Copy of Gin making - pinecone gin

George's Lane

George's Lane, BL6, Horwich, England, United Kingdom

Colin Unsworth, Forest Horizons

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Everyone enjoys a forage, it reconnects us with our ancestors with an activity that is fascinating, rewarding and useful. It teaches us about habitats, the diversity and interconnectedness of life and helps us to understand and marvel at the magic that comes to life when we see, feel and taste the natural world around us.Step outside your office, your front door, wherever you are. There will be something to forage within the first few paces. Life is an amazing thing, it thrives everywhere and you'll find edible plants, berries and mushrooms in gardens, on path sides and waste land in towns and cities as well as rural settings and ancient woodlands: nature is everywhere and we are in it. Each season has things to offer. Spring time is St Georges mushrooms and greens like wild garlic and delicious hogweed shoots. Summer is the time for nuts and berries along with the summer mushrooms like the Boletes. Autumn is the golden time of year and is fabulous for mushroom foraging, a walk in the woods often giving 20 or 30 or more species of good edible mushrooms in the basket. Winter still has things to offer with oyster mushrooms, late season Blewits and wintertime Velvet shanks. Foraging makes the same walk different every time you go out.The format of a forage is simple, we start with a taste of something wild to inspire everyone. Flavours like pinecone or Gaultheria berry gin. The we go for a walk and learn about foraging, species identification and the mycelial connections throughout the forest. Finally we return to base to fry up and taste our finds with a mushroom butty. Field (or woodland) to fork.A forage is also a very special team or group activity. The pace is slow and everyone is looking for the prize, the next foragable goodie. Group members chat easily as they walk through the woods because the focus is on the hunt. Bonding occurs when one person reaches out a hand to help another over a stream: the usual hierarchies are suspended, it gives us a chance to meet our colleagues afresh and in a different environment.So get your backets ready, hazel foraging staffs in hand, and lets go see what we can find!See you in a woodland soon.Col. AKA Forest Horizons.