How would you like to get back to basics with your cookery? How does a Neolithic diet suit? It’ll certainly be healthy!
“What’s About in the Wild” is the name of a new programme of events and training being offered this autumn and winter by the Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership Scheme, part funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Department of Social Development Areas at Risk programme.
[caption id="attachment_58632" align="alignleft" width="270"]
Delicious Elderberry wine.[/caption]
The first event in the programme, which will run from now to December, will be Hedgerow Harvest Forage and Food on 12th September from 2- 5pm at Slieve Gullion Forest Park. Participants will be led on an early autumn foraging walk, taking in the fields and woodlands of Slieve Gullion discovering just how many wild treats the countryside has to offer.
The walk will involve safely picking and eating a variety of leaves, berries, roots and shoots, as well as opportunities to sample new foods and drinks made with wild ingredients.
The walk will include discussion on everything from nutrition and medicine, to history, botany and cookery! Participants will also learn how to record and identify the wild plants that they find using simple smartphone apps.
The walk will last about three hours and will be led by Dermot and Mary from ForageIreland. Dermot is an experienced forager and wild food enthusiast. When he’s not running foraging walks around the streets and parks of Belfast, Dermot can be found mushroom hunting in the Clandeboye or combing the seashore of Carlingford Lough. And Mary is a kitchen wizard who will share recipes for everything from jam to cordials taking in jellies, breads and scones on the way.
Councillor Naomi Bailie, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council: said “A new generation of chefs is taking the farm to table trend in local sourcing and sustainability to a new level of culinary inspiration but you don’t need to be a top chef to forage the countryside for wonderful food: foraging is a great way for home gardeners and cooks to combine a love of nature, gardening and cookery and best of all it’s free”
To book a FREE place on the Hedgerow Harvest or to find out about the other what’s about in the Wild events go to:
www.ringofgullion.org and click on events.]]>
