Foraging Pocket Guide: Food for all seasons from Britain's woods, meadows and riversides

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Remember that you’re not the only one who needs free food. There will be wildlife living in around your foraging spot, which need to eat the plants and fruits more than you do.

Discover the edible seasonal delights of the UK’s countryside with this handy, practical field guide. From aromatic wild garlic in the spring, luscious bilberries in late summer, flavoursome blewit mushrooms in the depths of winter, and much more. The paper you use can be light or dark, depending on the mushrooms you’re looking for and the expected color of the spores. If you’re unsure or just want to be prepared, you can bring wax paper, clear paper, or glass or plastic slides. Mushroom spore prints make great mementos of your foraging or fun art prints for your home. You can experiment with the prints themselves, frame your field prints, or do something totally unique. Spray them lightly using a preservative and they can last for years. Whether you use an individual mushroom brush or one that’s attached to your mushroom knife, a brush is an important part of foraging. It allows you to clean your mushrooms prior to carrying them, helping disperse spores and other debris. What is a Mushroom Brush? I found the first week I felt really quite flat, quite limited carbs coming in from chestnut flour primarily. Feeling loads better now… feeling loads better in the last few days, and I'm really enjoying the project… having a great time, in fact. I don't really want it to stop.

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A mushroom brush is a soft bristle brush used for cleaning your foraged mushrooms. They’re typically smaller and inexpensive, with bristles that are firm enough to clear away dirt but soft enough to not damage the mushroom itself. However, despite the bright colours, this isn't quite the dangerous mushroom many think it would be. The Fly Agaric does not contain the vital organ destroying toxins that can be found in the Deathcap and Destroying Angel. It's the rather pale coloured species of Amanita that you should be more concerned with. Additionally, you should keep practicality and your own comfort in mind. Your foraging bag should have handles or straps so that you can carry it comfortably for miles, if need be. Photo by Boarding1now Mushroom Foraging Knife

After a day of mushroom foraging, you should run your brush under hot water and remove any visible dirt or other debris. After that you can boil it to ensure it is sterilized and clean or just shake off the excess water and let it air dry.

The best mushroom knives have a sharp pruning blade, are easy to use, and are smaller in size. Combined, these qualities create an effective and efficient knife for mushroom foraging. You should lightly clean your mushroom brush after each use in the field and do a deep clean semi-frequently to remove debris build up and bacteria. Depending on how often you forage for mushrooms, this can mean cleaning your mushroom brush weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or even bi-monthly. It's still classed as a toxic mushroom as it contains the neurotoxins ibotenic acid and muscimol, which are inebriants, delirants, and in significant amounts can lead into a coma. But reports of death are very rare and associated with extreme circumstances. If you’re looking for mushrooms of a certain size, you can use a scale to measure them prior to using your knife. Some knives have a scale engraved on them, but you can also carry a ruler or measuring instrument. What Qualities Make a Good Mushroom Knife?