What can you find in and around your field and hedgerow

[lisa+pilgrim]

well im always after money saving ideas, and reasons to be just out in the field with out pestering my guys and after coming across this link

http://archive.thisisworcestershire.co.uk/2004/11/29/43950.html

i found myself spending hours out there two weeks ago foraging.

its a great page on some of the goodies we have growing in and around our paddocks that benefit our horses and ponies.

well heres a brief outline of what you can find

Stingy nettles
http://mediaenvironment.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/stinging-nettle.jpg
Comfrey
http://www.amandagarner.com/Images/Common%20Comfrey.jpg
Dandelion
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:QJdgZG8Qt2r5iM:http://myverygaywedding.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/dandelion6.jpg
Valerian
http://i31.tinypic.com/2lc34gm.jpg
Chives
http://www.seedfest.co.uk/seeds/herbs/chives.jpg
Meadow sweet
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/images/meadowsweet.jpg
Thistle flowers
http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:U8STqbGBn6bvSM:http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-weeds/feature_articles/other_thistles/bt_flower_750.jpg
Rose hips- very important one for all those bare footies out there, a NATURAL BIOTIN to promote healthy horn growth
http://www.mooseyscountrygarden.com/wattle-woods/red-rose-hips.jpg
Garlic
Hawthorn
Devil's claw
Prickly ash bark
Witch hazel

i was able to find

stingy nettles
thistle heads
valerian
dandelions
comfrey
marigolds (out of oh borders :p)
chives and garlic (altough these were out of our green house)

not bad huh, i cant wait to get foraging again this weekend, as all the stingys i cut (2 wheel barrow loads) are gone already :D

so what can you find in and around your field and hedgrows x

ps... if anyone else wants to add to the list please do

[lisa+pilgrim]

just thought, it might be helpful if anyone has or does use any of these plants, for them to give some advice on how much they give and what they do to them, nettles and thistles are easy enough as i just give them a day or two to dry out and feed them as they are, but such as rose hips, i wouldnt know how many to give and wether to give as they are

[s4sugar]

You have the wrong plant for valerian. That is cow parsley or one of it's relatives.
Valerian has domed flower clusters and the florets are larger.

[lisa+pilgrim]

there are quite a few varieties of valerians
this is Sitka Valerian
http://www.hmenck.com/Thumbnails/sitka_valerian_hm-01.jpg

red valerian
http://www.iep.ca.gov/suisun/photos/vegetation/0CRedValerian.jpg

ARTERNER ZUCHTUNG VALERIAN
http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/assets/valerian.jpg

but its a good point, some plants look like others, so be sure that you now what your picking :)

[Fizz]

loads of nettles here that i cut down but my 2 will not eat them:o

[lisa+pilgrim]

have you tried giving them to them dead when thev dried out, thistles mine loved aswell, i went to get scissors to cut them up and when i got back they were standing on them and tearing them up, i must stop treating them like babies :D

[Fizz]

yip, cut them and dry them out, they just arent interested lol

[capalldubh]

I just let horse browse, on the basis he probably knows what he needs :)

In Spring, he loves the first dandelions, and cow parsley - he gets quite addicted to the white flowers. He will also nibble hawthorn.

During Summer, he kind of goes off the cow parsley (and it dies back anyway), but starts to eat ground elder flowers, rosebay willowherb flowers, raspberry and blackberry fruit flowers and leaves.

He very occasionally has some meadowsweet, and this morning ate a few willow leaves.

He will eat cut and dried nettles, and a year or so ago, he and all his mates went mad for fresh nettles off an old dung heap. They all nibble thistle flowers too.
In Autumn, he likes ash leaves.

In winter, he eats beech leaves and bark. They all eat gorse. Not much else interesting at that time of year, he's glad to get out for a walk just to much on any long grass left over from the summer :)

I've never seen valerian on our pathways, but he does like pineapple camomile.

[Trewsers]

I thought the one named valerian looked more like what we call pig nuts - as in Shakespears "I will dig thee pignuts"...(we once dug some and took them home and fried them - delicious). I might be wrong tho as there is another plant that does look similar?

