Allotments 4 All

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5339440.stm

Just popped up on bbc.

Thanks for that link Cambourne  :) I love anything like this! My FIL looks at me like I'm an idiot when I take home baskets of dandelions in the spring!

If you get into Wild foods get a starter book like Wild Food by Roger Phillips ISBN 0 330 28069-4
Macmillan 1983.

Jack by the Hedge or Garlic Mustard is great...

Or Richard Mayby's (sp) classic that my parents raised us on: "Food for Free". It's in the kitchen behind everything so I can't reach it.  The title is correct, not sure about the spelling of his surname.

Recently started eating Fat Hen as I manage to grow it quite sucessfully... ::)

Quote from: bennettsleg on September 29, 2006, 19:01:37
Or Richard Mayby's (sp) classic that my parents raised us on: "Food for Free". It's in the kitchen behind everything so I can't reach it.  The title is correct, not sure about the spelling of his surname.

Recently started eating Fat Hen as I manage to grow it quite sucessfully... ::)

;D ;D I never knew you could eat fat hen.
How do you prepare it?

strip the leaves off it in the same manner as you would thyme, use the leaves as you would spinach.  I had to persuade OH that it wouldn't kill him so we mixed it with e meat sauce for spag bol and he's a convert.  It's a bit peppery, too. 

I seriously advise that you get hold of an accurate picture and hold it next to the alledged fat hen plant - or any other wild food - to make sure that you're not going to eat something awful.

I was brought up on Richard Mabey's food For Free book as well  :) I've got an old copy with illustrations by Marjorie Blamey (one of my fave illustrators).  I'm always a bit disappointed with it though because not all the plants etc. are colour plated which maked I.D. a bit difficult. I notice it's been re-released (Amazon) though so there might be more illustrations in it?

Lovely Book 'Food for Free'.
Noted a previous thread on 'Rogers Mushrooms' which enhances Richard Mabey's Book.

Never eaten fat hen, but have it's first cousin growing in the garden, ie Good King Henry, aka chaenipodium henricus bonum (or words to that effect).

It's a hardy perennial, the early growth (earthed up) can be used as asparagus, and the leaves are a substitute for spinach.

A very useful plant.

valmarg

I don't think I can Google 'Roger's Mushrooms' without falling off my chair  ;D

But yes ... seriously ... food for free is fantastic! It saves on supermarket bills. And it's quite a good way to not spend money. And it's tasty! Yes it is!

I'M SORRY! ROGER'S MUSHROOMS HAVE GOT ME!