We were out for hours and hours last Saturday. Just driving around aimlessly, not knowing where we were going or what we were even looking for. It was like the old days of driving around looking for a countryside rave. Apart from we had two small children, some empty plastic bags and this great book. Foraging for Free..
Autumn is coming and for my kids they associate the arrival of autumn with’ blackAberries’ Blackberries to you or I.
It’s a great time to just spend your weekends foraging. It’s an easy, fun, free activity you can do anywhere with kids any age!
We came back with Blackberries, Elderberries and Sloes.
We were going to make jam from the blackberries and elderberries but ended up scoffing the lot. The Sloes I have frozen and intend to make some sloe gin. I have put them in the freezer because apparently they are best when first thawed. Next to the ice cold gin which I WILL NOT DRINK with the limes and bag of ice and tonic that I bought at the same time.. I dont even know why I bought that stuff!
If you can manage to not eat them all you can make jam.. here is an easy peasy recipe. Basically shove it in a pot and stir a bit.
Blackberry and Elderberry Jam Recipes
- Get your fruit and equal amounts of sugar and a juice of one lemon
- Put the fruit, sugar and lemon in a pot and Stir and then Steep for an hour to infuse
- Heat on a low heat until sugar dissolves
- Once the sugar has dissolved increase heat gradually until mixture has reached a rolling, bubbling heat. Keep this ‘rolling’ for 8-10 mins and skim foam off
- After about that amount to test if the jam is ready, take the mixture off the heat, and drop a small amount onto a plate or anything else similar. Leave for a minute or so, and then push the edge for the jam drop with the spoon or a finger. If the jam wrinkles like its setting as you push it, it is ready. If not, boil for another couple of minutes and try again
Have you found any foraging goodies near you? What did you make? recipes welcome. Maybe a foraging book was one of your free party essentials? Seems like quite a good idea now.
supermum and other disguises 
Sloe Gin is delicious, I’ve made it a few times from the sloes round here! If you make it soon, it’ll be perfect for Christmas time…when you’ll need it most! X
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I have some six, maybe seven year old sole gin – I wonder if it is still drinkable? Oh well only one way to find out!
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It will be fine but will taste quite different from some just a year old.
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I too have been out with the kids over the last month or so collecting blackberries and elderberries as well as sloes, , some plum crab apples, hawthorn berries and rosehips. Have already made some blackberry and apple jam, the sloes are in the freezer, the elderberries and rosehips are dried in atches in the oven to keep so I can made clod and flu busting vitmin syrup and some lackberries, crab apples, rosehip, elderberry and hawthorne berries will go into Hedgerow jelly.
Its great fun isnt it?
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yum so much fun for free!
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He’s I wish we could find some more things!
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I’ll allow myself to pick more sloes now I have just finished the ones I picked and froze last year – they are being made into sloe and bramley jelly and I may make the next ones I pick into more sloe gin! I also have my eye on rosehips to make rosehip syrup. #bigfatlinky
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Yes rose hip syrup seems to be a popular one.. Packed full of vitamins xx
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lovely post!
we made sloe gin a few weeks back and then since moving an finding blackberry and damson bushes right near our house we have made crumbles and jams with The Bundles, they loved it and it’s really heartwarming to see them getting interested in foraging and creating 🙂 x
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Fab post! It’s something that the boys and I always enjoy this time of year. Thanks for linking up with us on the #bigfatlinky hope to see you there this week
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I need that book in my life! I am surrounded by forest but rarely forage and make anything. How I got to 40 years old without making jam is beyond me…
Thank you for joining in – and sorry it’s taken me an eon to visit and comment, last week was the week from the depths of hell. All good now though *fist pumps*
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Fist bump back at ya! (-;
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