Now Forage

Blackberry: Fully black (not red or dark red) and comes off the stem with no resistance — zero pull. Dull rather than shiny; a shiny black berry is still slightly underripe and tart. Eat the same day for best flavour.

Blackthorn: Sloe berries: small, round, blue-black with a heavy bloom. Intensely astringent raw — traditionally harvested after the first frost, which breaks down tannins. Best used for sloe gin or jelly. Spiny branches — wear gloves when harvesting.

Common hawthorn: Bright to dark red haws. Harvest when fully red and slightly soft. Young leaves (May) and flowers are also edible. Haws best for jelly; one large seed per berry.

Dog rose: Oval, bright red to orange-red hips. Ripe when uniformly red and slightly soft. Excellent for rosehip syrup. Always remove the irritating inner seeds.

elderberry: Dark blue-black clusters when ripe. Cook thoroughly before eating — raw berries are mildly toxic. Ripe when all berries are dark and clusters hang downward.