# Food for free



## donkey too (Jan 5, 2012)

Thought I would start a new thread on this very interesting subject. So lets have your posetive comments and food suggestions/recipes please.
First  of all it is reletively easy to survive in UK on wild food as long as you know what you are doing. and are willing to take advice. I do not believe as some have voiced, about taking all day to gather etc. I have lived in Wales for 13 months at one time with no contact with other humans and entirely on free food. the only 2 things I imported at the start was Salt (very inportant especialy if there is a shortage of veg and you are living almost entirely on meat for any time) and Oat meal. (I can't go without my oats)

So I shall start the ball rolling with this snipet which I knew about since my army days but have yet to try. Intend to do so this year.


Regarding Tapping -  basically Acer as far as I know are all syrup bearing trees, now I know Maple, Birch, Sycamore, are all Acers, take a look how similar the leaves are! Any of these can be tapped, all you need to do is drill into the bark about 1/2 inch or just over 1cm, and your sap will begin to run out assuming you do this at the right time of year. What you do is go to a local wine making shop, buy a pipe and a demijohn, then chose a drill bit the exact same size as the pipe, drill a small hole, wedged my pipe in, and put the other end into the demijohn and leave it over night. The next day you should have 1/2 gallon from  tree! A water much like coconut water, 

YOU MUST PLUG THE HOLE afterwards, or else you could cause major damage to the tree... This is done by cutting a branch from the same tree which is a little thicker than the hole, cleaning the bark off, and then slightly tapering it, much like a sink plug, then hammering the plug into the hole. If you have difficulty, maybe make your home a little deeper and your plug a little longer!

N.B: You can only tap a tree in the first 3 weeks of March, unless we are having a particularly late spring! Also I know no way of storing this juice, bar putting in an air tight glass bottle with no air inside for upto a week or maybe 2?... Other than this they process it as far as I can tell, either into sugar syrup or alcohol...
• If anyone else can help more, please add comment


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## Airecraft (Jan 5, 2012)

*Razor Clams*

These a are a delicacy in Europe but ignored in UK. They live low down on sandy beaches and are normally covered in water but at low water on spring tides they are exposed, about 6-8 times a year. There are lots of videos on Youtube about collecting them and special "sucking tubes" for extraction but I find it fairly easy to burrow after them with my hand. Hold on to them for 5 seconds or so and they release their grip and you can pull them up easily. *Make sure you understand the tides before venturing onto sandbanks, especially if you have to cross gullys.* Because they are so rarely exposed there is no pressure on them from over-collecting. I normally get about 3kg in an hour and freeze those I don't eat fresh.
Walk softly as they respond to vibrations and will start to burrow but you will catch them if you're within 6' before they disappear. 
They make a delicious Tagliatelle Vongole but flush them well with running water to get the grit out.


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## maingate (Jan 5, 2012)

Crabs make a tasty meal.

If you get a piece of stiff wire (like the type used in fences) about 8 to 10 inches long and bend it into almost a full circle. Tie a piece of string to it and thread on some Mussels, this is good bait for Crabs.

Go out on to the rocks at low tide and dip the device into the water. You can very carefully lift them out before they leave go of the bait.

Also: If you like wild Rabbit, just park up next to me and the Whippets. :lol-049:

If you are lucky, you might even get a Grey Squirrel as well.


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## Mastodon (Jan 5, 2012)

Beech nuts are time consuming but tasty.


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## Sparks (Jan 5, 2012)

The new Collins Gem '_Food for Free_' book is out at the end of March. Just saying


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## Haaamster (Jan 5, 2012)

Well today I learnt you can eat Humphrey, but apparently I have to ask rubber tramp about him.


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## Viktor (Jan 5, 2012)

I wonder to any of those guys in the series do 'day courses'...it would be interesting to go off on a walk and see 'exactly' what these wild herbs looked like for real.


