by Judith Stafford | Jul 20, 2020 | Into the Woods
July in the woods It is well into summer now and we are returning to some semblance of normality and the foraging course I booked for July is running. Hurray! This time we were on the seashore rather than in a wood. It was a beautiful sunny day; the beach was packed but we were foraging on the marshes and in the grassy dunes where there we very few people. Which wasn’t surprising as the ground was boggy and uneven with channels of water everywhere blocking your path. The plants I saw were very different to those on other walks. They have to survive in a salty environment so tend to be fleshy and tough. One of the first plants we saw was sea spinach, which as its name suggests, can be eaten like spinach. Martin, our foraging guide, had recently made a quiche with it. A plant I am familiar with from my garden and one that keeps appearing in pots when I plant seeds, is fat hen. Also known as lamb’s quarters or White goosefoot (the leaves are shaped like the feet of geese), it is an annoying weed for gardeners but very good for forages as every bit of it is edible. The seeds are rich in starch and can be sprinkled on salads or sprouted and the leaves used instead of spinach or used in salads. Many of the plants we grow.as vegetables are related to wild versions. Wild carrot and parsnip and the sea radish which was in full radish bloom. You can see why it is called a radish in the picture. These...
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