With the shrill cry of cheap-cheaper-cheapest from supermarkets left, right and centre, we are constantly led on a goose chase to hunt down the best deal, to spend as little money as possible on food.
The trouble is, there is no such thing as cheap food – with heavy subsidies masking the inherent costs of food production, offsetting the thousands of miles of transportation of out-of-season goods – the true cost of supermarket food is far from met by the pennies we pay at the till.
And yet, there is such a thing as free food – highly nutritious and extremely diverse crops simply out there in nature – on hedgerows, in meadows, forests and wastelands, beside streams and lakes, on grassy verges and village greens, moorland and coastal paths…
The nutritional content (vitamins, minerals, protein) of wild plants is consistently higher than in cultivated plants, and they are there for the taking (for those who dare to try)!
Did you know for example that the Lesser Celandine – spring’s first flower – is so rich in Vitamin C that it was traditionally used as a cure for scurvy? And that Comfrey stalk is a great substitute for Asparagus?
The sheer abundance of nature becomes more apparent the more you are willing to explore and experiment. Armed with a concise guide to the identification of wild plants (such as Richard Maybe’s Food for Free), a keen eye and a respectful attitude, you will quickly discover a whole world of food that you previously wrote off as ‘weeds’ or only of interest to animals.
There are some rules however, that are crucial to follow when foraging for food:
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ONLY pick what you can identify
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ONLY select healthy plants
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NEVER take more than a third of a plant or cluster (a third for you, a third for wildlife and a third for nature)
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AVOID harvesting on busy roadsides and near sprayed fields
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NEVER pick endangered species
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ALWAYS seek permission from landowner when digging up roots
With rules out of the way, there are still some guidelines to be aware of:
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Flowers should only be harvested at the point of flowering – there is the potential that they become mildly poisonous when too far gone.
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Roots are best harvested in the autumn when their store of nutrients is most potent.
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Fruits and Seeds must be properly matured (but harvested before they lose their lustre and vitality).
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Leaves you can harvest throughout the growing season – from spring until autumn – and if you require large quantities, you can cut back in early summer and gain a second round in the autumn. They are always most tender and tasty when young.
It helps to chop your findings finely as wild plants are usually tougher than cultivated ones and generally carry a much stronger flavour. A great place to start with wild food is to create an exciting salad. Some common wild plants could include:
Red and White Clover, Dead Nettle, Chickweed, Sorrel, Fat Hen, Daisy, Wild Garlic, Ground Elder, Ribwort Plantain, Mugwort, Sweet Cicely, Lesser Celandine, Yarrow, Comfrey Buds, Oxe-Eye Daisy, Goose Grass, Dandelion, Cowslip…
Then look to the trees and seek out young Beech, Lime and Hawthorn leaves, Hawthorn Flowers and any nuts you can find (Hazel, Beech, Walnut etc).
To accompany your salad, try battered Cowslips, Dandelion Flowers and Elderflowers – simply dip the heads into batter and drop into hot fat for about half a minute, then turn to make both sides golden.
As a dip or dressing you could also knock up some Wild Garlic pesto – a firm favourite in my household. You should be able to find Wild Garlic from early March through till about May, most likely in woodlands and near streams.
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Place 100g of Wild Garlic leaves into a wooden or metal bowl.
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Add 50g of crushed nuts (Walnuts beat the exotic Pine Nut in my view!)
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Pound with a pestle and mortar (the name ‘pesto’ is derived from this action, but you can also use a stick blender, adding oil as you go).
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Then stir in 50g of grated cheese (Cheddar works just as well as Parmesan).
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Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
You will need about 100ml Olive Oil.
And Hey Pesto!!
