At Round the Woods we love foraging and feel very lucky to have access to so many wonderful wild plants to experiment with and add to our menu. We want to share our passion and hopefully get you excited to try it for yourself. We’ll look at 5 very important reasons why you should forage, discuss how to go about it and what you might need and finally we’ll get to the exciting part - our top 5 Spring plants to forage, with ideas for how you could start using them to improve your cooking and your health. So grab a nettle and apple green smoothie and we’ll begin.

5 reasons you should start foraging

1. Amazing health benefits 

At a time when health and immunity is on everybody’s mind, we need to begin taking action to improve our defenses. Wild plants are more nutritious (and sometimes more delicious) and can be a fantastic source of health boosting vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Also, actively engaging with and connecting with nature in such an interactive way has positive effects on your levels of happiness, vitality and overall well-being. 

2. Gets you outside with a purpose 

When we lived in London, we made a real effort to stay connected to the natural world, making the most of some amazing parks. I fondly remember picking nettles in Ruskin Park in South London (you quickly get used to the odd looks). Going with a plan - to pick nettles for soup and nettle beer (which I highly recommend) - made the visit to the park more purposeful and enjoyable, meaning we stayed longer to reap the health benefits. Being outdoors has amazing health benefits (for example, it helps to improve your sleep) and exposes you to the low level risks (like the joy of a nettle sting) and unpredictability of the natural environment, which can make you hardier and more resilient.

3. Builds confidence by learning an empowering new skill 

We should never stop learning, and knowing how and what to forage is a rewarding and empowering skill that makes you ever so slightly less dependent on others for your food. Venturing out of our comfort zone by learning a new skill has been shown to improve your memory and thinking skills. Henry Ford famously said “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”  

4. Great bonding experience with friends and loved ones

“Man is by nature a social animal.” - Aristotle

Spending quality time with loved ones not only enhances our experience of life and makes us feel good, but is also a great way to improve our health and wellbeing. Studies of ‘blue zone’ areas of the world - where people live the longest - consistently show the importance of strong family connections and close friends.

A great way to build deep bonds with family and friends is to spend time together away from distractions. Choosing to do something adventurous together with a shared focus really gives a foundation for a strong relationship. Foraging with friends is a wonderful experience as it gets us outside together with a common purpose. It often takes us to new places and, mostly importantly, it can end in a delicious shared meal.

5. Adds new, healthy and delicious ingredients to your menu

Nettle soup, garlic mustard pesto, elderflower cordial, wild green smoothies, rowan jelly, blackberry cheesecake. Need I say more!

How to forage safely, ethically and legally - guidelines

If in doubt, don’t pick it - Make sure you are 100% certain you can identify what you are picking. Check more than one source and if you can’t be totally sure, don’t pick it. The plant could be a rare species, or even poisonous. If you are pregnant or foraging with children, take care to check extra sources for advice.

Leave plenty behind - Only pick from abundant areas, where you can be sure the plant will recover, and make sure to leave plenty behind for other foragers - wildlife depend on wild food for their survival.

Be a respectful forager - don’t trample, or damage areas you are collecting from. Take any rubbish home with you.

The law - the countryside act says that you are fine if you stick to foraging the 4 Fs - Fruit, foliage, fungus and flowers - and only take enough for personal consumption. Make sure to ask permission from the landowner before uprooting any plants.

Avoid - Don’t forage too close to roads (the plants are high in pollutants), in areas that are sprayed with pesticide (alongside farmers fields) or at the edge of paths used regularly by dog walkers (dogs may urinate on the plants).

What you’ll need

Kitchen scissors - As most of what you forage will be thin stemmed greens and flowers, your snipping tool can simply be some decent kitchen scissors. 

Gloves - A good pair of leather gauntlets will keep you well protected from nettles and even brambles, but can be quite pricey. If you want something more basic that will protect you from stingers, you could try a pair of washing up gloves underneath a pair of basic gardening gloves - don’t try handling brambles though. 

Bags/ container - A simple plastic bag can be perfectly repurposed as a greens harvesting receptacle. Take a few incase you get carried away. Food grade plastic buckets or a basket will also work and a tupperware is a great option for picking berries and keeping them fresh and safe from squishing.  

