Now Forage

Black elderberry: Clusters of deep purple-black berries; cut entire clusters. Never eat raw — cook thoroughly (destroys sambunigrin). Ripe when all berries on the cluster are uniformly dark and the cluster droops. High in antioxidants; excellent syrup.

Common hazel: Husk browns and pulls back; nuts shake free. Gather daily from the ground before squirrels. Dry well before storing.

Mint: Harvest leaves just before flowering for peak flavour. Cut stems back by a third regularly to encourage bushy growth. Flavour declines after flowering — cut flower spikes off to extend harvest.

Mulberry: Ripe when fully coloured (white, red, or black by species) and falls at a touch. Spread a sheet and shake the branches. Extremely perishable — process or eat immediately.