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## scampa (Jan 5, 2012)

*Giant Puffballs*

Giant Puffballs are one of my favourite wild foods.  If you haven't seen one, they're a type of huge mushroom that can grow to the size of a football. Grazing land is supposed to be a good place to find them, but I've also found them in rough grassland around old chalk quarries or in woodland.  One advantage is that because of their size, they are hard to confuse with other varieties of funghi, so safer to collect and eat.  Look for them in the Autumn.

The body is solid, so it's like carving a joint of milky-white meat when you cut into it.  A simple and tasty way of cooking is just to cut into slices and fry in butter, or you can be more adventurous with a variety of sauces etc.

I just did a quick search to find a picture of one to post, and came across this recipe from the "Food for Free" book mentioned in earlier posts. (I've had a copy of this book for years and can recommend it!)  

Herb Society - Stuffed Giant Puffball Mushroom Recipe


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## Rubbertramp (Jan 6, 2012)

Haaamster said:


> Well today I learnt you can eat Humphrey, but apparently I have to ask rubber tramp about him.



Yep! don't confuse him with the old foxy glove puppet.....It will do you serious damage.


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## donkey too (Jan 6, 2012)

scampa said:


> Giant Puffballs are one of my favourite wild foods.  If you haven't seen one, they're a type of huge mushroom that can grow to the size of a football. Grazing land is supposed to be a good place to find them, but I've also found them in rough grassland around old chalk quarries or in woodland.  One advantage is that because of their size, they are hard to confuse with other varieties of funghi, so safer to collect and eat.  Look for them in the Autumn.
> 
> The body is solid, so it's like carving a joint of milky-white meat when you cut into it.  A simple and tasty way of cooking is just to cut into slices and fry in butter, or you can be more adventurous with a variety of sauces etc.
> 
> ...



Puff balls fried in bacon fat yummy. But there was a de'arth of them in Suffolk this year. wish I could cultivate them. In a good year you can get a slice of puff ball or beef steak fungi with your bason and sausage sarny on Ely market as long as you are there when they are setting up, any later and it is all gone.

Also in answer to day walks. Thetford forest is a great place for these starting from Brandon Country Park. But it does depend on the weather during the couple of days prior to going out , so can be a bit hit and miss. Although there are always loads of tree growing fungi about at most times of the year. I do beleive there are also classes in other forests. I shall search for them as soon as I get a min. and post


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## Tbear (Jan 6, 2012)

I did a course a couple of years ago, sort of wilding without the van. We where meant to spend an afternoon gathering that days supper but came back with very meagre rations. However we had a smashing country walk so would do it again on an informal basis but would not spend large amounts of money learning how to cook hedge trimmings in truffle oil. Perhaps another Thetford forest meet. Share Ideas over a cup of Nettle tea with a Bacon and Puffball sandwich. Bottle of beer on hand to wash it down with.

Richard


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## steco1958 (Jan 6, 2012)

Tbear said:


> I did a course a couple of years ago, sort of wilding without the van. We where meant to spend an afternoon gathering that days supper but came back with very meagre rations. However we had a smashing country walk so would do it again on an informal basis but would not spend large amounts of money learning how to cook hedge trimmings in truffle oil. Perhaps another Thetford forest meet. Share Ideas over a cup of Nettle tea with a Bacon and Puffball sandwich. Bottle of beer on hand to wash it down with.
> 
> Richard




The beer would be a necessity !! especially after the hedge trimmings, they get stuck in your teeth


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## Nolly (Jan 6, 2012)

Check this one out for edible mushrooms, found it really interesting & informative. Edible Mushrooms

Regards Nolly.


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## kev1 (Jan 6, 2012)

Roadkill!!! Roadkill!!!!  Roadkill!!!!!!


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## Viktor (Jan 6, 2012)

Only once have I done 'roadkill' and that was when I hit a big Pheasant on a country road...the car hit it's neck and passed cleanly over it...it went into the boot.


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## Deleted member 4850 (Jan 6, 2012)

*Chicken of the woods?*

Has anyone ever found or tried 'chicken of the woods'? It's orange and lives high up old oak trees...its supposed to have the texture and taste of chicken? I regularly gather chanterelles and boletus to make pasta sauces but never found any of this tree chicken yet! Do you look for telltale signs underneath the trees...:egg:


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## Viktor (Jan 6, 2012)

The advice on the program was leave it alone as some people react badly to eating it (Chicken of the Woods) and some don't.


