Foraging for food, pea canes and kids clothing

I've just spent another magnificent weekend foraging on Hampstead Heath. On Saturday morning I was in the capable hands of professional forager Miles Irving (see above) whose book "The Forager Handbook" is due out very soon.

We found at least thirty edible plants including garlic mustard, alexanders, ground elder, plantain, lesser celendine, blackthorn, hawthorn, lime leaves, water mint, witch elm, burdock, dandelion, nettles, daisies, Jack-by-the-hedge and three cornered garlic. I've been eating our harvest all weekend (see photo below).

I even persuaded my other half to come foraging on Hampstead Heath today. We returned well pleased with ourselves. Our haul included sheep's sorrel and common sorrel (excellent substitutes for carbon-intensive lemons), sticks for using as pea canes on our balcony, and an astonishing haul of children's clothing left behind on a sunny day which have now gone to Oxfam.