Sloe walk with my dogs

It’s Sunday morning, the sun is shining and the birds are singing. What could be better than a leisurely stroll hunting for sloes.

#Lancashire, #sloes, #foraging, #mindfulness #calm,

As I was hunting through the hedgerows I found butterflies feasting on blackberries. Never seen this before so I paused to watch them for a while.

A little further along I came across this beauty. Having seen so few butterflies this year it was good to see them.

That’s one of the best things about going foraging. You have to concentrate on the small things in nature. So as well as harvesting free food you get to see things that you normally pass by and miss.

My dogs enjoy it as well as they have plenty of time to stop and explore the scents in the hedgerows.

With no end point or objective to drive you. You can drift back to a simpler time of the Hunter gatherer, pick fruit and have time for your thoughts.

I soon had enough sloes to make a batch of sloe gin. So into the freezer they go for another rainy day project at home.

When foraging always check what you are collecting. Just because it looks tasty doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat. Even for the plants I recognise I always double check with the picture this app.

Also don’t take more than you can eat or process. I always follow a rule of thirds. A third for the plant to grow new plants, a third for the birds and animals and a third for me. If the pickings look sparse then don’t take at all and move on.

Is it bad I have got to the stage of being able to estimate the weight of fruit for a batch of liquor down to an error of 5 grams. So I definitely only took what I needed.