If you just want to hear about events then scroll to the bottom of this post!
The last few weeks have been sunny, dry and very busy! We had the Fleadh, the eclipse (beautiful skies but not much of a view) but most importantly for us foragers we had Lughnasadh! It is finally the busiest season of the year for gathering wild food – harvest time. It’s been dry so things are in a big rush to head into seed but it is looking like an incredible year for lots of edibles with hazels, beech nuts and blackberries appearing in large, generous amounts.
In my garden I leave the brambles to thrive (mostly!) and I have already picked a few kilograms of blackberries some of which I used to flavour (and colour) some vegan royal icing on these lemon and meadowsweet biscuits. I have made these biscuits many times this past month and they have been very popular. If there is still some to gather near you you can dry the flowers and add them to this existing recipe over here – if you have dried daisies from the spring like me even better!
I made my first rose hip recipe of the season for my group at Crawfordsburn Country Park last week – rose hip chutney. This was an improvised recipe but I will definitely be writing it up very soon as it was so delicious. Rosa rugosa hips are my top recommendation for underrated harvest time fruits. They are so versatile and very tasty. If you join me on one of my Autumn walks you might even get to try it!
Coming up! Summer walks are almost finished but I will be Musgrave park in Belfast on the 30th. It is sold out officially but if you send me a message I might be able to squeeze you in!
– My final 3 walks for the season are now available for booking on eventbrite over here. I may still run a walk in December but its a busy time for a cheese monger like me so I’ll call it closer to the time! I had hoped to run some evening fundraiser walks during the summer but time and energy disappeared from me so these final walks of the year will be fundraisers once again for the Palestinian Childrens Relief Fund. I hope you will be able to join me and raise some money for some children in need.
– I will be taking part in Belfast Hills Partnerhip’s Trainee Ranger scheme once again this year. This is a 16 week scheme for those aged 18-30 who are facing mental and physical health struggles, special educational needs and disabilities, discrimination or other forms of disadvantage. I will be running a foraging walk but those taking part will have loads of brilliant opportunities to learn in the outdoors. Read more and apply here!
– There are still some tickets for my final event at the Ulster Folk Museum in November. Available for booking here!
See you next time x
feasting on weeds 
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