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## Deleted member 4850 (Jan 6, 2012)

Viktor said:


> The advice on the program was leave it alone as some people react badly to eating it (Chicken of the Woods) and some don't.


Thanks - it's good to know these things. You have to be SO careful with fungi.

Last summer we used garlic mustard (Jack by the Hedge) to make a sauce to go with wild rabbit (dog trapped one against the fence!) and it was good. I'm mightily impressed by Donkey too living 13 months off the land in Wales..brilliant


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## donkey too (Jan 6, 2012)

bodgerndog said:


> Thanks - it's good to know these things. You have to be SO careful with fungi.
> 
> Last summer we used garlic mustard (Jack by the Hedge) to make a sauce to go with wild rabbit (dog trapped one against the fence!) and it was good. I'm mightily impressed by Donkey too living 13 months off the land in Wales..brilliant



But it is not for the faint hearted or the fool hardy. to live for any time in any country in the world from just what you can catch and gather is very hard if you don't know what you are doing. I was trained in the army to a very high standard to do this so have an advantage over most people, but even so I had to take some things with me especially salt.
Funny enough the one place I found it hardest to live off the land was in the Borneo Jungle The ungle can be a worst enemy rather than a friend when it comes to eating to stay alive. Unfortunately I am becoming too old and artriticky to do much now.


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## Drew (Jan 6, 2012)

Viktor said:


> I wonder to any of those guys in the series do 'day courses'...it would be interesting to go off on a walk and see 'exactly' what these wild herbs looked like for real.



Check out NT website for events around wild food, we do one in West yorkshire but there are loads around the country.:tongue:


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## Mastodon (Jan 6, 2012)

Viktor said:


> Only once have I done 'roadkill' and that was when I hit a big Pheasant on a country road...the car hit it's neck and passed cleanly over it...it went into the boot.



Pah! ran over a pheasant on the way to Scotland and the bugger broke the drain valve off the fresh water tank... did however fish one out of the river Ure whilst paddling down it.


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## n brown (Jan 6, 2012)

when my eldest got married,i borrowed a circus tent off a mate and on the way to my smallholding spotted a warm dead deer at the side of the road.at that time i was also liberating discarded but in date food from the back of supermarkets to feed my pigs, and had most of the cheese counter,everything from the bakery section,loads of choccy bars and fruit etc.couple of bottles of cheap fizz and a posh wedding with venison etc all for about 15 quid .who needs money?


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## Arjun699 (Apr 6, 2012)

donkey too said:


> Puff balls fried in bacon fat yummy. But there was a de'arth of them in Suffolk this year. wish I could cultivate them. In a good year you can get a slice of puff ball or beef steak fungi with your bason and sausage sarny on Ely market as long as you are there when they are setting up, any later and it is all gone.
> 
> Also in answer to day walks. Thetford forest is a great place for these starting from Brandon Country Park. But it does depend on the weather during the couple of days prior to going out , so can be a bit hit and miss. Although there are always loads of tree growing fungi about at most times of the year. I do beleive there are also classes in other forests. I shall search for them as soon as I get a min. and post


I'm totally agree with you man.You'r 100% good here that puff balls fried in bacon fat yummy.Thetford forest is a great place for these starting from Brandon Country Park.Man i found it from the google.Next time i will be post about it.







Cabinet Finishes


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## Somelier (Apr 6, 2012)

I'd rather go to Tesco!!!:wacko:


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## Robmac (Apr 6, 2012)

Crayfish are easy to catch in a drop net baited with rotten meat. Especially as we are now being invaded by the much larger American Signal Crayfish. You can find them in most clean rivers, but you should first obtain a license to catch them.


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## donkey too (Apr 6, 2012)

Somelier said:


> I'd rather go to Tesco!!!:wacko:



I am glad about that. The more people who go to Tescos, the more free food for peeps like me.:mad1:


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## donkey too (Apr 6, 2012)

Robmac said:


> Crayfish are easy to catch in a drop net baited with rotten meat. Especially as we are now being invaded by the much larger American Signal Crayfish. You can find them in most clean rivers, but you should first obtain a license to catch them.



