Resilience in the Face of Drought Conditions

Farmer's Under Pressure Harvesting at Night.

Man-made Climate Change is undeniably upon us, and the evidence is easy to find. It's not just a hot summer, it's significant change. This is now, finally, being treated as a serious threat to national security. Only time will tell if the governments are acting quickly enough. I am compiling a page for reliable information, including help and support for Climate Anxiety (see below).

Hosepipe Ban and Empty Water Butts

At home, we should be thinking about our own resilience, and water butts are a good place to start, especially during a hosepipe ban. Naturally we should all be preserving water and not wasting it, there are multiple ways to do this. On a basic level you can make simple choices such as, should I wash my car or water my garden? We also save all our washing up water in buckets, to use on the garden.

Beautiful Free Blackberries

Fortunately there are still plenty of juicy, free Blackberries to pick and eat. It's a joyful activity to get on a bicycle, pedal to a local hedgerow, and fill your Tupperware boxes for later, whilst scoffing as many as you reasonably can - that's what I call living in the moment.

Blackthorn Early 

I recently spotted a tree, full of early Sloes, the fruit of the Blackthorn tree, I noticed them partly because they were unexpected but because they were very large. Anyway, as a forager, you need to be opportunistic, so I picked a bag-full and will make Sloe Gin early this year. Traditionally, you should pick after the first frost of the year, but that seems a long way off at the moment and sticking them in the freezer will perform the same job.

Big Fat Sloes

Earlier this year I thought about growing squash upward, they tend to take up loads of space, plus I'm only designated a small space in our garden veg patch. I got some 5m bamboo branches from a friend's garden and began to create a rather Heath Robinson trellis and frame contraption for the plants to grow up. With a little encouragement they seemed to enjoy their elevated position and some fruits are now forming. However, I need to keep watering regularly.

Squash and Cucumber Growing Up 

I was concerned that the watering cans were not penetrating the parched ground and was evaporating too soon. I laid a sheet of cardboard over to suppress weeds and cut holes for the plants. I then got a couple of used 2 Litre milk bottles, perforated the base a bit and buried them in the ground up to their necks. I can now unscrew the caps and fill them from my watering can ensuring that the water is deeper in the ground and less likely to evaporate in the burning sun. The next time I do this, I will make smaller perforations to slow the water dispersal, it's just trial and error.

Milk Bottle Water Preservation

Thinking ahead to Autumn (some trees are so stressed by lack of water they are already shedding leaves), I checked out a Walnut tree and spotted Green Walnuts. Some people like to make Green Walnut pickles, I tried this once but it's quite a process. I really like the spicy smell of green walnuts but leave them to lose their husks and mature in to Walnuts, which can be kept easily for later use over Winter.

Green Walnuts

Climate Crisis Briefings - Help and Support

Man made Climate Change is now a fact of life and the more you know about the facts, the more terrifying it can feel. Even if it can feel daunting as an individual, knowledge is better than ignorance. Denial is a knee jerk reaction for some, either because they feel helpless to change the situation in any significant way or simply because they have not been furnished with facts. However, talking with like minded people can help and reassure you that you are not alone. Taking positive action in groups can also help, such as signing well thought out and managed petitions can force even governments to listen to your fears and feelings. It is through our large institutions that we can affect significant change.

A really simple guide to climate change

Eco-anxiety: How to cope at a time of climate crisis

Climate we had in 20th Century 'has now gone' - Met Office

National Emergency Briefing

Parliamentary Call for a Televised Emergency Briefing

How to deal with 'doomism' when it feels like the world is ending

Find Climate Cafes

Food shortages could hit supermarkets if no rain in next 10 days in dry areas, say farmers

National Preparedness Commission

Call for evidence launched into national preparedness and resilience

'Hotter and hotter and hotter' - Europe's new climate in seven charts

UK food supply at risk of 'catastrophic failure' by 2030, report warns

After record heat, could the Atlantic make Britain's weather even more extreme?