[Trewsers]

We've got nettles but I've never seen our pair eating them? They do oddly like thistles! The other morning I was walking madam up to the field and she cheekily bent down for snacks en route and got a mouthful of thistle! I couldn't believe it - I thought it would prickle her? And to think all over the winter, I carefully took the bloomin thistles out of the hay with my gloves on when filling nets............

[Trewsers]

Could do with some rose-hips if they're good for feet, what with madam being without shoes.....they're nice looking too me thinks.

[Louki]

what have we got... Loads !


Dog rose, mint, comfrey, thyme, chives, wild garlic, parsley, angelica, thistles, nettles, dandilion, willow, and at this time of year, masses and masses of field and horse mushrooms ! I've picked a full kg so far this past week.

[Trewsers]

What are horse mushrooms?

[Louki]

What are horse mushrooms?

They are the ones that grow really really big, dinner plate sized is average

[xloopylozzax]

we have this weed thats got yellow flowers (well sort of flowers they are cone shaped)

smells really nice, and ours eat it sometimes but not sure what it is.

any ideas??

[Louki]

can you get a picture of it ?

[xloopylozzax]

will have a look, i might have pictures of it- not close up though :)

[ilovemyboys]

my boys wouldn't so much as sniff any of that stuff haha

[Louki]

will have a look, i might have pictures of it- not close up though :)

even a not very far away pic would help.

[lisa+pilgrim]

And to think all over the winter, I carefully took the bloomin thistles out of the hay with my gloves on when filling nets............

hehehe that thought passed my mind too when i was picking the stuff for them, i also went back into the barn to get scissors to cut them up a bit as they were so long and when i got back they were standing on one end and pulling them apart :rolleyes: when will i ever realise they are horses and they more than capable :D

Could do with some rose-hips if they're good for feet, what with madam being without shoes.....they're nice looking too me thinks.

there edible for us too, as are alot of them, some use rosehips and dandelions in salads, not to sure myself though, im one of those fussy eaters :o

[Trewsers]

Yes, I've heard about people eating flowers and stuff in their salads! I'm a typical Lancashire eater tho, my salads are not adventurous and where I come from lettuce and tomato is just about the main ingredient!! lol, only joking, but my Dad won't touch salad, never mind putting flowers in it..........

[Trewsers]

They are the ones that grow really really big, dinner plate sized is average

Ah, we don't get those - but I think I've identified (according to my National Geographic pull out guide!:o) Ink caps......somewhere near our muck-heap. To be honest I'd be too scared of getting it wrong to eat anything I found around our place (I always remember the episode of Midsomer Murders where the victim got poisoned by a carefully placed rogue mushroom:eek::o)

[xloopylozzax]

had a google, the yellow plant is that pineapple chamomile stuff :)

[Lucyad]

Mine loves cowparsley and rose bay willowherb (fireweed). He likes the odd mit of meadowsweet as well.

I love nastursium flowers and leaves in salad. I grow them in my garden. My horse's favourite garden plant is a verigated grass that spreads like a week - not sure of the name - I stupidly robbed a strand from someone's garden and now it is trying to take over - Oscar tries his best to help me battle it whenever he sneaks into the front garden!

[loopy1]

I thought the one named valerian looked more like what we call pig nuts - as in Shakespears "I will dig thee pignuts"...(we once dug some and took them home and fried them - delicious). I might be wrong tho as there is another plant that does look similar?

i have pignuts under my elms, ive never eaten them, when are they ready? i will have a try :)

[IrishDQ]

Ah, we don't get those - but I think I've identified (according to my National Geographic pull out guide!:o) Ink caps......somewhere near our muck-heap. To be honest I'd be too scared of getting it wrong to eat anything I found around our place (I always remember the episode of Midsomer Murders where the victim got poisoned by a carefully placed rogue mushroom:eek::o)

I saw that episode too! :o I don't even like mushrooms so I don't think I'd risk poisoning myself to try a wild one! :o

[No_Angel]

I find some interesting things in my hedgerows, mainly porn mags!:mad:

[palmerlover52]

I find some interesting things in my hedgerows, mainly porn mags!:mad:

Well, Shay has always been a bit of a rascal ;) :p

[lisa+pilgrim]

I find some interesting things in my hedgerows, mainly porn mags!:mad:

hehehe thats a good un, poor orseis, what must they be seeing :eek::D you probably have the most sex educated horses around :D