Foraged.

[bigpaul]

same goes for anything you pick in the wild, learn to identify it, if your not sure what it is don't eat it. it is better to be safe than sorry(or in intensive care).

[Sunna]

how many trees full of fruit have I seen with the fruit just fell off and left to rot , theirs loads of homes around me with huge gardens and fruit trees the owners seem quite happy for this to happen.

[bigpaul]

that's how I got the apples Sunna!!

[Lightspeed]

(14 November 2014, 16:46)Midnitemo Wrote: up at the stables there are absolutely ton's of chantrelle mushrooms, I've told everybody there but they all look at me like I'm mad....is there a way of successfully storing wild mushrooms in quantity?

Good find midnight

Yes Chanterelle mushrooms are easily stored by drying. We have been drying quite large quantities this year as well.

Best way we've tried is to slice then thin ( very sharp blade needed) and leave them on drying trays* in the loft for a week. We them bag the dried mushrooms in cotton bags and leave them hanging from the beams in the loft. They keep and are usable for years like this.

* Drying trays are wooden frames with net curtain stretched over them. This allows good airflow around whatever is being dried.

Hope you enjoy eating a few fresh though, they are delicious.

---

(14 November 2014, 14:54)bigpaul Wrote: picked up a load of cooking apples a couple of days ago, nothing wrong with them, they were dumped in a gully on the grass verge, we reckon we've got enough for the whole winter, had some in an apple crumble last night, really tasty.

Kind of ditto BP, we hedgerow harvested around 50lb of assorted apples a few weeks ago. Now sorted and stored in the cellar. If they stay good, we should have enough for crumbles, pies and strudels throughout the winter.

If time permits I may try drying some too to see how they store.

[Steve]

My neighbour has more than 50 apple trees, yet doesn't seem to eat apples. My pigs have been enjoying them though.

[bigpaul]

we quite often find windfall apples during the course of the year, they are probably more prevalent in Somerset, Devon dosent have as many apple orchards but still find a few. I think the ones we found the other day were just picked and dumped, don't know why as there was no bruising or signs of rot on them.

[Straight Shooter]

great advice LS many thanks. there is bugger all left on my trees..all is put to good use.....as it should be....BP you would stave on my land lol ....but like others have said i also see waste all around here, people have either lost the knowledge or most likely cannot be arsed to pick up and carry home .

[bigpaul]

I think the problem is that people are so used to seeing fruit (and veg) all the same size in those plastic packets in the supermarket that they couldn't possibly pick up something from the side of the road that is all different shapes and sizes!!

[Straight Shooter]

Yep i fear your nearer the truth than i am BP.

[Midnitemo]

right I'm going to go harvest my shroom's and have a go at dry storing them, have already tried them yesterday in an omelette and they were delicious thank's LS