They are classed as undesirable in our rivers, yet we have to have permission to catch them? Typical UK. 

Funny though you dont need a licence to catch and kill grey squirrels and they do no damage at all. They are better than rabbit in a stew.
My favorite dish of all time in the wild has to be squirrel stew with biscuits. (The USA kind of biscuits like a scone though) made very easily on a griddle pan. I carry a pack of ready mix "bisqick" which I get from the base here, brilliant stuff.


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## donkey too (Apr 6, 2012)

Why did the hedghog cross the road?

He was going to see his flatmate.


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## msbombastic (Apr 6, 2012)

Viktor said:


> I wonder to any of those guys in the series do 'day courses'...it would be interesting to go off on a walk and see 'exactly' what these wild herbs looked like for real.



My brother does. On Gower. Weekend survival courses, including food foraging.


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## scampa (Apr 6, 2012)

*Flatfish*

Here's a method that provided me with plenty of fresh fish in the past quite easily, though I haven't tried it for a few years....

If you're near a big sandy beach or estuary, watch as the tide goes out and you may see some big shallow lagoons left behind, separated from the sea.  Very often, a variety of flatfish will be stranded in them, and will settle into the sand until the tide returns.  They are naturally camouflaged to protect them from predatory seabirds etc, so will be very difficult to spot.

Experienced old-timers will paddle bare-foot through these lagoons, carefully feeling for any fish with their feet before grabbing hold of them.  Another way is to use something like a garden-fork, sharp stick or home made trident to stab the sea bed as you slowly go along.

Some people use a much quicker and more effective method, though it may seem a bit barbaric.  The idea is to fix a big treble fish-hook into the end of a lump of lead (a 7 or 8 ounce torpedo shaped fishing weight is about right), then using a beachcaster rod and line, cast out and retrieve over a wide area.  I've seen a lot of fish caught in a short time with this method, but I'm not convinced that it's a very sporting or humane way to catch fish.

As always, in any tidal area, it's always vitally important to consult a local tide-table and be extremely wary of the tide coming in behind you via creeks or streams and cutting you off.  And also be careful in case your "shallow" lagoon suddenly drops down into several feet depth of water!


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## mikeakabigman (Apr 7, 2012)

Heres a great fungi to look out for, easy to ID and very good eating, cooked with bacon fat or seasoned with garlic and herbs. Its commonly called Chicken of the woods.


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## msbombastic (Apr 8, 2012)

scampa said:


> Experienced old-timers will paddle bare-foot through these lagoons, carefully feeling for any fish with their feet before grabbing hold of them.  Another way is to use something like a garden-fork, sharp stick or home made trident to stab the sea bed as you slowly go along.
> 
> Experienced old timers will be aware that water distorts visuals....it's extremely easy to stab yourself in foot if not aware of this. Dab fishers hazard


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## Rubbertramp (Apr 8, 2012)

msbombastic said:


> scampa said:
> 
> 
> > Experienced old-timers will paddle bare-foot through these lagoons, carefully feeling for any fish with their feet before grabbing hold of them.  Another way is to use something like a garden-fork, sharp stick or home made trident to stab the sea bed as you slowly go along.
> ...


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## scampa (Apr 8, 2012)

Oh well, I've seen and successfully used those techniques plenty of times without incident. Did I forget to include common-sense in my description?

It may be best to confine ourselves to stalking our fish in the aisles of Tescos?


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## Viktor (Apr 8, 2012)

> Heres a great fungi to look out for, easy to ID and very good eating, cooked with bacon fat or seasoned with garlic and herbs. Its commonly called Chicken of the woods.



NO!!!!  According to recent camping instruction DON'T unless you know exactly what you are doing......get it wrong and you are in trouble!!!!


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## Rubbertramp (Apr 8, 2012)

scampa said:


> Oh well, I've seen and successfully used those techniques plenty of times without incident. Did I forget to include common-sense in my description?
> 
> It may be best to confine ourselves to stalking our fish in the aisles of Tescos?



