Chestnuts & mushrooms forage

SUNDAY 2nd NOVEMBER 2014

I am planning to go out early Sunday morning to Bromley area to look for chestnuts and mushrooms. I realise this is outside of our normal local area, but I fancied going further afield and checking out some (local to London) woodland.

I can't guarantee that we will find chestnuts, but it is the right time of year and where there is woodland, there is usually sweet chestnut trees.

During the walk we will talk about the differences between horse & sweet chestnuts, various cooking methods and recipes. If you've never collected chestnuts and don't know what to do with them, don't worry. Help is available to those who require it.

PLEASE NOTE: I am new to foraging for mushrooms and this really is just a learning experience for me (& anyone that joins me). Please do not expect to come home with lots of lovely edible fungi !!
This is more about learning where, how and when they grow and how to identify different types.

TRAVEL: There may be several bus journeys and a good amount of walking involved so please do wear appropriate attire.
I can meet people in Forest Hill, Penge or Bromley.
For those of you cycling and/or wanting to travel the bulk of the journey by train, the nearest stations will be Hayes or Bromley South.
Be aware: neither of these stations are within walking distance of the woods we will be visiting though. You will need to get a bus or cycle the rest of the way.
If anyone wants to join us that will be driving, I can give you the map coordinates. Please do consider car-sharing!
Vera

MEET AT: 10.30AM (later than previously arranged due to the rain)
FOREST HILL STATION (front entrance)
Devonshire Road, London SE23 3HB

This weeks harvests... Sept 2014

Hello all you happy harvesters :)

 

Please find below some of the harvests that are now planned for the next week (or 3)

 

Its a busy time of year, and I appreciate that some people have work and/or family commitments, so I am trying to include a wide variety of times so that everyone should have a chance of attending at least one harvest.
 

If you find that none of these dates/times are suitable but really do want to enjoy some harvesting activity (& get free organic fruit) please do let me know, and I will try my best to organise something that is convenient.

 

 

WED 10th -

Shooters Hill SE3 - Cooking APPLE harvest - time tbc - probable meeting time between 3-5pm

 

THURS 11th -

 Nowood SE25 - PEAR or cooking APPLE harvest  Meet 3.15pm (time may be varied slightly)

 

SAT 13th -

Nowood SE25 - cooking APPLE harvest (time tbc)
 

 

SUN 14th 8am -

 

Perry Hill SE6 (very close to SE26/SE23 borders) APPLE harvest -possibility of visiting another apple tree is local area of there is time.

SUN 21st 1pm
 

 Honor Oak SE23 - harvest of multiple APPLE trees. 
 

 

Please register your interest asap as some events will be limited in numbers.

 

Please do bring any picking equipment if you own any, inc step ladders if you have transport.

 

Please do bring your own bags - they will not be provided and you don't want to risk going home empty handed.

 

Please do bring a positive, co-operative attitude and remember that this is a multi-cultural zero-tolerance community-spirited group where all are welcome :)

 

 

Happy harvesting!

Vera

 

Sunday 7th Sept 2.30pm

Pear harvest in New Cross SE14

please note: the time has been changed from 1.30 to 2.30pm at the tree owners request

If you like to attend please email for meeting place details.

 

Please bring picking equipment if you own any, if not bring some bags, willing hands and a positive attitude :)

Happy gathering.

Vera

 

Pearfectly Happy Pear

GOT YOUR PLUMS?

 

NO?

Come and get some with us!

We have loads. Bucketfulls. Treefulls.

Take a look at these beauties, just waiting to be picked and taken home.

How do you use yours?
Eat them
Pickle them
Jam them
Steep them
Brew them
Chutney, wine, syrup, fruit leathers?
Dry them, dice them, Oh My Gosh, we like 'em

HELLO ALL YOU LOVELY FREE FRUIT FORAGERS!