I.D. books - Lots of wild plants, like nettles, are ubiquitous and we know them without having to think (especially after you’ve been stung once or twice). You can simply stick to easily recognisable plants, but if you are feeling more adventurous (and who knows what exciting goodies you might encounter once you get started) it is worth taking a field guide with you to double check. A pocket version of Richard Mabey’s classic ‘Food for Free’ will serve you well. We also like Adele Nozedar’s ‘The Hedgerow Handbook’ (she does a great one for kids too ‘Foraging with kids’) and Wildfood UK’s ‘Foraging pocket guide’ (wildfooduk.com is a great website with tons of resources well worth exploring). 

Now we’ve discussed the why’s and the how’s, it’s time to move on to the exciting part. You really can get started foraging quickly with these easy to identify plants and simple recipes.

5 easily identifiable Spring plants to forage

Stinging nettles

Why pick it?

Rich in vitamins (particularly A and D) and packed with minerals (half the daily recommended calcium amount in about 100g), nettles are a foragers friend. They are extremely easy to identify and very versatile, so are a great plant to start with. If you do end up getting stung, remember that the sting is supposed to be good for arthritis and the Romans used to thrash themselves with nettles to promote healthy blood circulation, then you might not feel so bad.

Where to find it?

You will find nettles in most parks, woodlands and even gardens, just avoid any that are too close to the road, or at the edge of a pesticide sprayed field.

How to id and pick it?

The leaves are pointed like an arrow and have serrated edges. Pick the fresh tops of young nettles early in Spring (before they have flowered), as they are tender and have the most flavour. You may also be able to pick again in Autumn if they were cut back earlier in the year. The underside of the leaves have small hairs that sting. Remember to wear gloves when handling nettles.

What to do with it?

Nettle tea is delicious and very good for you. Pour hot water over fresh leaves and leave to brew for about 5 minutes. Try it with a spoonful of local honey to give you an even bigger immune boost. Drinking the tea also works as a natural antihistamine and can help protect you against further nettle stings - you just have to figure out how to pick the first batch without getting stung. Maybe send a friend in first.

You can use nettle in the same way as spinach or to make pesto, beer, cordial or soup, among other things. 

Try this delicious and nutritious stinging nettle Smoothie:

50g Stinging Nettle - briefly steamed or blanched
2 cored Apples 
200ml cold water (add ice if preferred)
2 Tbsp Honey

Blend everything together until smooth. Serve. Enjoy.

Dandelion

Why pick it?

High in vitamins (A, C and K) and minerals (iron, potassium, calcium), anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and immune boosting; the dandelion is a powerhouse of a wild health food. The health benefits of the dandelion have been known for centuries, with some traditions referring to it as the ‘elixir of life’ because of its ability to detox and cleanse the body, which can increase energy levels. 

Where to find it?

Pretty much everywhere. Find an open field, or just a patch of grass in Spring and you’re sure to find some dandelions. 

How to id and pick it?

With flowers that look like little sunshines and jagged, toothlike leaves (Dandelion - Dent de Lion - Lion’s tooth), these abundant plants are easy to spot. The whole plant can be eaten, so pick the flowers and leaves by hand and if you are in a private garden and have permission, go ahead and dig up the roots using a trowel or similar weeding tool. 

What to do with it?

• Make tea by steeping the leaves, flowers and chopped up roots in hot water - the taste is bitter, but if you add a little honey and remember how good it is for you, I’m sure you’ll get past it.

• You can throw leaves, flowers and roots into a stir fry, or add to most vegetable dishes.

• Flowers can add a splash of colour to a simple dish like an omlette.

• If you’re feeling adventurous, try dandelion coffee. Chop up the roots, dry them using an oven (on low for an hour and a half) or a dehydrator. Once dried (they will no longer be squishy in the centre) you can store ready to grind when you want a cup of ‘coffee’.

Water Mint

Why pick it?

Water mint is known as the medicinal mint and is high in vitamins A, C and E among other beneficial nutrients. It is great for stomach and digestion problems, can help with headaches, breathing problems, skin problems like eczema and acne, and is used as a remedy for anxiety (it is very calming) and insomnia. It can also be used to treat sore throats and ulcers and freshens the breath.

Where to find it?

Anywhere wet usually. Ponds, streams, rivers, wet woodlands. 

How to id and pick it?

