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.

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.

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.