How the UK's extreme heat is shifting the conversation about air-con

The Urbane Forager Book Re-Booted Harvest Ready Mid August

 

The Urbane Forager eBook. 

Want to learn more about fresh free food?

Would you like to reduce your food shopping bills?

Do you want to do more to keep yourself and your family fit & healthy?

You too can find an abundance of fresh free fruit and nuts in your own area...

The Urbane Forager eBook by Alan Gibson 
Being re-Booted this August

 Available soon on Kindle.

ISBN:9781807692636

"Informative, entertaining and a fast-track to foraging success and fun." Tristan Gooley (the Natural Navigator).

"you will be chortling heartily as you read the wittily expressed text full of delightful anecdotes about picking and processing" Miles Irving (the Foragers Handbook).

This practical foraging field guide is based on the popular Urbane Forager blog and revolves around exciting family friendly local fruit and nut based adventures.

Focusing on Elderflowers, Cherries, Plums, Blackberries, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Apples, Pears and Chestnuts, there is no need to worry about poisonous plants or fungi. There are plenty of scrumptious recipes for baking, as well as tips for creating thirst quenching drinks. Also including updated versions of our Seasonal id Sheets and Easy Foraging Planners.

This book explains the how, where, what, when and why of functional foraging. As for who, anybody who can turn off their screens for a moment and venture outdoors can benefit from the surprising abundance of delicious fruit available for free near you. Although, there is an app available for that too!

Title: the Urbane Forager

ISBN:9781807692636

Author: Alan Gibson

Being Re-Booted as an ebook this August

 Soon available on Kindle

The Urbane Forager: The Urbane Forager Book. Re-Booted Mid August

Free Urbane Forager Workshop at the British Science Festival

Endlessly Searching for Free Fresh Fruit

 The Urbane Forager Project at the British Science Festival

Date: Thursday 17 September

Venue: Turner Sims (52) - Foyer (University of Southampton)

Category: Workshops

Production by: British Science Festival

This workshop runs from 15.00 - 16.30

Discover the hidden abundance growing all around us with the Urbane Fruit Project. 

‘The Urbane Forager’, Alan Gibson (University of Southampton) uncovers how foraging can transform the way you see your city. Join this walk with Alan and lay bare the different types of fruit that grow at the end of your road. Learn how to identify them, give them a nibble and even see how locally gathered produce can be turned into juice! 

Time to taste, explore, and rethink the ecology of Southampton city.

This event will include a 30 minute walk around Southampton Common, please wear appropriate clothing and footwear.  

Please note that this event involves walking approximately 1 mile across grass and tarmac.

For access information and directions to this venue, and all British Science Festival venues, please click this link: https://britishsciencefestival

Advanced bookings for this event are now sold out – there will be walk in tickets available on the door.

Heatwaves and Premature Fruit

Blackberries Ripe and Early

Yes, Blackberries have arrived early, almost everywhere, go and gather yours or simply gobble them straight off the bush. We always get ours form the lovely Southampton Common, and the South facing sides of bushes ripen first and taste the most sweet.

Ripe Plums

Plums are also ripening on the trees, I spotted sweet yellow Plums falling into the road on my walk to work. The picture shows a reddish orange variety, equally tasty and also falling onto the road in Highfield.

Hazel Tree

The sizzling heatwaves we have been experiencing this year seem to have forced many trees fruit approximately on month early this year. Hazel is almost ready to shed its nuts. Still not quite ripe but near as damn it.

Hazelnuts (Early but Still Unripe)

Where hazelnut harvesting is concerned, you need to be quick of the mark or the grey squirrels will beat you to them. The signs are very easy to spot!

Competition with Squirrels

Another interesting tree that fruits around this time of year, is the magnificent Mulberry. This marvellous specimen is on the Salcombe estuary in Devon, where we were lucky enough to holiday this year.

Mulberry Tree

We had one eye on the exciting dingy racing - and one eye firmly under the canopy of the tree, as we hunted down the delicious, ripened, juice filled berries.