WELCOME TO THE 2014

FRUIT HARVESTING SEASON

 

We kick off with our 1st event of an EARLY MORNING meander through Forest Hill and Sydenham to collect BLACKBERRIES

on SUNDAY 27th JULY

this will begin in Forest Hill at approximately 8am

If you want to join us, at 8 or later, email me to confirm

 

 

 

on Tuesday 29th July

Join us for our 1st ever evening harvest

when we will be gathering

 CHERRIES & PLUM  in Honor Oak

 

 places are limited so express your interest early

 

 

 

 

ROSEHIP & CRAB APPLE WORKSHOP FRIDAY 15th NOV 2013

Don't forget we have a WINTER WORKSHOP on tomorrow at Grow Mayow Community Garden.

On the Menu...

We will be making Rosehip & Crab Apple Jelly as well as fresh bread if we can get the cob oven hot enough.

We may also have a go at making Grape Jam and/or Pear & Red Onion Relish if there are enough participants.

10.30-4.30

Please do let me know if you can make it, so I can keep track of numbers.

Nominal fee to cover costs.

Please bring your own apron if you have one.

Love Vera
 

WINTER WORKSHOPS

@ Grow Mayow Community Garden

Dates for your diary

Here are the scheduled dates for the winter workshops as promised.

Each workshop will incur a small charge to cover costs & places are limited so please do let me know of your interest in your preferred dates.

All workshops will be held at Grow Mayow Community Garden. 10.30am - 4.30pm (approx)

NOVEMBER

Friday 15th

Thursday 28th

DECEMBER

Tues 10th

Friday 27th

JANUARY (2014)

Thursday 9th

Monday 20th

On the menu....

Rosehip & Crab Apple Jelly

Membrillo (quince cheese)

Pear & Red Onion Relish

Fruit Jams & Butters

Apple Chutney

Rosehip Syrup

Grape Jam

Chilli Jam

Butter & Bread

Hope to see you there.

Love Vera

Planned harvesting & foraging events for 22nd -- 31st OCTOBER

OCTOBER EVENTS 22nd - 31st


TUESDAY 22nd AM: Pear picking in SE23 Brockley rise area. This will be an early harvest to start at 9am. Meet at 8.45am on Brockley Rise

TUESDAY 22nd AM/PM: Grow wild are having a special day event. This will start earlier than normal at 11am, meet at Peckham Library for a forage in the meadows then on to cook with the produce at the kitchen in New Cross SE14. They will possibly be cooking additional recipes with previously harvested fruits. This event workshop may be accompanied by a film crew.


THURSDAY 24th AM: Harvest of apple tree/s in Honor Oak area. Possibly more than one garden (tbc)


FRIDAY 25th AM: Apple garden harvest in SE23 10.30


SATURDAY 26th AM: Garden harvest in Honor Oak/Hornimans area with several apple trees. Call or email me for exact meeting place at 10.15am


SUNDAY 27th AM: Another chance to gather chestnuts in Greenwich Park Advice provided on how to differentiate between Horse & Sweet chestnut trees and nuts. Recipes may also be provided, but these will also be posted on the website prior to the event.
As last week, we will aim to meet just before 11am, ready for a short introduction and be ready to kick off our collecting at 11am. The event is expected to last several hours depending on weather conditions and how much fruit people want to collect.
As usual, we plan to bring a close to the event by toasting each others good health & sharing foraging tales in a local public house (yet to be decided).
Sturdy footwear is a must. Gloves are optional, but recommended.--- we will be going as the storm is not predicted to start until the evening!!

 

 

Please wear appropriate outdoor clothing for all events and as always... Bring your OWN BAGS!!

ADVANCE NOTICE:
FRIDAY 1st NOVEMBER: 10.30-4.30 Quince Day workshop at Grow Mayow - Please contact me for booking info. Nominal fee will apply to cover costs, but you do get to take some produce home. Limited places!! Please book early.

CHESTNUT HUNTING SUNDAY 27TH OCTOBER

JOIN US ON OUR CHESTNUT HUNT

SUNDAY 20TH & (due to popular demand)
SUNDAY 27th OCTOBER

 

I will be providing free recipes for those who have no idea on what to do with the CHESTNUTS once collected.

 

The activity is great fun and suitable for most ages.

Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and sturdy shoes. Walking/hiking boots are highly recommended. Thick/gardening gloves may be useful.

