CHARLEY PARKER illustrations - Harvesting and Picking Wild Garlic

This guy is a LEGEND!!!
And heres two more from 'Charley Harper - An Illustrated Life' by Todd Oldham.

Woods to Warm You Well

Now is that time of year when, yes, it IS technically Spring, but we all know that means rain and lots of it, which is great for the plants that we eat but also time to get the firewood in!

Back in the day, every small child knew which native British woods were good as winter fuel and which were as useless for keeping you warm as a chocolate fire grate, but now with piped and increasing unaffordable electricity and gas, most of us don't have a clue.

"Oake logs wille warm ye well, that are olde and drye;
Pyne logs they wille sweetlye smell,
But the sparks wille flye;
Byrch logs theye wille burne too faste,
Chestnut scarce at alle...."

If you would like to learn both the next four verse of this ancient Irish wood song and which woods are best for foraging for your stove, stay posted for a Fuel Forage guided walk close to you soon.

SPRING GREENS in your step...

Hello fellow Foragers and Fossickers in the great natural river basin of the Ouse, Milton Keynes....

The first few shoots of delicious mustardy Jack-by- the Hedge (Allaria petiolata), spinachy Nettles (Urtica diocia) and Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) will be ready for your palates in a few short weeks.

Also that winter staple, the Jelly Ear Fungus (Auricularia auricle-judae) which can be pickled, fried or added to soups' a la Chinoiserie' style.   To find out how to identify and prepare delicious and nutritious dishes stay tuned for my HEDGEWITCH guided forages and tapas style tasting sessions at a pub near you!