Balmy English winter a boon to forest foragers
An unseasonably warm winter means an extended season for hunters of mushrooms and berries in England.
Fergus Drennan (l.) teaches students about safe foraging.
Ian Evans
London
鈥� A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.
An unusually mild winter in parts of England has meant an extended season for the country鈥檚 growing number of professional foragers.
Instead of shivering under frost and snow for long periods, some edible weeds, plants, berries, and mushrooms have continued to grow, allowing foragers like Fergus Drennan to gather produce for the table.
He has been foraging for nearly 20 years, and says the warmer temperatures had been a fillip compared with last year鈥檚 freezing weather, which was the worst in a generation.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 remember it being so mild, but I鈥檓 not complaining,鈥� he says.
According to the national weather service, temperatures in central England averaged 43 degrees F. from Dec. 1 to mid-January, putting it on course to be one of the 10 mildest winters since records began 353 years ago.
There are no official figures on how many foragers are operating across England, but foraged food has become more popular among restaurant chefs. Mr. Drennan himself supplies restaurants and also holds courses on what to pick and what not to pick.
鈥淣ever eat anything unless you鈥檙e 100 percent sure [it is safe], otherwise you can get ill,鈥� he says.
Drennan is careful not to overpick in an area and to gain permission from landowners if necessary.
鈥淭here are so many things to eat which we just ignore because we鈥檙e too used to supermarkets and modern living,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is nature鈥檚 larder.鈥