We will be going no matter the weather - unless its torrential rain

 

Meeting points will be at...

 

FOREST HILL

SYDENHAM

 

&  BLACKHEATH

 

with an estimated meeting time of 11am at Blackheath.

The chestnut hunt will be expected to last approximately 2-3 hours

with a possible pub visit somewhere local afterwards

 

Please contact me for specific meeting points & times

 

As always... Bring your own bags!

a link for some wonderful chestnut recipes
 

 

fruit harvesting events for October 2013

PLANNED EVENTS for OCTOBER -- 13th - 20th

As with all events, please do call/text/email me for more details & do bring your own bags!!

SUN 20th 11.30AM: Chestnut foraging at Greenwich Park. Meeting points at Forest Hill, Lewisham Station and Blackheath (Shooters Hill)
 

SAT 19th AM: Albion Millenium Green Orchard Walk  Meet at Forest Hill Station @ 11am

SAT 19th PM:We will be meeting at the Honor Oak Aerial site and visiting a nearby garden which had 6 different varieties of Apple trees. Bring picking picks if you have, or can borrow.

FRI 18th AM: Pear tree harvest in Honor Oak Park area. Meet at 9.30am
FRI 18th NOON: Harvest of 2 apple trees, also in Honor Oak Park. Time TBC
FRI 18th PM: Possibility of attending 2 garden in the same rd, local to the earlier harvests. (TBC)
 

THURS 17th Morning: We will be visiting 2 adjacent gardens behind Hornimans Museum that has several apples trees. Meet at 9.30am

THURS 17th Afternoon: We will be vising a garden in New Cross. Meet at 2pm

SUN 13th Some of us are heading over to One Tree Hill / Brenchley Gardens early afternoon, to look for sloes and some late blackberries. Contact me for meeting place.

SE23 ORCHARD WALK Saturday 18th Oct 11am

SE23 ORCHARD WALK

Saturday 19th October is Orchard Day in Forest Hill and Sydenham. Join a guided walk by local historian Steve Grindlay around four community gardens and nature reserves entirely looked after by volunteers.
The tour starts from Forest Hill station at 11am, arriving in Albion Millennium Green at 11.30 for a spot of tree planting, thence to Mayow Park in Sydenham, tollowed by a stop at De Frene Road, a food growing space run by the amazing Sydenham Garden. Perfect for an autumn morning!

contact: foresthillsociety@gmail.com

How to harvest a fruit tree, courtesy of the BBC & Abundance London

A short film by the BBC when they visited Abundance London to see how its done

FRUIT HARVESTING this week 8-13th Oct 2013

​

PLANNED EVENTS for OCTOBER
 

As with all events, please so call/text/email me for more details & do bring your own bags!!

 

SAT 19th We will be meeting at the Honor Oak Aerial site and visiting a nearby garden which had 6 different varieties of Apple trees. Bring picking picks if you have, or can borrow.

 

THURS 17th We will be visiting 2 gardens behind Hornimans Museum that has several apples trees. Meet at 9.30am

There may also be an appple harvest in East Dulwich SE22 in the afternoon (tbc)

 

SUN 13th Some of us are heading over to One Tree Hill / Brenchley Gardens to look for sloes and some late blackberries. Time to be confirmed.

FRI 11th Pear picking on Perry vale meet at 11.45am at the junction of Perry Vale, Perry Rise & Woolstone rd (contact me for more details if needed)

WEDS 9th CHUTNEY making @ Grow Mayow (small cost towards ingredients)

Followed by a Pear Harvest not far from the garden,

Followed by GREEN DRINKS Crystal Palace @ The Grape & Grain from 8PM (although if you are coming with me, we may get there slightly earlier - with time for a quiet drink before the group conveens)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love Vera

 

 

APPLE PICKING MONDAY 30TH SEPT

APPLE PICKING MONDAY 30TH SEPT

 

I will be going to pick RED apples this afternoon.

Meet on the junction of

 

PERRY VALE  -  PERRY RISE  - WOOLSTONE RD

 

AT 2 PM

 

this time is subject to change so if you want to come its best to call me

to check the arrangements

 

Love Vera

 

Update...