Delicious Mulberries

Here's a micro quiz for you all! Keen followers of the blog should find the answer quickly. What are these mysterious yellow tentacles on this garage roof? Finding them like this or on the ground should indicate a tasty snack later in Autumn. Answers in the text below.

What are These Mysterious Tentacles?

The tentacles are the discarded flowers or catkins of the Sweet Chestnut tree. Identifying these trees early in Summer will lead you back to a hoard of Sweet Chestnuts, ideal for roasting on a BBQ later in Autumn. 

Sweet Chestnut Tree

Incidentally, nobody should be using disposable BBQs in the middle of the heatwaves! I find it difficult to believe that they are even on sale. Wildfires are a serious danger to life when the ground & vegetation is so tinder dry. Intelligent people know that they shouldn't be burning square holes in our precious landscape or leaving litter and glass on the ground.

The British Science Festival (Free Workshop)

The Peoples Emergency Briefing

The prestigious British Science Festival is an annual event and this September it will be hosted by the University of Southampton.

Headsets not Reality

There will be many exciting events and free workshops over the week, the most stimulating of all will naturally be the Urbane Forager project workshop. 

The Urbane Forager - hunting Apples

Discover the hidden abundance growing all around us with the Urbane Fruit Project. Take time to taste, explore, and rethink the ecology of Southampton city.

Must be Nuts

‘The Urbane Forager’, Alan Gibson (University of Southampton) uncovers how foraging can transform the way you see your city. Come for a short walk on the common with Alan and lay bare the different types of fruit and nuts that grow at the end of your road. Learn how to identify them (if you want to download and bring the free "seasonal tree id sheets", that will be helpful). Then we can pick and eat something tasty and finally, see how our locally gathered produce can be turned into the most delicious juice you can drink.

I hope to meet you there, in person, on the day.

Alan Gibson aka the Urbane Forager

The workshop is free, but tickets will be limited, so add the date to your diary, and book early if you want a place. 

Thursday 17 September

The workshop runs from 15.00 - 16.30

Turner Sims foyer Building (52). Turner Sims is normally famous for the joy of live music.

The Many Colours of June and July

Mirabells on the Road

Cherry Plums and Mirabells are ripe early and are now falling from the trees. They are basically, slightly smaller, wild plum varieties. Very tasty, plentiful, and often found in clusters in the wild or in parks, gardens or verges in the city. Characterised by many different colours, yellow, orange, purple and even shiny bronze, these vibrant fruits are perfect to gather at this time of year and easy to spot due to the bright, often squashed, fruits on the ground.

Delicious Cherries

I have been supplementing my breakfast muesli with garden berries, specifically Blueberries, early Raspberries and Wild or Alpine Strawberries. Getting up, then dropping down into the garden to gather the latest ripe fruits, is one of my favourite things at this time of year and my muesli tastes fantastic for the colourful flavour boost.

Fruity Selection for my Museli

Elsewhere in the garden, my Peas, Squash and Cucumber plants seem to be growing well, despite the extreme heat that is now assailing us. At least the water butts are reasonably full after the rain in May/June. I’m looking forward to the early “Snack” cucumbers, getting ready to add them to my lunch-time sandwiches.

Poppies

Tall Poppies are popping up everywhere in July, you can easily gather the seeds from the heads, by cutting them off and storing in paper envelops, keep them in a dry place for later use. Poppy seeds add a unique, nutty flavour to dishes, enhancing both sweet and savoury recipes. Their mild taste becomes more pronounced when toasted, making them an excellent addition to various foods. They also provide a delightful crunch and texture, in baked goods and other dishes.

Blueberries

Has it ever occurred to you that Brambles, the scourge of gardeners, allotmenteers, walkers and just about anyone who goes outside, are universally hated until late July / August, whereupon they magically become completely loved?

