Carnfunnock Foraging Fun

Ok, this is cheating a bit – in the sense that these herbs are not from round here – but I’m pretty confident that they can be found within the city limits.

I have just returned from my first guided forage led by the fantastic Dermot Hughes from Forage Ireland. The location for the forage, Carnfunnock Country Park, is located just past Larne, about 22 miles north-east of Belfast. It is a rich source of all sorts of fauna and flora, and given that Dermot’s theme for the event was salad leaves, I was expecting, at the very least, my lunch. I wasn’t to be disappointed in this regard, however I was also keen to find out what medicinal value my lunch held.

Armed with my wee fey basket, I was feeling slightly subconscious, but this disappeared within one minute of leaving the visitor centre where our group met, when we encountered the first of many Lime or Linden trees (Tilia genus). I have seen this tree a million times without ever truly seeing it, if you see what I mean. Its serrated, heart-shaped leaves are everywhere, and show all the signs of being a city herbalist’s best friend. The leaf of the tree is edible and has a mild, almost sweet flavour – reminiscent of a butterhead lettuce. I am reliably informed by the equally fantastic Clare McQuillan, that it provides good structure for home-made dolmades. Sadly, my leaves never made it to this higher gastronomic state of being; in fact I should probably say at this stage that my basket of leaves formed the accompaniment to a mushroom omelette. But more on this later.

The tree produces fragrant and nectar-producing flowers, and the medicinal herb lime blossom. They are very important honey plants for beekeepers, producing a very pale but richly flavoured monofloral honey. The flowers are also used for herbal teas and tinctures; this kind of use is particularly popular in Europe and also used in North American herbal medicine practices. The dried flowers are mildly sweet and sticky, and the fruit is somewhat sweet and mucilaginous. Limeflower tea has a pleasing taste, due to the aromatic volatile oil found in the flowers. The flowers, leaves, wood, and charcoal (obtained from the wood) are used for medicinal purposes. Active ingredients in the Tilia flowers include flavonoids (which act as antioxidants) and volatile oils. The plant also contains tannins that can act as an astringent.[14] Linden flowers are used in herbalism for colds, cough, fever, infections, inflammation, high blood pressure, headache (particularly migraine), and as a diuretic (increases urine production), antispasmodic (reduces smooth muscle spasm along the digestive tract), and sedative.[15] In the traditional Austrian medicine Tilia sp. flowers have been used internally as tea for treatment of disorders of the respiratory tract, fever and flu.[16] New evidence shows that the flowers may be hepatoprotective.[17] The wood is used for liver and gallbladder disorders and cellulitis (inflammation of the skin and surrounding soft tissue). That wood burned to charcoal is ingested to treat intestinal disorders and used topically to treat edema or infection such as cellulitis or ulcers of the lower leg.[14] Wikipedia

Lime tea is thought to have properties which will prevent the hardening of arteries and lower high blood pressure. Wildfood UK
I was a wee bit early (late May) for this as the blossom doesn’t appear until July round these parts, but I’m looking forward to reporting back to you on this.

Bittercress (cardamine hirsuta) Some circumstantial evidence suggests that Hairy Bittercress may have anti-tumour properties. Totally Wild Uk
Edibility and Culinary UseThe leaves and flower stalks can be eaten raw or cooked.  The root can be grated and used as a flavoring.  The flavor of this plant is similar to broccoli rabe but much milder. Take a look at this Spicy Bittercress Sautee Recipe.  Bittercress is an often overlooked wild edible, but the herby flavor can add some spice to any type of food.Health BenefitsBeing in the brassica family bittercress has many health benefits.  It contains glucosinolates which are known to help remove carcinogens from the body.  It also contains, vitamin C, beta-carotine, and possibly lutein which is known to help reduce vision problems including cataracts. EatthePlanet.org

Hazel

Greater plantain

Sorrel

Chickweed

Pheasant berry

CherryBirch

Horsetail

Cow parsley

Vetch

Ground Elder

Beech

St Georges Mushrooms