 

A new volunteer joined the group today with a brand new extending picking stick (much bigger than mine) so we were able to get more fruit than we would have, however, we still didn't manage to reach the fruit in the uppermost branches.

 

The tree is located in the front garden of a house converted into several flats. One of the tenants came out and spoke to us and was very friendly but was not at all interested in taking or using any of the fruit. I did explain to her that it was a very special variety, but she was nonchalant. Such a shame, I know many people who would LOVE to have this particular variety on their doorstep.

Oh well..... SEplentyfree wins again.

As usual the fruit was divided amongst volunteers, althoug the bulk of it was taken to be used at the Apple Day at Grow Mayow, which was a great success.

 

 

 

 

APPLE DAY @ GROW MAYOW WEDNESDAY 2nd OCTOBER 3013

GROW MAYOW APPLE DAY 

In  conjunction with SEplentyfree

NEXT WEDNESDAY 2nd Oct 2-6pm

 

 

There will be apple & pear juice fresh from the apple press

Cakes, Pies, Crumbles & Pastries
Jams & Chutneys to sample & buy
Kids activities
Free apple recipes to take home
Mulled apple juice (hot)
& apple lot more

There will also be a plants on sale as well as freshly made herb bundles.

APPLE PICKING IN PECKHAM SE15 ON SUNDAY 6th OCTOBER 2013

APPLE PICKING IN PECKHAM SE15 ON SUNDAY 6th OCTOBER 2013

Meet on the corner of EAST DULWICH RD & FENWICK RD @2pm

We will be picking lovely red eating apples.

Picking poles are recommended.

After the event.... As its Sunday afternoon, some of us may be stopping for a pint or 2 at a local public house. The Flying Pig is a possibility as it has several guest ciders.

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BAGS!

PEAR PICKING THIS SATURDAY 28th SEPT 2013 IN LEWISHAM SE13

PEAR PICKING THIS SATURDAY  28th SEPT 2013 IN LEWISHAM SE13

SATURDAY 28th SEPT @11.15

We will be visiting a local garden to pick pears from a huge tree.
Picking poles are recommended, as are ladders if you have them/transport.

We will be meeting at the Car Park on Slaithwaite Rd SE13

I have been advised that the grass in the garden we are visiting is rather long and boots or suitable foorwear are advised.

Some of us will be going on to a GROWWILD  WORKSHOP. WE
will meet at the  People's Library New Cross SE14 at 1pm. The session is expected to run until 5pm.

Come and join us to pick pears,come and join us afterwards at the workshop, come to either, come to both, but we really hope to see you there!

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BAGS!

UPDATE....

Pear picking in Lewisham went well and we got around 90% of the tree, which wasnt as big as anticipated.
The tree owner & pickers were all pleased to see the fruit go to good homes.

The Workshop was a fabulous afternoon. We Picked grapes near to the Somerville adventure playgroup and also picked red apples in Brockley.

Back in the kitchen, the goup was guided by Penny to make Musto Cotto as well as John Downey Jelly.

BLACKBERRY, APPLE & PEAR HARVESTING 21 & 22 SEPT 2013

Some of us are planning on going out foraging/harvesting over the weekend.

Saturday we hope to hunt down blackberries in Brockley cemetery;  meet at the cemetary gates on Brockley Rd at 9.50.

Early Sunday morning I will be going either apple picking locally in SE23 or rosehip foraging near Sainsburys at Bell Green (Syd).

Sunday afternoon we are hoping to harvest some pears, time yet to be confirmed.

If your interested in any of these trips, comment below or send a message.

Love Vera x

please sign the BEE CAUSE Petition

BEE CAUSE

BLACKBERRY PICKING

BLACKBERRY PICKING sometime this weekend 21-22 Sept.
Please let me know asap if you are interested by adding a comment below or emailing me direct.

 

 

UPDATE...

 

We didn't get a whole lot of blackberries as the rain had done a lot of damage.

We are hoping if it stays dry, all the unripe berries will ripen and we can get a glut then.

If you have some ready to pick near you, please so let us know.

Love Vera