Strawberries

For many people, Blackberries are the beginning and end of a fleeting dalliance with foraging. Young children are trusted to go hunting for a fruity food not normally bought in a supermarket. People get scratched, stabbed and entangled, blood is quite normal, but everybody just shrugs it off, along with stained T-Shirts, as they scramble to collect the fattest, juiciest, box of Tupperware filled with dark murderous Blackberries.

Unripe Blackberries

The short-lived, blood-stained bounty is eaten greedily en-route, smeared over faces and fingers, then taken home to turn into; jam, pies, juice, wine, crumbles, tarts, muesli supplements, compote, and any number of other puddings. Blackberries freeze well too (spread them on a baking tray to freeze, then bag them loose), so you can savour the delight later in the Winter, if you can make them last that long.

 

Blackberry Wine 

 

Down the lane Blackberries run.

The bittersweet pang, of your blood on my tongue.

Favourite flavours, temptation - too good

Staring down from the hedge by the wood.

A promise that you would not hurt me this time,

The sting in my digits remains in the wine.

Always something about which to warn;

The hotter the sun, the deeper the thorn.

A worthy opponent, with briars to joust;

I want to crush you - to juice in my mouth.

The green of the field, the glare that can stun;

I long to pluck you - outside in the sun.

Your barb in my fingers, the pain in my palm,

That stain, it still lingers, your extract a balm.

Eden emergent, the edge of a stream,

Verdant the verge in the dark of the dream.

Poetic Licence – by the Urbane Forager (2011)

Cherries

Oh! 

Did I mention Cherries in my last post? 

Our Cherries are Guarded by Ghosts

They ripened. 

We picked them. 

We ate them. 

Yum!

They were delicious, if fleeting...

Young Plums (Go For it!)

Beetroot, Pear and Walnut Salad

My wife made a deliciously zingy and very healthy salad, using Beetroot, Pear and Walnut, she also added thinly sliced Turnip, Avocado, crisp Watercress and leaves of Jack by the hedge (Garlic Mustard), from the garden. I supplied the Walnuts and added some Hazelnuts for fun; these nuts were gathered last year during October and September, they keep very well in cool, dry conditions. Apples will also last throughout the Winter, if you store them well.

Walnuts and Hazelnuts

The recent heatwave has kept me out of the midday sun and I decided it was high time to pick the Elderflowers that I have been planning to make champagne with. I got on my bike before it got too hot and cycled over to the local park, beside the river. I got a heady citrus waft off the flowers, as I approached from downwind. I filled my bag in a matter of minutes, getting covered in yellow pollen in the process.

Elder Tree in Flower

The other simple ingredients are Water, Lemons, Sugar, and a dash of White Wine Vinegar. By the time you have this little lot mixed together in a bucket, the kitchen smells terrific and gives you a strong taste of things to come. It is left (covered) in the bucket for 2 days, then the debris is filtered out and the liquid transferred into demijohns for fermentation.

Ready for Fermentation

After a couple of weeks the fermentation should have slowed down enough for bottling in Pressure Safe Bottles - but a word of caution... If fermentation continues too much under pressure, you might, at best, lose half of your lovely Elderflower Champagne all over the room you open it in. Far more dangerous, would be exploding glass bottles, so please, do keep a regular eye on anything you have bottled and always use suitable Pressure Safe Bottles!

Green Cherries

Ongoing observations include, keeping your eyes pealed for immature fruit. If you have identified a likely tree by its blossom, revisit it later, to see if any young fruits are developing. I have already seen young Plums, green Cherries, and tiny Apples and Pears; regular checking will keep you in tune with seasonal developments and ensure you are ready as fruit ripens. I recently noticed Fennel growing out of pavements in the city.

Fennel

Nasturtium are starting to grow in the garden, these are one of the most likeable garden flowers. The leaves and flowers can be eaten, or added to a salad to liven it up. They taste peppery, a bit like Rocket or Water-Cress. The Latin name, Nasturtium, translates as "Twisted Nose!"

Nasturtium