Is there anything better than heading outside and carefully and responsibly gathering your own food, for free? Foraging is a great experience and one that you should definitely share with your kids. It’s a great way to teach them about plants, nature and how to treat the environment with care and respect. You will want to think carefully about what kinds of plants and foods you want to forage – mushroom foraging should only be done if you’re absolutely certain you can identity what you’re picking, and if you can trust your kids not to pop wild mushrooms into their mouths. Here are some great plants that can be foraged during the fall.
Rosehips
Although they take some careful processing, once you’ve dealt with the spiny seeds inside the rosehips you can enjoy some delicious rosehip tea or infuse some cordial with these pretty red fruits. There are also plenty of recipes out there for rosehip jelly or sorbet, so if you’re prepared to dedicate some time to it, you can really enjoy the fruits of your foraging labor.
Hazelnuts
If there are hazel trees growing on public land, then taking your kids to pick a few is a great way to spend a fall afternoon. Make sure you’re only taking nuts that are ripe or almost ripe, and be careful not to take too many – as well as humans, plenty of animals such as squirrels and birds also enjoy the hazelnut harvest.
Blackberries
Blackberries tend to grow prolifically in certain areas, so if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with plenty of briars then it’s time to get picking! Once you’ve foraged to your heart’s content, you can bake a blackberry pie or create a delicious coulis with these vibrant, tasty berries.