Thanks to Eliane Vivi Frieda Bonde for inviting me to Bornholm…a great day with a knowledgeable international group of foragers, gardeners, permaculturists, farmers, foodists and wwoofers / workawayers! Here are some pictures from the venue in an old school in the beautiful North Bornholm town of Allinge where I gave a 4-5 hour talk followed by a beach walk! Hope to return in spring!!
Church opposite the venue
The venue for my talk on Bornholm, in the picturesque village Allinge, near the northern tip of Bornholm!
Great pot-luck lunch
The venue is an old school…here’s an old picture with more vegetation than today: http://www.bornholmerneshistorie.dk/uploads/1/1/2/2/11226425/6191296_orig.jpg
Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are commonly seen in the streets of old towns in this part of the world, here a white-flowered variety. According to Cornucopia II, the young leaves are used in Egyptian cookery. Flower petals ad cooked flower buds are eaten in salads. Petals are used to make a refreshing tea and the roots yield a nutritious starch!
I was happy that local nature guide Thomas Guldbæk came to the talk and guided us to the walk part of the course on the local beach, a favourite foraging spot for him :)
Honkenya peploides (Seabeach sandwort or Sea chickweed) is a great perennial beach edible which I’ve also grown in my garden for many years! There were large amounts of it here! It can be used raw or cooked and is somtimes pickled and is fermented in Iceland with sour whey.
Beach forage..
Lathyrus japonicus, beach pea ripe seeds and pods
Lathyrus japonicus, beach pea ripe seeds and pods
Thomas taught us how sand ryegrass (Leymus arenarius) leaves are used as a flavouring. Bending and crushing leaves releases the aroma from the leaves!
Rumex crispus (curly dock) is mentioned in my book as one of the more commonly eaten docks!
Reynoutria japonica (Japanese knotweed) sprout..
Demonstrating Nordic Coriander (Triglochin maritima)
Aster tripolium, sea aster is one of the 80 in my book!
Solanum nigrum (see http://www.foragersharvest.com/uploads/9/2/1/2/92123698/black_nightshade.pdf for an interesting essay about the edibility of this often quoted as poisonous plant!)
Edible and bee-friendly Sedum in a guerilla garden next to the beach!
Malva
Edible garden at the beach with perennials like Allium tuberosum, rampant New Zealand Spinach and rhubarb
Wild chicory
Robinia has multiple uses
Rosa rugosa also has multiple uses, shoots, flowers, hips..
Possibly fuki (Petasites japonicus), although no observations
Saponaria officinalis (double soapwort)
Hops (Humulus lupulus) and soapwort
Malva sylvestris
Seed heads of Rumex acetosa
Thyme
Jasione
Heracleum spp. (hogweed / bjørneklo)
Lamium album (dead nettle), burdock (Arctium spp.) and chickweed (Stellaria media)
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Mulberry tree laden with fruit in a garden)
Peeping mirror mounted to a house…you could sit in your living room and follow what was happening in the street!
Peeping mirror mounted to a house…you could sit in your living room and follow what was happening in the street!
Centranthus ruber (red valerian) is noted in Mrs. Grieve’s A Modern Herbal from the 1930s as exceedingly good in salads and cooked as a vegetable! I haven’t tried it.
When I was a kid, we threw these seed heads of wall barley (Hordeum murinum) at each other, sticking easily to jumpers…
Perennial vegetables, Edimentals (plants that are edible and ornamental) and other goings on in The Edible Garden