first spring forage

I'm fortunate enough to have a fantastic stretch of woodland right on my doorstep. Just a little further away, across a busy road and down a steep hill there's the entrance to another, a much more hidden away stretch only ever used by dog walkers. This one really comes alive in the autumn with crab apples, sweet chestnuts and a long muddy path overgrown with blackberries. rarely ive stumbled upon much in springtime. perhaps i just need to spend more time there!



Having spent the morning drying off after a torrential downpour and thunderstorms on the school run i wasn't going to take any chances. Pulling on waterproofs and wellington boots, armed with a basket, scissors and my bare hands i headed off. grateful the rain had eased off giving way to blue skies. i didnt have to travel far before finding my first patch of nettle, snipping the tops off as many as i could with only one mildly stung finger! happy with my haul i carried on, this time my eyes open for wild garlic.

I was surprised to see so many raspberry canes in new growth, covered with tiny leaves amongst the thick rambling growth of blackberries and rampant beech trees. i plan to go back and take a few cuttings from the raspberries as I've heard they are very easy to grow and take root in most circumstances.


I love the woodland, the scent of wild garlic was nowhere near as strong as usual, heavy downpour saw to that. Still, i wasn't disappointed. the floor was covered in a luscious green carpet of bluebells, wild garlic and clivers. i picked enough wild garlic to make a jar of pesto, J's favourite  dish is pasta and pesto.


just as i finished gathering up the wild garlic another heavy downpour hit signaling time to head off to go pick up the boy, satisfied with my haul.