Organic Fruit & Nuts For Free

Regular readers of this blog will know by now that we pick a colossal amount of Apples (as well as other fruit and nuts) from public ground around the city and all of it is available for free, but only for those willing to seek it out and collect it.

You might be tempted to think that because we harvest so much, there will be none left for everyone else who is interested, but nothing could be further from the truth. There is still a great quantity of fruit out there, waiting to be picked.

With this in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to show just some of the trees that we have not picked any fruit from. They are ripe and waiting to be harvested, or ready to drop on the ground and be heartily consumed by Mother Nature (which is also good). In these times of enforced austerity, where we are constantly bombarded with news of food poverty and food banks, I have been known to make bold proclamations about the democratisation of food.

Mostly what we do is explore our environment and then pick free fresh fruit and nuts because they are available and to prevent it being wasted. It is nice to be outdoors and we do have a great deal of free fun. However, despite the huge amounts that we pick, there is still far, far too much for us. This is why we want to engage and inspire other people, to do similar things. WE aim to enable anyone else to do the same for themselves; hence the open access global fruit map and free Seasonal id Sheets.

We are fortunate to have steady employment and often buy food in the shops, like everyone else but we will not be buying Apples, Pears, Blackberries, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Apple Juice etc. this Winter, because we have stacks stored away. It does surprise me when I see people crushing fresh fruit under the wheels of there large vehicles, as they queue in dense polluting traffic in order to get to the overcrowded, overpriced sterile environment of the supermarkets.

These people could be out in a field, enjoying the open air and gathering organic Fruit and Nuts for Free, but the fact that they are not, means that there is always plenty left for those who are making the effort to forage.

Don't forget to put, the Urbane Forager book on your Christmas present list. 

Order your copy now!

You can buy this lovely book for your friends and family from all good book-stores or Amazon.

the Urbane Forager: Fruit and Nuts for Free

Author: Alan Gibson

ISBN: 978-1-78507-300-7

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Mansbridge Community Orchard Update

Thanks to backing from Southampton Airport Community Fund, we have been able to buy new tools and equipment for use in the Mansbridge Community Orchard. We may also need to get some professional training.

We have purchased pruning equipment; loppers, saws etc as well as picking tools. Renovating a neglected orchard, with many mature trees, will be a lengthy and on-going commitment. It will take several years to get the main trees into a decent state and longer still to sort out the less accessible areas.

In the Autumn, the real fun begins. We will begin to reap the rewards of the project; we will need to buy more fruit picking and collecting gear to help us gather the apples. We also aim to purchase processing kit, like a nice big fruit crusher and a lager cider press.

The Orchard is beginning to flower now and we must organise another Blossom Walk (provided these gales don't blow it all away). Last year we had perfect weather for the walk and had a great turn out. It is the ideal way to get to know the orchard and to familiarise the locations of all the various trees. It is much easier to recognise the fruit trees, when they are covered in bloom. It will also be a good opportunity to recruit more volunteers who want to help manage and get involved with all the other activities in the orchard.

Pair of Pears Repair

I was delighted to notice that work on the new allotment site on Somerset Rd is nearly finished; it looks like it will be a lovely site/sight. I was even more pleased to observe that the pear tree that had been cut down in its prime has now been left to regrow (something it is undertaking enthusiastically), on the outside of the new fence.

The Pear Tree is the Dark Green Bush in the Centre

I rowed past the Pear Pirates scene too recently; despite being felled, this poor tree is also trying its best to regain its former glory. But pear trees, like walnuts, grow very slowly. So, despite my renewed optimism, I can’t help thinking that it would have been better not to have chopped them down in the first place.

Round and Round the Mulberry Tree

We have just returned from a holiday in beautiful sunny Devon. While there, we were fortunate to notice a Mulberry tree in Salcombe.

At first glance it did not look like there were many fruits on the ancient looking tree but I sent my daughter (the official taster) to check and on closer inspection we realised that a lot of the fruit was just hidden under the leaves.

The red Mulberries are unripe, they look similar to Raspberries but felt harder; they also taste less interesting and are slightly tart. We picked a couple to try but the darker black/red fruits are far sweeter and delightfully palatable.

I imagine that Mulberries are now a fairly rare and I'm sure that with a little research some interesting traditional recipes could be turned up.  I may experiment with the local tree in a Southampton park. One thing is clear though, it would be much easier to pick Mulberries off a bush than a tree.

Cherries, Green Walnuts & Medlars

On our journey back from our walk at Bolton’s Bench recently, I spotted a big cherry tree by the roadside. I thought it must be worth a visit as I noticed the red fruit despite the rain streaked car windows.

The Cherry Tree

When the children and I returned to check it out, the skies darkened and it started raining, AGAIN! We had our waterproofs with us though and set out to try the cherries regardless.

Green Walnuts

As we crossed the road to where I remembered the tree was, we found two beautiful little compact walnut trees, one of which was covered in (yes you guessed it) green walnuts. I grabbed a couple off the tree to take home, I love their exotic smell.

Sadly the cherries were, although bountiful, somewhat sour and not quite ripe. Also the tree had curling leaves, which seems to have become a big problem for cherry trees this year.

Walnut Catkins in Spring

The disappointment of the cherry was more than made up for by the walnuts though. Many people have expressed an enthusiastic interest in walnuts and these trees are actually fairly common.  I will arrange a Walnut Picknik when the season is right. Keep a keen eye on the blog for dates, places and times.

A Large Walnut Tree

To help with identification I had produced a seasonal tree id sheet for walnuts to go with the others. However, I noticed during my Arthouse Cafe talk that one picture on it was of a plum! This error will be corrected soon and you may want to replace the sheet if you have downloaded it previously.

Medlars

There is a small walnut tree in Watts Park (Southampton), that’s the one in front of the Art Gallery; location and examining this tree will help familiarise you with the leaf shape and pattern. Interestingly, there is a Mulberry tree in this park too. 

Medlars Also Known as Cat's Bottoms (seriously)

There are also several large walnut trees in Mottisfont for those who are members of the National Trust and on our last visit, I even spotted a Medlar too. Not that I am suggesting anyone goes foraging on National Trust land!

Bolton's Bench Apple Trees

We took a picnic to Bolton’s Bench, near Lyndhurst in the New Forest. It could have been hot and sunny or pouring with rain, according to the forecast. It did both.

As the kids and I went for a quick amble along the ridge path we started to notice some stunted crab apple trees. Several of the trees were covered in fruit and I often think we should make more use of this native species.

Further along we found a tree that looked like the fruit would develop into normal sized apples. The tree was absolutely laden.

We can’t tell yet whether they will be eaters or cookers but I’m sure that there will be plenty of them and it would be a lovely place to pick fruit on a hot autumn day.

Blossom, Beltain and A Beautiful Game

Using up the last remaining apples in our store, the Head Chef knocked us up a lovely apple tart on Friday night. This set me to thinking that we should have a quick check to see how the new season’s fruit crop was progressing down at Mansbridge.

After watching the Saints go marching out of the Championship and into the Premier League, my son and I took advantage of a timely break in the relentless April storms.

The boy chose to go by scooter and this meant that I had to jog along with him, which gave me a good run about before the inevitable night of celebration.

On our way along the Itchen we paused briefly to have a chat with a family of friendly geese and three tiny fluffy goslings.

The Community Orchard does look delightful at this time of year.

Most of the fruit trees are coming into bloom now and are covered in the delicate white and pink flowers.

The blossom among the bright green young leaves is a splendid, heart lifting sight. I suggest people make time to get down there and appreciate the beauty this weekend.

As it was, the tree flowers stood out like stars against the slate grey sky; I think they will look better still when the sun eventually breaks through and we finally get the sunshine that we all crave.

Tracks of Deer Dog and Human

Maybe Mr. Blue Sky will visit us for the bank holiday weekend; we have fayres to visit and don’t want to our ardour dampened as we dance around the Maypole.

I know the rain is required but we all could do with a little respite from this wettest of droughts and I hope the Beltain bonfires will burn bright enough to bring on the Summer.



Free Seasonal Tree id Sheets Ready

The Urbane Forager's Seasonal Tree id sheets are now available for free download in pdf format for easy printing. These very useful resources also feature in the Urbane Forager book, where they have been redesigned and updated.

They illustrate and describe various fruit and nut trees through the four seasons for easy identification at any time of year.

Currently available, we have...

• Elder (flower and berry)
• Plum (many variations)
• Cherry
• Apple 
• Pear 
• Hazel 
• Walnut 
• Chestnut

Clicking on the appropriate links will enable you to look at or download the pdf sheets onto your computer and print them out at your leisure. Do repost them elsewhere if you want to.

Please give me feedback or add comments if you like them or think I could improve upon them.

More Pear Tree Destruction

I’m sorry to have to report another act of fruit tree destruction.  Yet again, it seems to be a case unnecessary and ill-considered action. Another lovely pear tree was once again the sorry victim and this one was an easily accessed beauty.

Last Autumn...

This brilliant tree was close to the fence in the derelict space on Somerset Rd opposite Portswood Primary School.

What is Left Now!

We were not the only people who used to pick and consume the delicious pears that this tree delivered each year. We picked over 40 Kg of fruit off this tree over the last couple of years and used it in lots of imaginative ways.

I believe that the space between Somerset Rd and   Rd is being converted into allotments by the city council, so it could have been a sensible/nice idea to leave a prolific fruit tree alone but I expect that the ground workers did not know what type of tree it was.

I fully support the idea of using the space for allotments as opposed to building more ugly flats but I don’t understand why there is a need to cut down all the trees around the edge of the space, if it is to be used for growing food.

The Cleared Space and Remaining Trees

If the remaining stump is left intact and looked after, it might still grow healthy shoots that could once again bear fruit in a year or two.

I will add the tree (stump) location to my fruit map using the Red Hazard Triangle icon.

Another Apple Tree Pointlessly Destroyed

My Daughter Picking Apples in Merlin Gardens

This was once my favourite apple tree and it grew all alone on a small verge by the pavement of Merlin Gardens, in Hedge End, Southampton. It was only small but always filled up with the best tasting, rosey red apples that I've ever had the pleasure to bite into. It also had a branch of yellow crab apples grafted onto it.

All the Young Children Join in and That Bucket is Full

These delicious crunchy apples were very easily picked and in 2010 we gathered a couple of big bucketful’s here with friends and children.



2011 and the Tree is Heavily Pruned

 In the winter of 2011 the tree was heavily pruned, so there was no fruit last year but was growing well again during the year and I was hoping for a good crop in 2012.

2012 and the Little Tree is Growing Back

Sadly, some idiot has now cut the tree down, so there will be no more of those lovely crisp red beauties to munch on ever again.

March 2012 - Some Fool has Cut the Little Tree Down

I have no idea who committed this act of vandalism (presumably a person who lives close by and didn't like apples). Writing about and reporting this sad event, will not bring back the lovely apple tree but somebody needs to protest about these things and doing so makes me feel a little bit better.

The Bare Verge Without a Tree

This kind of action should always be reported to the local council tree dept. Many trees are protected and although some people seem to think that they are no better than weeds; this small but beautifully formed tree was an example of all that is good about fruit trees.

The Bare Stump

Now all that is left, is a bare and drilled stump and a pile of sawdust!
Just like this lovely pear tree by Cobden bridge.
Also this apple tree by the Chestnut Avenue roundabout.
I have added the location of all these felled trees to my fruit map.

Holes Drilled Into the Stump, Presumably to Prevent any Growback