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.

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.

Hazel: Green husks turn brown and pull back from the nut; ripe nuts fall freely or shake loose. Gather before squirrels. Dry in a warm place for 1–2 weeks for best flavour. Catkins (male flowers) are edible in early spring.

Raspberry: Deep red (or gold/yellow for golden varieties) and slides off the receptacle — the hollow centre is the tell. Does not pull: a ripe raspberry separates at a touch. Extremely fragile; use within hours of picking.

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.