 I'm really sorry but I don't think I said don't do it.....it's absolutely a great idea! Just giving a little bit of info for anyone who hadn't had this rare experience as it can be quite shocking but ultimately harmless. I'm the last one to want to put a dampener on things.:bow:


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## scampa (Apr 8, 2012)

Apologies Rubbertramp, I was thinking more of accidentally stabbing myself in the foot, though I've no doubt that has been done!  Maybe they mistook their foot for a sole??


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## Goaskalys (Apr 8, 2012)

*Chicken of the Wood*



bodgerndog said:


> Has anyone ever found or tried 'chicken of the woods'? It's orange and lives high up old oak trees...its supposed to have the texture and taste of chicken? I regularly gather chanterelles and boletus to make pasta sauces but never found any of this tree chicken yet! Do you look for telltale signs underneath the trees...:egg:



Hi there, I've been collecting and eating fungus for 20 years and chicken of the wood is very nice when young and orange colour. So you need to find it early on in the summer/autumn mushroom season.

The best book for identifying edible mushrooms is published by Collins 'How To Identify Edible Mushroom'. This book is arranged to on one page it describes, lets say, chanterelle, where you find it, how to cook it, etc and on the opposite page what it can be confused with. This is most useful when out in the woods and you are just not sure what you have found, after all if you get it wrong you can make yourself very ill ...... or worse.

My favorite mushrom is the Parasol, huge (dinner plate sized), firm texture and a delicious taste. Dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and fried. Yum.


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## Oasis (Apr 9, 2012)

donkey too said:


> Funny though you dont need a licence to catch and kill grey squirrels and they do no damage at all. QUOTE]
> 
> Not true!!!
> 
> ...


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## Somelier (Apr 9, 2012)

donkey too said:


> Funny though you dont need a licence to catch and kill grey squirrels and they do no damage at all.



I don't know where you get that statement from. Grey squirrels are probably THE most damaging wild animal we have in the UK - they cause CONSIDERABLE damage to trees and are a major problem for the forestry industry, they are responsible for huge losses of songbirds every year and they are a contributing factor to the demise in our true native squirrel, the red.

So, eat as many grey squirrels as possible. The sooner they are eradicated from the U.K. the better!!!


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## stephmac (Apr 9, 2012)

Magic mushrooms arent tasty but hey what an adventure you'd have. Tried them and ended up in an awful mess with big beasties chasing me :scared::scared:


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## mikeakabigman (Apr 9, 2012)

Somelier said:


> I don't know where you get that statement from. Grey squirrels are probably THE most damaging wild animal we have in the UK - they cause CONSIDERABLE damage to trees and are a major problem for the forestry industry, they are responsible for huge losses of songbirds every year and they are a contributing factor to the demise in our true native squirrel, the red.
> 
> So, eat as many grey squirrels as possible. The sooner they are eradicated from the U.K. the better!!!



So true! Greys carry a virus, to which, our native Reds have no defence !


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## Robmac (Apr 9, 2012)

Same with the American Signal Crayfish, they are slowly wiping out our own indigenous variety, but they are good eating!


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## msbombastic (Apr 9, 2012)

scampa said:


> Oh well, I've seen and successfully used those techniques plenty of times without incident. Did I forget to include common-sense in my description?
> 
> It may be best to confine ourselves to stalking our fish in the aisles of Tescos?



NOOO I didn't say don't do it. I've done  it myself. Far better than Tesco's. But I do know people who've stabbed themselves in foot this way.....me included


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## scampa (Apr 9, 2012)

msbombastic said:


> NOOO I didn't say don't do it. I've done  it myself. Far better than Tesco's. But I do know people who've stabbed themselves in foot this way.....me included



Maybe I should edit it to say "some experienced old-timers walk with a limp!"


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## Somelier (Apr 10, 2012)

scampa said:


> Maybe I should edit it to say "some experienced old-timers walk with a limp!"



You can get little blue pills for that these days:wacko:


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