You might smell the mint before you spot it and this is a good way to identify the plant. The small, finely toothed leaves grow in opposing pairs along a square stem. Between Summer and Autumn flower heads grow in a spherical shape and are made up of lots of small pink flowers. Picking is simply a case of snapping the stem, however take care as you’ll obviously be near water.

Avoid during pregnancy. Take care to wash the leaves thoroughly and avoid eating any water mint that grows in water that looks unclean, or could contain animal waste (i.e. in a field full of sheep).

What to do with it?

Although water mint can be used in salads, sauces and as a flavouring in cooking, the most common uses for water mint are medicinal, because of the intensity of the menthol flavour. 

 The most simple way to gain the benefits of water mint is by steeping the leaves in hot water. It can then be drunk as a tea to calm the stomach and the nerves, or gargled as a mouthwash or to treat a sore throat.

Cleavers

Why pick it?

Also known as stickyweed or hitchhikers, this wild plant is perfect for picking and immediately sticking to the people around you (see how many you can stick to someone before they notice). The tiny hooks on the plant mean that it will stick to clothing perfectly - don’t worry though, you can’t feel the hooks when you pick or eat it.

High in vitamin C and silica (needed for healthy hair and nails). It is also great for detoxifying and purifying the blood and other body systems because it has a diuretic effect (you wee more) and a diaphoretic effect (you sweat more) - lovely. 

Where to find it?

Found in open fields, woodlands and among hedges.  

How to id and pick it?

It has a tall, thin, square-shaped stem, covered in tiny hooks. The leaves are small and thin and at different heights along the stem, they form a rosette-like shape. They have small white flowers with four petals.

 Once you’ve identified it, you’ll probably have already started collecting them without knowing - they are known as hitchhikers for a reason. The stems, leaves and even the seeds can be eaten, so you can simply snap off the whole plant near the bottom of the stem, although you may find that the tender tips that grow in early Spring before the plant flowers are the most tasty. It might be a good idea to wear your gloves for this one as they tend to grow alongside nettles.

What to do with it?

• Use it as a fresh vegetable in a stir fry. 

• Chop it up and sprinkle into dishes as you would a herb such as basil or parsley.

• Try cleaver pesto. We used it as a marinade for baked chicken. Add a little local honey to offset the bitterness and this striking green dish is quite delicious as well as packed with goodness.

 Combine the following ingredients and blend:

- 250g of fresh cleavers (stems and leaves) 
- 2 cloves of garlic or 50g of garlic mustard (see below)
- 50g pine nuts (or walnuts)
- 150-200ml Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Salt to taste

Garlic Mustard

Why pick it?

This ‘weed’ is well worth adding to your wild diet. High in vitamins A, C, E and some B it can help to improve your immune system function. It also contains trace minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and more), omega 3 fatty acids (which help improve heart health), chlorophyll (stimulates the immune system, reduces inflammation and detoxifies) and enzymes (aids digestion and helps control weight).

Where to find it?

Woodlands, along riverbanks and among hedges.

How to id and pick it?

The leaves are large and have gently serrated edges. They are somewhere between a heart and a kidney in shape. The flower is very small and white with 4 petals.

Garlic mustard, although not related to garlic (it’s in the mustard family) releases a distinctive and pleasant garlicky smell when you roll it between your fingers - you might even smell a patch before you see them. 

What to do with it?

• Great in pesto (see above recipe) and can be used sparingly (it has quite a strong peppery taste) in mixed salads. 

• Could be made into a simple sauce with wild water mint to compliment lamb chops.

Garlic mustard and mint sauce:

- 75g of water mint leaves 
- 50g of garlic mustard leaves
- 1-2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 100ml of avocado or olive oil (add more or less to your desired consistency)

We are so excited to share our love of foraging and in this post we’ve hopefully given you an introduction to some foraging ideas to get your curiosity sparked. You now know just how great foraging is for your health, how to get started and even have some recipes to trial so you can get started straight away. Tell your friends about your new super healthy stinging nettle smoothie, or your wild foraged pesto marinade and they will be queuing up to join you for dinner.

A Norfolk glamping trip could be the perfect opportunity to have a go at foraging. At Round the Woods we have 20 acres to explore, including 7 acres of semi-ancient broadleaf woodland and we’re classified as a County Wildlife Site. You’d do well to find a more idyllic spot to settle in for a relaxing holiday and spend some time in nature, with friends and family.

Note - image of ladies walking in meadow is credited to SDVH