What is a Repair Cafe?

A repair cafe is a free meeting place, where people can bring along broken possessions to be fixed by a group of local volunteers. The volunteers have experience in repairing all kinds of items from furniture, clothes and bikes to electrical goods.

Repair Cafe by Ilvy Njiokiktjien - CC BY-SA 3.0 - Regeneration Cafe sustainable skills fixing DIY mending Repairing

Learning how to repair brings communities together

Repair cafes encourage communities to reduce waste and save money by maintaining and repairing, rather than throwing stuff away and buying new.

Many repair cafe initiatives also encourage visitors to work side-by-side with the volunteers to learn how to repair their own possessions. The idea being that the visitor can fix it themselves next time and teach others to do the same, passing on the knowledge and the learning of basic repair jobs.

Repair cafes have lots of useful tools and materials provided and, as well as encouraging a sustainable and thrifty perspective, it is a great way for  communities to get together, over a cuppa, and strengthen bonds.

Why repair?

Lots of items are thrown away needlessly every day, these items are often easily repaired. Sometimes people don’t realise that the item could be repaired, or it may be that the knowledge of how to repair the item has been lost.

By RaMa2016 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46595423 Repair Cafe Repairing sustainable thrifty

Save money – repair rather than replace

Learning how to repair an item yourself is not only a great way to save money and help the environment, but you also gain a real sense of achievement and self-esteem, as you apply a newly learned practical skill to fix your item.

When things are used for longer and are not thrown away, it reduces the amount of raw materials and resources needed to make new items. For example, harmful CO2 emissions are reduced and the energy that it would take to create, transport and sell a new product is saved.

As well as resident repair experts, lots of repair cafes also have books and leaflets available, which detail DIY repairs and tips.

 

A Repair Cafe in Cheltenham

This post has been inspired by the Regeneration Cafe which launches in Cheltenham on Saturday 7th March. Vision 21, University of Gloucestershire Product Design staff and students and the Gloucestershire Joint Waste Team are launching a monthly repair cafe in Cheltenham.

If you live in Cheltenham or nearby, why not pop along to support this fantastic initiative. Do you have something that needs fixing? Do you have skills or repair knowledge that might come in handy? Want to learn more about the project? Why not pop in, all are most welcome.

Launch Event:

The Regeneration Cafe – Saturday 7th May 2016 – 10am – 12.30pm
St Andrews URC, Montpellier Street, Cheltenham GL50 1SP.

For further details about this launch event: https://www.facebook.com/events/972253176162377/

 

Why not get in touch with your local council, or search on Google, to see if there is a repair cafe near you. If there isn’t one… you could start one!

Do you have details of your local repair cafe? Please feel free to share them in the comments section below

 

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 

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Wild Garlic ramsons forage forager foraging free food in the wild uk sustainability thrifty

Foraging in April – Free food in the wild – UK

Free

Foraging for food in the wild is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

Wild Garlic ramsons forage forager foraging free food in the wild uk sustainability thrifty

Wild Garlic leaves (Ramsons) – identify by breaking a leaf for a distinctive garlicy smell

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem as you start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground, or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Below is a short list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick in April in the UK. As the weather gets warmer, there is plenty to be found for the eager forager.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

If you haven’t tried foraging before, why not just go for a walk around your local park or woodland, see if you recognise any of the plants or fungi that appear on this blog.

Take a tub or bag with you, and make sure that you wash your foraged finds before you eat them.

Get Foraging in April!

Bistort    Carragheen    Cleavers   Cow Parsley    Dandelion Flowers & Root    Fairy-ring Champignon    Gorse Flowers    Hawthorne leaves   Hop Shoots    Laver   Mallow leaves    Morel    Nettle    Primrose     Prunella   Rosemary   Sea Beet    St George’s Mushroom   Sweet Violet    Tansy leaves   Wild Garlic   Yarrow

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

 

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:

My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
If you would like to receive Thrifty Sustainability updates by email when a new article is added, please subscribe here:


 

morell fungus fungi mushroom forage foraging forager fre food wild thrifty sustainability sustainable self sufficient

Foraging in March – Free food in the wild

Free

Foraging for food in the wild is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

morell fungus fungi mushroom forage foraging forager free food wild thrifty sustainability sustainable self sufficient

The elusive but tasty Morell

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem as you start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground, or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Below is a short list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick in March.  As the weather gets warmer, there is a little more to be found for the eager forager.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

If you haven’t tried foraging before, why not just go for a walk around your local park or woodland, see if you recognise any of the plants or fungi that appear on this blog.

Take a tub or bag with you, and make sure that you wash your foraged finds before you eat them.

Get Foraging in March!

Birch Sap      Bulrush      Cleavers      Dandelion Root      Gorse Flowers      Ground elder       Hairy bittercress       Hop Shoots       Jack-by-the-hedge       Morel       Nettle       Sweet Violet       Velvet shank       Wild Garlic

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

 

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:

My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
If you would like to receive Thrifty Sustainability updates by email when a new article is added, please subscribe here:


 

Grow your own vegetables cheat sheet infographic planting calendar

Grow your own – Planting & Picking calendar

Cheap Food / on a Budget, Sustainability, Thrifty

Growing your own fruit and vegetables can be so rewarding, as we discovered in this previous post – Why grow your own fruit and vegetables.

Different vegetables need to be planted and picked at different times throughout the year. Planting at the correct time ensures that you get the best quality and quantity of veg from the seeds that you use.

Whether you are growing vegetables in a garden, an allotment, a patio or in a window box – this brilliant grow your own ‘cheat sheet’, has lots of useful information to help you get started.

This infographic will help you to know:

  • when to plant each type of vegetable
  • how far apart to plant the seeds
  • which garden pests to look out for
  • how to stop pests from targeting your veg
  • which vegetables grow well when planted together
  • and the best bit… when to pick them!

Grow your own vegetables – cheat sheet:

Grow your own vegetables cheat sheet infographic planting calendar

Here is a downloadable version of the grow your own vegetables cheat sheet.

Feeling inspired? Get muddy fingers, grow tasty veg and enjoy!
 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
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Hairy Bittercress wild herb food free foraging forager forage uk thrifty sustainability

Foraging in February – free food in the wild

Free

Foraging for food in the wild is a fantastic way to bulk out your meals for free.

Hairy Bittercress wild herb food free foraging forager forage uk thrifty sustainability

Hairy Bittercress – a peppery mustard flavour to add to raw salads

It’s also great exercise, great for connecting with nature and great for boosting your self-esteem as you start to discover the wealth of free food that’s just poking out of the ground or dangling off a tree in your local area… if you only know what to look for!

Here is a short list of the kinds of foods that are ready to find and pick in February, although free food is far more scarce over winter, there is still something to be found for the eager forager.

Each item in the list is a link that will show you a description on Wikipedia, so that you may identify the food correctly before you pick and eat it.

Foraging in February:

Chickweed     Ground elder    Hairy bittercress    Jack-by-the-hedge    Nettle    Velvet shank

Be safe when foraging, make sure that you are picking something edible and not something poisonous! It is a good idea to use a guide book or to research online before you go foraging. For example, try looking up each of the above on Wikipedia to find an accurate image and description.

I recommend the following books about foraging for free food – they help you to identify, harvest, prepare and preserve your findings:
My favourite is ‘Food for Free‘, because it is a pocket-sized guide that you can take out foraging.

 
A few self-sufficient, thrifty or off-the-grid selections, including Solar Panel Chargers. Toys and tools that I’m saving up for!

 
If you would like to receive Thrifty Sustainability updates by email when a new article is added, please subscribe here: