Explore wild plants that you can eat in your local patch. Join us for a guided walk through a range of landscapes on the hunt for the best wild foods that spring has to offer. Gain confidence in foraging and learn how to use these wild plants in your own cooking.
Edible wild plants are often viewed with suspicion and thought to be bitter or tasteless, only to be eaten as a last resort. But to the forager, our woodlands and hedgerows are full of tasty and filling wild food opportunities.
You’ll be taking a half day ramble along the hedgerows on the hunt for “food for free” all set against the backdrop of mixed woodlands, wetlands and open meadows of Park In The Past, with 120 acres of wild space to explore. Don’t forget to bring your own basket or bag to grab some wild edibles to take home.
Take a guided foraging walk through the woods, meadows & hedgerows
Gain confidence in identifying a variety of edible plants
Discover medicinal uses for seasonal wild plants
Enjoy a wild tea taster
Learn how to forage with a sustainable approach to the habitat
Understand the law and your rights when foraging
Event details
Date: Sun 28 April, 2024
Time: 10am – 1pm
Venue: Park in the Past
Cost: £30
Your Tutor: James Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in outdoor education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
In 2017 James received the Bushcraft Competency Certificate awarded through theInstitute for Outdoor Learning after 2 years of teaching experience and practical study. He is also a member of the IOL Bushcraft Professional Practise Group. The group aims to promote best practice in the growing industry of bushcraft activity providers.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the programme you will learn a range of skills, including…
Reading the Landscape
Hedgerow Medicine
Tree & Plant identification
Hedgerow Foraging
Book now
This walk costs £30 per person and is open to adult learners aged 16 years and over. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
Celebrate the Winter Solstice with us in the woods. Adults or families with children of all ages are welcome to join us at our sheltered fire circle hidden in the beautiful woodland of Park in the Past for an early evening session of solstice celebration around the campfire. We will start with a lantern-lit walk along the trail, across the river and into the woods where our crackling campfire will give us a warm and welcome light at the darkest time of the year. Our previous events have been amazing, and this year promises to be a very special and magical event with music, food and good company.
Be sure to wrap up well with appropriate clothing as old Jack Frost will be out and about.
“We can look back on our journey since Summer Solstice, to acknowledge what we have completed in this cycle, what we have experienced and what wisdom we have gained. It is also a moment to look forward, to name the new seeds and intentions we wish to take into the next cycle.” Glennie Kindred
Lea and James will be your guides as we gather under our huge parachute canopy and share the warmth of the midwinter fire.
We are hosting this session on 2 consecutive nights so if this date fills up, check out our event on the 21st Dec.
Lantern walk down the trails to the fire circle
Hot spiced apple cider (non-alcoholic)
Festive fireside storytelling
Wishing Tree
Gentle games for the kids; night-line, glow worm trail & more
Roasted chestnuts
Sing-along with seasonal songs; James will bring his mandolin
Light a candle of your own and make a wish for the coming year
Event details
Date: Dec 22, 2023
Time: 4:30 am – 6:30 pm
Venue: Park in the Past
Cost: Adult £14, Child £11, Under 2’s Free
Want a sneak preview of this event? Watch this short video of a previous Woodland Winter Solstice gathering we hosted.
Your Guides: James & Lea Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in environmental education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers his students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
Lea is a qualified Counsellor and Mindfulness in a Woodland Setting practitioner. She is a firm believer in the power of nature to be therapeutic for everyone. Lea is an active forager, passionate about how we can use common plants for both food and medicine. She enjoys making her own tinctures and medicinal remedies for treating common ailments.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the evening you will experience a range of activities, including…
Nature Connection
Campfire Treats
Family Bushcraft
Ancestral Skills
Campfire
Stargazing
Tree & Plant identification
Wellbeing in Nature
Book now
Adults tickets £14 each, Child tickets £11 each. Under two’s come for FREE. Children of all ages are welcome. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
Give yourself the gift of quality time in nature as you join us around the midwinter campfire, for a celebration of the Winter Solstice. You will be guided through a range of activities aimed at deepening your nature connection whilst we mark this special moment in the calendar year together.
Experiencing nature with all our senses is a powerful doorway to practising mindfulness which is proven to improve your health & well-being. Practising bushcraft brings us closer to our ancestors and a very old way of understanding the natural world around us. It also fosters a stronger connection to nature. Fire has a hypnotic quality which can really aid getting into a mindful head space. Lighting fires at the darkest time of the year is also an ancient custom and symbolises creating our positive intentions for the new year.
“Winter Solstice, like Summer Solstice, is a moment of pause between two cycles, a moment of transition that can be held and savoured, a doorway, an opening, a place on the edge, when we can stop our busy lives and take a moment to experience this edge between these two great cycles of the year.” Glennie Kindred
Lea and James will guide you through a range of seasonal activities aimed at giving you real techniques which you can use to foster a deeper nature connection in your own time.
You will join us around the campfire amoungst the beautiful woodland of Park in the Past in North East Wales for a relaxing session of learning and celebrating in amongst the trees.
Enjoy a winter warmer; hot spiced apple cider (non-alcoholic) from our campfire
Awaken your ‘five animal senses’
Use traditional tools; knife, axe and froe
Identify native tree species in winter
Craft your own wild weaving to take home
Unwind with a tree meditation
Roast chestnuts on an open fire
Use traditional firelighting tools; flint & steel
Build your own Midwinter campfire; bring light to the dark
Set your intentions for the new year ahead
Make herbal teas from wild plants
Discover what your Celtic Birth Tree is and what it says about you
Event details
Date: Dec 22, 2023
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Venue: Park in the Past
Cost: £35
Your Tutors: James & Lea Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in environmental education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers his students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
Lea is a qualified Counsellor and Mindfulness in a Woodland Setting practitioner. She is a firm believer in the power of nature to be therapeutic for everyone. Lea is an active forager, passionate about how we can use common plants for both food and medicine. She enjoys making her own tinctures and medicinal remedies for treating common ailments.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the programme you will learn a range of skills, including…
Nature Connection
Hedgerow Medicine
Mindfulness
Greenwood crafts
Firelighting Skills
Ancestral Skills
Tree & Plant identification
Meditation techniques
Book now
This session costs £35 per person and is open to adult learners aged 16 years and over. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
Celebrate the Winter Solstice with us in the woods. Adults or families with children of all ages are welcome to join us at our sheltered fire circle hidden in the beautiful woodland of Park in the Past for an early evening session of solstice celebration around the campfire. We will start with a lantern-lit walk along the trail, across the river and into the woods where our crackling campfire will give us a warm and welcome light at the darkest time of the year. Our previous events have been amazing, and this year promises to be a very special and magical event with music, food and good company.
Be sure to wrap up well with appropriate clothing as old Jack Frost will be out and about.
“We can look back on our journey since Summer Solstice, to acknowledge what we have completed in this cycle, what we have experienced and what wisdom we have gained. It is also a moment to look forward, to name the new seeds and intentions we wish to take into the next cycle.” Glennie Kindred
Lea and James will be your guides as we gather under our huge parachute canopy and share the warmth of the midwinter fire.
We are hosting this session on 2 consecutive nights so if this date fills up, check out our event on the 22nd Dec.
Lantern walk down the trails to the fire circle
Hot spiced apple cider (non-alcoholic)
Festive fireside storytelling
Wishing Tree
Gentle games for the kids; night-line, glow worm trail & more
Roasted chestnuts
Sing-along with seasonal songs; James will bring his mandolin
Light a candle of your own and make a wish for the coming year
Event details
Date: Dec 21, 2023
Time: 4:30 am – 6:30 pm
Venue: Park in the Past
Cost: Adult £14, Child £11, Under 2’s Free
Want a sneak preview of this event? Watch this short video of a previous Woodland Winter Solstice gathering we hosted.
Your Guides: James & Lea Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in environmental education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers his students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
Lea is a qualified Counsellor and Mindfulness in a Woodland Setting practitioner. She is a firm believer in the power of nature to be therapeutic for everyone. Lea is an active forager, passionate about how we can use common plants for both food and medicine. She enjoys making her own tinctures and medicinal remedies for treating common ailments.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the evening you will experience a range of activities, including…
Nature Connection
Campfire Treats
Family Bushcraft
Ancestral Skills
Campfire
Stargazing
Tree & Plant identification
Wellbeing in Nature
Book now
Adults tickets £14 each, Child tickets £11 each. Under two’s come for FREE. Children of all ages are welcome. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
Give your family the gift of quality time in nature this Christmas and add a bit of wild to your festive season. Join our festive celebration surrounded by the beautiful woodland of Park in the Past.
Families with children of all ages are welcome to join us at our Forest School circle where we will be stoking the campfire to bring light to the darkest time of the year.
James and Lea will guide you and your children through a range of festive craft activities that will get you all in the festive mood for Christmas. This is going to be a very special and magical event with music, food and good company.
You will return home with a Christmas wreath you have made along with hand-crafted decorations for your tree.
“My son and I attended a lovely winter solstice event on 21st December. It was a truly magical night and we loved the vibe. We will be back again. Loving that my birth tree is Oak by the way!” Nicole Netzband-Piggot
Enjoy a winter warmer; hot spiced apple juice from our campfire
Take a guided foraging walk for natural craft materials
Make a Christmas woodland wreath to take home
Taste roasted chestnuts, campfire popcorn and other hot snacks
Sing along to the mandolin with Christmas Carols around the campfire
Craft willow stars & other rustic decorations to hang in your Christmas tree
Listen to the tale of how the Robin got his red breast
Scoff a campfire-warmed mince pie – yum!
Event details
Date: Sat 9th Dec 2023
Time: 10am – 12:30pm
Venue: Park in the Past
Cost: £35 per family
Your Guides: James & Lea Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in environmental education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers his students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
Lea is a qualified Counsellor and Mindfulness in a Woodland Setting practitioner. She is a firm believer in the power of nature to be therapeutic for everyone. Lea is an active forager, passionate about how we can use common plants for both food and medicine. She enjoys making her own tinctures and medicinal remedies for treating common ailments.
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the session you will enjoy a range of activities, including…
Nature Connection
Campfire snacks
Bushcraft for families
Campfire Cooking
Book now
This session costs £35 per family (to a maximum of 2 adults and 3 children per family). Additional children (over 2 years of age) are charged £5 separately. Additional children aged under 2 are free.
Give yourself the gift of quality time in nature as you join us around the midwinter campfire, for a celebration of the Winter Solstice. You will be guided through a range of activities aimed at deepening your nature connection whilst we mark this special moment in the calendar year together.
Experiencing nature with all our senses is a powerful doorway to practising mindfulness which is proven to improve your health & well-being. Practising bushcraft brings us closer to our ancestors and a very old way of understanding the natural world around us. It also fosters a stronger connection to nature. Fire has a hypnotic quality which can really aid getting into a mindful head space. Lighting fires at the darkest time of the year is also an ancient custom and symbolises creating our positive intentions for the new year.
“Winter Solstice, like Summer Solstice, is a moment of pause between two cycles, a moment of transition that can be held and savoured, a doorway, an opening, a place on the edge, when we can stop our busy lives and take a moment to experience this edge between these two great cycles of the year.” Glennie Kindred
James and Kay will guide you through a range of seasonal activities aimed at giving you real techniques which you can use to foster a deeper nature connection in your own time.
You will join us around the campfire amoungst the beautiful ancient woodland of the National Trust’s Erddig estate in North East Wales for a relaxing session of learning and celebrating in amongst the trees.
Enjoy a winter warmer; hot spiced apple cider (non-alcoholic) from our campfire
Awaken your ‘five animal senses’
Use traditional tools; knife, axe and froe
Identify native tree species in winter
Craft your own wild weaving to take home
Unwind with a tree meditation
Roast chestnuts on an open fire
Build your own Midwinter campfire; bring light to the dark
Set your intentions for the new year ahead
Make herbal teas from wild plants
Discover what your Celtic Birth Tree is and what it says about you
Event details
Date: Dec 21, 2022
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Venue: Erddig
Cost: £30
Your Tutor: James Kendall
James is the Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in environmental education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers his students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
Your Tutor: Kay Ribbons-Steen
Kay has worked for a number of years in eco-therapy having trained as a Mindfulness in a Woodland Setting practitioner. Kay studied a work based diploma in Environmental Conservation with Flintshire Countryside & Coast Service. She is also an Ambassador for the National Autistic Society, and an autism awareness speaker.
She is also a qualified Forest School Leader and Social Forester.
“I am passionate about reconnecting people with nature for our own holistic wellbeing whilst conserving our unique and irreplaceable environment.”
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the programme you will learn a range of skills, including…
Nature Connection
Hedgerow Medicine
Mindfulness
Greenwood crafts
Firelighting Skills
Ancestral Skills
Tree & Plant identification
Meditation techniques
Book now
This session costs £30 per person and is open to adult learners aged 16 years and over. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
Give your family the gift of quality time in nature this Christmas and add a bit of wild to your festive season. Join our celebration of midwinter surrounded by the ancient woodland of the National Trust’s Erddig estate.
Families with children of all ages are welcome to join us at our Forest School circle where we will be stoking the campfire to bring light to the darkest time of the year.
James and Kay will guide you and your children through a range of seasonal activities that will get you all in the festive mood for Christmas. This is going to be a very special and magical event with music, food and good company.
“My son and I attended a lovely winter solstice event on 21st December. It was a truly magical night and we loved the vibe. We will be back again. Loving that my birth tree is Oak by the way!” Nicole Netzband-Piggot
Enjoy a winter warmer; hot spiced apple juice from our campfire
Take a guided foraging walk for natural craft materials
Make a Christmas woodland wreath to take home
Taste roasted chestnuts, campfire popcorn and other hot snacks
Visit the Wishing Tree; set family intentions for the year ahead
Sing along to the mandolin with Christmas Carols around the campfire
Make a willow star to hang in your Christmas tree
Listen to the tale of how the Robin got his red breast
Discover how our ancestors celebrated the Winter Solstice
Event details
Date: Sat Dec 17 & Sun 18 2022
Time: Two sessions available each day. 10:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1.30pm – 4pm
Venue: Erddig
Cost: £35
Your Leaders: James Kendall & Kay Ribbons-Steen
James is a Forest School Leader and Head Bushcraft Instructor at Woodland Classroom, having worked in environmental education & conservation for over 10 years. James’ approach to teaching steers his students toward fostering a deeper connection with nature through understanding the landscape around us; “Bushcraft skills are an effective way to do this as we learn how to make use of natural materials and live lightly with the land, whilst also connecting with our own ancient past by seeing the land through the eyes of our ancestors.”
Kay is a qualified Forest School Leader and Social Forester. She has worked for a number of years in eco-therapy having trained as a Mindfulness in a Woodland Setting practitioner. Kay studied a work based diploma in Environmental Conservation with Flintshire Countryside & Coast Service. She is also an Ambassador for the National Autistic Society, and an autism awareness speaker; “I am passionate about reconnecting people with nature for our own holistic wellbeing whilst conserving our unique and irreplaceable environment.”
Watch a video of a previous event we hosted
Skills you will learn
Over the course of the session you will enjoy a range of skills, including…
Nature Connection
Campfire snacks
Bushcraft for families
Campfire Cooking
Book now
This session costs £35 per family (to a maximum of 2 adults and 3 children per family). Additional children (over 2 years of age) are charged £5 separately.
We are hosting this event on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th Dec. Pick which day suits you.
The event is 2.5 hours long. You can choose from either a morning session (10am – 12.30pm) or afternoon session (1.30pm – 4pm) by selecting the appropriate ticket below. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
Uncover the Amazing World of Medicinal Mushrooms & Their Power To Heal
Join one of the world-leading authorities on this fascinating subject as we rediscover ancient knowledge about how medicinal mushrooms can be used to improve our health, boost our immune system and feed our bodies microflora.
This is a subject that is fast growing and our guest tutor Christopher Hobbs is at the forefront of this movement. He is the author of Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide which has been described as; “Nothing less than a masterpiece. The authoritative resource on medicinal mushrooms for anyone seeking to enhance physical and mental health.”
Medicinal mushrooms can boost immunity, fight cancer, improve memory, stop infection and expand your consciousness. Anyone can learn to forage them and use them at home for a host of health benefits. The good news, they are growing in the woods all around us.
You will learn how to identify medicinal mushrooms growing wild, how to harvest them and how you can use them at home.
The workshop is aimed at anyone who wants to find natural solutions to improving their own health and wellbeing as well as those already interested in wild food foraging.
A ticket costs just £11 per household. These events are selling out quickly, so grab your place whilst you can 🙂 Everyone has loved these workshops so far and they’ve been really popular.
YOUR WORKSHOP INCLUDES:
* How Mushrooms Can Boost Your Health
* Identifying Medicinal Mushrooms in the Wild
* Top Mushrooms in Depth
* Cooking with Medicinal Mushrooms
* Special Guest Tutor: Christopher Hobbs, author of Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide
* Q&A Session: put your questions to Dr. Hobbs
The workshop will last 1hr 30 mins and will be hosted via Zoom.
If you cannot make the workshop on the night, we can send you a recording of it afterwards.
Our online foraging workshops started in the first lockdown and have continued to be a hit ever since, as people want to learn how to make tasty meals from the wild plants around them. Each month we host online workshops with a whole host of nature-based subjects including foraging, tree lore, woodcraft skills and wild medicine.
HOW TO BOOK – VERY IMPORTANT!
The cost is £11 per household. So, feel free to cram as many family members around the screen as you can 🙂
Once you have your ticket, we will follow up with an email on the day of for you to register for the Zoom meeting, following which you will receive the Zoom meeting link and entry password. So, look out for that.
Please note, tickets are non-refundable.
Event details
Date: Nov 22, 2022
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Venue: Zoom Meeting
Cost: £11
Your Tutor: Dr. Christopher Hobbs
We are excited to be welcoming a leading authority on this fascinating subject to lead this special workshop for you. Dr. Christopher Hobbs is a fourth-generation, internationally renowned herbalist, licensed acupuncturist, author, clinician, botanist, mycologist, and research scientist with over 35 years of experience with herbal medicine.
He is the author of Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide, and has written over 20 books on herbal medicine.
Christopher has a doctorate from UC Berkeley in phylogenetics, evolutionary biology and phytochemistry. He is also a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild.
James and Lea from Woodland Classroom will also be on hand to host proceedings and field your questions throughout the workshop.
Skills you will learn
During this workshop you will learn a range of skills, including…
Nature Connection
Hedgerow Medicine
Ancestral Skills
Hedgerow Foraging
Book now
This workshop costs just £11 per household and is open to anyone. Children are welcome to attend with their families, though please note the content will be taught at an adult level. You can read our Event Terms & Conditions here.
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is one of our littlest known but most beautiful trees. Not only do they give a stunning display of colour, the berries sure do pack a tropical punch. The juice has to be one of the most memorable and refreshing flavours in the wold of UK wild food. When they fruit, the combination of the bright orange berries against the silvery green leaves make them look almost Mediterranean. So, if you want to feel like you’re kicking back on a sunny beach with a tropical drink in the depths of winter, we’ll give you the closest thing with some delicious sea buckthorn recipes. It’s a a wild food that’s well worth getting to know.
Getting these berries off the tree can be a little troublesome. You might have guessed from the name of this tree that there’s thorns to deal with. I’m here to help though and I’ve included a video which shows the easiest ways I’ve found to harvest the berries. You’ll get tips and tricks to filtering out leaf debris, so give it a watch. These are tried and tested methods so you can see how well each works for yourself.
If you’ve watched the video you might be thinking; “that seems like a lot of work for some fruit juice.” But the nutritional benefit of these little gems is unbelievable! They truly are a superfood. They contain high levels of vitamin C, around 5 times more than oranges, high levels of antioxidants as well as omega 3 and 6. Importantly they contain A, B, C and E vitamins including B12. Scientific trials have found that sea buckthorn is effective in treating tumours, lung diseases and gastric distress. They also help reduce inflammation and can treat heart diseases and improve blood vessel function, so get drinking it!
Above: This female sea buckthorn was found in an old sand & gravel quarry, far from the coast.
Where & When Can I Find Sea Buckthorn
Finding one of these amazing trees is not always the easiest thing. They are not nationally common, but could be locally common in your area. Generally, sea buckthorn is restricted to coastal areas or particularly gravelly soil so if you’re near a beach make sure to have a scout around as they have been purposely planted in many areas to help stabilise sand dunes. With that in mind they can also sometimes be found planted up in retail parks and roadside verges where they provide that stabilisation for the ground but also quick ground cover. Keep your eyes peeled.
Sea buckthorn is a deciduous shrub that has silvery-green leaves similar in appearance to rosemary. The leaves also remind us of a smaller version of willow leaves. The shrub also grows thick spines along the branches which is a good indicator of the species into the winter when the leaves fall.
The dense clusters of bright orange berries are a dead giveaway to positive identification. Look for a silvery sheen close up on the berry skins too. The berries begin to fruit around August and September but it’s best to leave them till they’ve all turned from green to orange. As you’ll see from my video, early to mid autumn is the best time of year to harvest the berries as they are more firm and will get damaged less when picking. The later in the season you go, the more delicate the berries become. You can still harvest them into late autumn/early winter but it will be a messier job as the juice gets everywhere.
This tree is dioecious, which means it has separate male and female trees. Only the females produce the berries. So, don’t be surprised if you come across a specimen in the right season but with no berries. Look around the surrounding area for a female in fruit.
Above: Notice the leaves grow in a whorl around the whole twig. They have a silvery sheen to them.
How do I Process Sea Buckthorn
As the name suggests the sea buckthorn is a spiny shrub so a thick pair of gloves is helpful for one of the methods of collecting the berries. When the berries are ripe they tend to burst very easily, which does make collecting them a little tricky, but we’ve got some proven methods to remove the berries that we’ve tried so you don’t have to.
The first method, which I prefer, involves cutting off the tips of branches which are heavy with berries. Although this can seem quite destructive, this is a tree which grows back fast, so you can cut with confidence. It’s good practise to always take only what you need and leave what you can for wildlife.
Pop the cut branches in a bag.
When you’re home, put the branches on a tea towel outdoors, in a place where creepy crawlies can escape.
Later, place the berry-heavy bunches in a double layered bin bag and leaving in the freezer for a couple of days.
Once the berries have fully frozen remove the bin bag and beat it with a stick, this will separate them from the branch without bursting them.
Lastly you’ll need to separate the whole berries from any other debris that has been loosened in the bag. Watch the video for tips on how to do this effectively.
The second method is a little messier but is a quick way of collecting the juice of the berries. This method is best done later in the season when the berries are at their ripest.
Put a clean food bucket under the branch you want to collect the juice from.
Wearing a thick pair of rubber gloves, squeeze along the branch in a downward motion, toward the tip. This squishes the berries as you go and avoids you getting spiked. The juice runs into the bucket below.
When you get home, the juice will need straining as lots of leaf and branch debris will probably fall into the bucket during the collection process.
With either of these methods, make sure you’re not wearing anything you would mind getting berry juice on or even wear an apron.
Above: Using the “bag & freezer” method to separate the berries.
Above: Processing the juice from the berries. I used a potato ricer.
What Can I Make with Sea Buckthorn
Sea buckthorn has a notoriously tart taste so I would recommend sweetening it before eating, unless you like an intense sharp and sour hit – I dare you to give it a try raw. If you want to get an idea of the kind of sharp citrusy flavour the processed juice of the berry gives then pick one straight from the tree, it’s very refreshing… if a little tart. The recipe I made was a sweet sea buckthorn juice and it was a very refreshing and very healthy addition to my breakfast.
For this recipe you can get away with using the squeeze method as mentioned above, as all you really need is the juice. Make sure you strain the juice through a sieve or muslin cloth if you want to be super thorough. You will need:
Sea buckthorn juice
Runny honey to taste
A sterilised container with a lid for storage
In a saucepan, heat the juice and honey together on a low heat. Stir well to make sure the honey melts into the juice. When the juice is as sweet as you want, take the pan off the heat and leave to cool before bottling in a sterilised jar.
As well as complimenting your morning eggs you could try adding the juice to some sparkling white wine to make sea bucks fizz, or with lemonade to make a refreshing cordial. You could also consider using sea buckthorn for jam, or you could reduce the juice by cooking it for longer and adding sugar to make a sea buckthorn syrup. In Northern Europe, it’s popular as an accompaniment to fish as it is similar in sharpness to lemon.
Making a fruit leather would be a good way of preserving the goodness of the berries right through the year. To do this; gently simmer the juice down to a thick syrup, combine it with hawthorn berry pulp which has been similarly boiled down, spread the mixture thinly onto greaseproof paper and then dry it over several hours gently in a dehydrator, on an oven on a low heat with the door slightly ajar to allow airflow. The purpose of the hawthorn berries (called haws) is to provide a binding quality to the leather, as on its own the buckthorn juice may struggle to hold together. The haws also have their own major health benefits. A fruit leather not only preserves the vitamins but hold the taste too.
Above: The juice or berries can be used to make a range of tangy foods like jam, sauce, cordial or fruit leather.
Discover More Wild Food
If all this talk of wild food and foraging has whetted your appetite then you can take your learning further with us through the range of courses we offer.
You can immerse yourself in the world of foraging through our outdoor courses hosted in beautiful National Trust estate woodlands in North-East Wales. Or if that’s too far afield for you we also host regular online workshops, live through Zoom where we focus on wild foods of the season and give you delicious recipe ideas, foraging tips and expertise from special guest speakers. If this all sounds interesting, check out what’s coming up on our Events page right here.
Another way to get instant access to a whole backlog of wild food & foraging videos, recipes and recorded workshops is to join our Tribe over on Patreon. In return for supporting our mission, our patrons get access loads of exclusive resources. You can join the Tribe from as little as £3.60 per month. Find out about all the benefits right here.
Until next time, good luck with your own foraging journey.
If you’re not eating rosehips already, you need to start. Not only are they really good for you, but they taste amazing… like a burst of tropical fruit. They are also very common and easy to identify. So, what’s stopping you?
I really look forward to the season for rosehips, they are one of my favourite wild foods. The bright red scattering of rosehips in our hedgerows is one of the biggest indicators that winter is settling in. These vibrant fruits stand out to our eyes and that bright colour could mislead you into thinking that you should stay away from them, but the rosehip can make some delicious winter recipes to keep you going through the colder months.
I made this short video to show you the best way to eat rosehips raw, right off the branch. They make a great ‘pick-me-up’ on a country walk. There’s a couple of essential tips you need to know, so check it out…
Where & When To Find Rosehips
Rosehips grow on wild rose bushes. In the UK there are two species which you can forage from; the dog rose (Rosa canina) and the field rose (Rosa arvensis). Dog rose is found in most parts of the UK, unlike the field rose which is only found in England and Wales. Both species can be eaten so it’s not particularly important to know the difference between the two. These plants are climbers, trailing their way through hedgerows with their stems covered in thorns.
The rosehips themselves are easy to identify as oval fruits which develop behind the summer flower, turning from green to red as they ripen. In the summer the petals for both wild roses are large, being pink to white in colour with a yellow stamen. They have a beautiful fragrance, as you’d expect from a rose.
The best spots for finding rosehips is hedgerows and woodland edges, where the hips can ripen with plenty of sunshine. Scrubland and brownfield sites are also good places to look.
It’s from September that the hips begin to ripen enough to be harvested. They should only be eaten once they are fully red, don’t eat them if they’re still a bit green. There isn’t a particular firmness they are best at; they can be harvested when squishy or hard so don’t worry if you don’t get them right at the beginning of the season. What is important though is that you’re only eating the red flesh. The hairy, yellow seeds in the centre of the hip need to be removed before they can be eaten. These hairs are very fine and can lodge in your throat, being very uncomfortable to digest.
If you haven’t watched our video above already, do check it out so you can learn how to easily remove the flesh from the hairy seeds. Another method can be used back in the kitchen, whilst processing the hips back at home using a muslin cloth (see our method for rosehip syrup below) but if you’re out in the field after a quick hot of that tropical taste then here’s what you need to do:
Look for the softer squishy ones with a wrinkled skin. These are found more so at the back end of autumn.
To remove the hip cleanly, and avoid being spiked, twist is away from you and toward the stalk. This will usually give a clean break.
Hold the rosehip between both thumbs and index fingers equally, with the stalk side facing you.
Squeeze the hip with even pressure. A ‘red worm’ of pulp should rise from the hole.
Eat the tasty red flesh, discard the squeezed hip.
Above Left: Rosehips looking perfectly ripe on the branch. Above Right: These hips are softer and more wrinkled. Perfect for the squeezing method as explained in the video.
How To Make Rosehip Syrup
A more traditional use for them would be rosehip syrup, which was a common sight in the household during the second world war. Due to the UK’s inability to import fruit from other countries, the public were recommended to collect and make their own rosehip syrup to prevent scurvy; two tablespoons of rosehip syrup would more than provide you with your daily dose of vitamin C. As well as being very good for you, the syrup is deliciously sweet and goes really well drizzled on top of hot sponges, pancakes, and other desserts or you could try adding a little to some lemonade to make a cordial. Below is a recipe for rosehip syrup so you can make your own.
To make a litre of syrup you need:
1 kilogram of rosehips
3 litres of water
450g of sugar (or honey)
Method:
Remove any leaves and the green ends of the rosehips, then chop them by hand or in a food processor and add to a saucepan with the water.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes before straining with a muslin into a clean bowl. Once the juice has been strained, re-strain in a clean muslin cloth. This ensures that all the hairs inside that cause irritation have been removed.
In a new saucepan add the sugar and simmer together until it has dissolved and the liquid has thickened.
Transfer to a sterilised jar and keep in a cool place.
As well as being delicious on pancakes and packed with vitamin C, rosehips also have a fantastic range of health benefits. Amazingly, rosehips contain 2000mg per 100g, compared with the equivalent weight of orange with just 50mg! This little fruit can boost heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Rosehips also have anti-inflammatory properties and there is some evidence it can reduce pain and stiffness in joints with osteoarthritis, possibly due to the high level of antioxidants they contain. Cold pressed rosehip oil can also help protect against ultraviolet light, pollution, and cigarette smoke as well as increasing skin elasticity. They also contain high levels of fibre, vitamin A, calcium, and potassium.
I’ve also used them to make a cup of rosehip tea. To try this yourself; halve ten hips and scrape out the seeds and hairs. Cover the hips in boiling water and leave to infuse for a few minutes. You could add a little honey or sugar to sweeten your tea, but rosehips contain their own natural sweetness, so adding sugar is not essential, just see how you like it.
You could always try slicing and drying the hips to make a longer-lasting tea ingredient. If you don’t have a dehydrator, put the halved hips on a parchment covered baking tray and cook on a very low heat with the door slightly open for a few hours to remove the moisture. Rosehips can also be used to make a sweet jam to go on toast or on plain yoghurt. We added halved rosehips to a hedgerow crumble for a burst of colour and flavour amongst the apples and blackberries.
Above Left: Rosehip syrup. Above Right: Fruit leather with rosehips, crab apple and hawthorn.
Can I Eat My Garden Roses?
This is a fair question, so let’s look into it. As far as I have researched, all roses are edible. You might well be familiar with the Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa) which is a common sight in suburban areas and retail centre car parks. The rosehips on this plant are much larger, being more rounded. They also ripen earlier than our native roses. The summer petals on this plant are a beautiful cerise pink colour. Both the petals and hips are edible, as with our wild roses. However I have found that these hips, being larger, are more susceptible to harbouring maggots, especially when they start to soften. So, I would recommend halving them to have a good look inside before using them for any cooking.
Something else you need to be aware of with foraging garden roses, including the Japanese Rose, is that they may have been sprayed with pesticide or plant food, not something you want to add to your diet. So, unless you know the garden or gardener well, it’s best to avoid Mr Jones’ prize roses from across the road. With any foraging it’s important to take a wider view and think about where you’re picking from and what forces those plants are subjected to. As always; if in doubt, leave it out.
Above: Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa) with striking pink flowers in summer and hips as large as cherry tomatoes.
Discover More Wild Foods
Along with my partner, James, I host foraging and wild food walks and courses in North-East Wales at two beautiful National Trust estate grounds. Coming on a course is a great way to learn a variety of commonly growing plants and fungi we can use in our own cooking and also for hedgerow medicine. If you’d like to see what courses we have coming up, then head to our Events page.
I hope this blog has inspired you to try foraging rosehips yourself.
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