The Church Minshull Community Website

By Madai - 1st October 2017 8:00am
Well its just over a year since I came to live in Church Minshull and Autumn is here again. Something has been knocking down maize in my field, and eating the cobs, but on the plus side they have been leaving good smells for me to sniff and chase. My man person says it will be badgers and that the maize will be cut soon; that means I'll be able to help clean the field as well so more power to my tummy! Last year I was still quite nervous and hesitant so didn't understand all my responsibilities but now I'm much more adventurous. When I came here I was a bit "thick in the middle" as you can see!
Following the Keats title, and because I'm a great fruit eater (well anything really because I'm ALL LABRADOR) I wanted to share some of my hard learned foraging tips with you:
- Fallen fruit needs picking up and dropping first to shake out the wasps — don't ask me how I know!
- Go easy on the fruit diet before bedtime otherwise your people are in for a disturbed night or some serious mop and bucket action in the morning
- Sloes are badly named, they should be called Dries because that's what your mouth feels like and drinking too much pond water has other effects
- Rosehips are a mistake as they are very prickly
- Brambles are easy pickings once you've learnt to peel your lips back plus the fruit stains don't show on my black coat, otherwise see rosehip instructions
- Hawthorn berries — see rosehips
- Damsons have little goodness, are stoney on the way down and on the way out
- Raspberries are delicious though the pips get in your teeth
- Gooseberries should be avoided at all costs: I didn't understand why my man was wearing thick leather gloves when cutting them, but I do now!
Anyway last month I put a "pun prize" in the blog. Congratulations to the reader who spotted it — "querky" being a play on "Quercus" the scientific name for Oak trees. They are now the proud owner of a bag of shortbread Scottie dogs. This month, which tree is a real fag, if you live under it? Answers by email to madaithelabrador@gmail.com
Madai — your rovering reporter
To visit my home page and previous blogs
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