Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Pitmedden Forest North Fife

Pitmedden Forest straddles the border of North Fife, Perthshire and Kinross. Auchtermuchty in the south (Home of Jimmy Shand) and westwards into Perthshire. It provides a wonderful space to roam on foot, on horseback and on trail bikes. Those who gallop or wizz along might miss the variety of plants and wildlife. How this wee stand of daffodils got there is beyond me but sitting in the forest stillness you are likely to see Roe and Red Deer browsing very nearby. Throughout the year with different species emerging one can enjoy to apprehend and even gather forest fungi and fruits.


Wood Sorrel as a food. The distinctive shamrock-shaped, three-lobed leaves are edible, and though they may have a sour taste, they make a great trail-side nibble.As a medicine: The leaves are chewed for nausea, and to relieve mouth sores and sore throats, and a poultice of fresh leaves for cancers and old sores. Leaf teas are brewed for fevers, urinary infections and scurvy.

Note: Large doses may cause oxalate poisoning.
Food for Free by Richard Mabey was first published in 1972, since then it has been reprinted 11 times. An all-colour, revised version produced in 1989 has sold over 30,000 copies in the trade. A guide to over 300 types of food that can be gathered in the wild in Britain, Food for Free explores the history and folklore of the foods as well as explaining how we identify them and the best ways to cook and eat them. The new edition will bring the subject right up to date. Organized by season rather than food type Food for Free will take us through the year. Richard Mabey's fully-revised text will be accompanied by stunning photographs, new recipes and a wealth of practical information on collecting, cooking and preparing. Beautifully illustrated, beautifully written and produced in a new, larger format Food for Free is designed to inspire us to take more notice of what is around us, how we can make use of it and how we can conserve it for future generations. .Food for Free

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