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A 4-hour session combining the community-led control of invasive species, Himalayan Balsam, plus foraging tuition with an expert!Are you looking to reconnect with nature having spent too much time inside?
Are you having a rethink about your impact on the natural world?
Do you want to try to source food from somewhere other than your local supermarket?
Are you just a food-lover who wants to try new and unique flavours?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above, then you should join us to find out what delicious wild food grows in typical UK countryside and learn how to forage for yourself!
This is also your chance to do your bit for the control of Himalayan Balsam and in reward for your hard work, you get a massively discounted foraging tuition added to the day!
Every year Bollin Valley Partnership and the BEACON (Bollin Environmental Action and Conservation) run a campaign to control the invasive species Himalayan Balsam. This non-native plant is highly invasive, taking over the sandy banks of the River Bollin and beyond. But there is a way to keep it under control! Every summer, armies of volunteers gather to pull out as many of these pesky plants as they can before it has the chance to go to seed.
After two successful previous years, Forage Box has once again teamed up with the Bollin Valley Partnership and BEACON in a hope to provide some extra incentive to those who want to give nature a helping hand. We are proud to offer a foraging taster session to all those attending the 'Balsam Bash' at a heavily discounted rate, in order to inspire everyone to get stuck in and reconnect with their natural surroundings.
NEW FOR 2024: If you are not interested in the foraging element but still want to help tackle the invasive species, you can attend FOR FREE! (Please note that the refreshments will only be served to those with tickets for the earlier foraging element)
So, whether you are part of a local community group, a nearby school or just an individual looking to do a good deed, this is your chance to get stuck in to making a real difference, with the added incentive of a foraging session with an expert!
This course is designed to get you as involved as possible - this includes identifying, picking and tasting a range of wild species that will be found on the day. There will also be wild refreshments for those helping tackle the Himalayan Balsam.
The focus with all of our workshops is on the 4 'F's of Foraging: Fungi, Fruit, Flowers and Foliage . We aim for an array of these elements on every session we run (weather and season permitting!)
Event sold out or can't make this date? Head to www.foragebox.co.uk/workshops or view our Eventbrite profile to browse all available sessions.
Who is this session for?
These events are perfect for everyone - families, bushcrafters and dog-walkers alike! Nobody is made to feel out of their depth or silly for not knowing what certain things are, so these events suit absolute novices to more experienced hobby foragers alike. For this Balsam Bash event, we need an army of helpers so we want as many people as possible to join in!
We strongly believe that foraging is for everyone, with all demographics welcome, regardless of age, ability, gender or ethnicity.
Please read our FAQs further down the page to find out about dogs, children and mobility.
You will be asked for any dietary requirements when completing your booking. Please note that our sessions tend to be suitable for vegans and coeliacs simply due to the nature of what one might be able to find in the wild (we won't be milking any wild animals, for example!)
What to expect
These are a new format for 2024 and we expect these to become our most popular events, as they allow us to explore a venue in greater depth than on the shorter ‘Taster’ events. This is also a good chance to see wild ingredients in a better context, as the wild snack served near the end helps to contextualise our finds from the day and inspire you further. It will change for each event, but these are likely to either be available in either morning or afternoon slots.
Duration: 4 hours (2 hours if only attending for the free Balsam Bash element)
We like to keep some elements a surprise for the day, but here is what you can expect from your foraging workshop:
-a short introduction regarding the safety and format of the day
-discussions covering foraging tips, safety, ethics, etiquette, sustainability and the law
-a circular walking route taking in different growing environments around the site. Expect a route of around 2-3km predominantly on footpaths
-a closer look at edible wild species and any poisonous lookalikes by a professional forager
-a chance to contribute to the control of Himalayan Balsam in community spaces that really need it.
-Wild-inspired refreshments for all those helping out (please contact us with any dietary requirements)
-Plus the enormous sense of pride and satisfaction from helping the British countryside with a like-minded community!
-a chance to slow the pace of modern life down, meet new people and immerse yourself in a soul-nourishing activity, reconnecting with nature and discovering new flavours
-each course is run in an informal fashion, where attendee questions and contributions are more than welcome
-after the event, you will be sent a follow-up email containing a list of everything we found on the day. This is purely for reference, but we find it helps people do further research in their own time
At the end of the session, there may be a small selection of our wild products and workshop vouchers available to purchase (card and cash accepted). This is a recent element of our events after enough attendees made enquiries about it - there is no pressure to buy anything having already bought tickets but sometimes people want a souvenir to take with them! Please speak to your tutor about this at the end.
What to bring
Compulsory items:
-Walking boots or similar
-Gardening gloves or similar
-Weather-appropriate clothes, including a waterproof coat and extra layers (there is a lot more standing still than a normal walk in the countryside, so it always gets colder than you think!) Long sleeves and trousers are recommended for this session.
-Hand sanitizer
-Bottle of water
-Suncream and/or insect repellent (advisory, depending on the season)
-Warm hat or sun hat (advisory, depending on the season) and gloves if preferred
-Proof of ticket purchase - electronic is perfect, so save your printer paper!
Optional items that may enhance your day:
-A 'sit mat' or equivalent
-A notebook and pencil
-Foraging basket
-A snack to keep you going and we also recommend having a big breakfast beforehand
Parking and Meeting Point
Attendees are encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to the destination.
Most of our venues are out in the wild, so rarely have a postcode. Instead, please follow any provided links below to find the exact meeting point.
EXACT MEETING POINT: The meeting point will be at the gates to the woods, the exact location of which is here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gpRPwB3wnmW3CCmeA
PARKING: On-street parking is available on Carrwood, which can be found here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vPesceJMrFznMwJt7 Please be considerate when leaving your car and do not block gates or access for other road users. I T IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PARK AT OUR EXACT MEETING POINT so you will need to arrive well in time and walk to meet the main group.
VENUE: There are no toilets on site.
Please arrive well in time for the start of the workshop, allowing extra time for the distance from your parked car to the meeting point and any toilet trips - we don't tend to wait for late-comers!
Your foraging guide for the day should arrive on site at least an hour before the start and will start gathering the group together approximately 15 minutes before the official start time. If you cannot find your tutor around that time, there is a chance you are looking in the wrong place, so please check the event information for the exact location (not the postcode)
Signage can sometimes be limited, so keep an eye out for anyone with a foraging basket!
Safety Policy, Cancellation and Other Relevant Information (Compulsory Reading)
We operate a '2 strikes' rule for those not following the safety instructions issued at the start of the session. Most notably, those eating wild food found on the day when not specifically instructed to do so will be given one warning - should another breach of the safety brief be committed, the offending attendee(s) will be dismissed from the workshop with no subsequent warning or refund. By purchasing tickets, you agree to this policy.
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS: Whilst we encourage you to take as many snaps from the day as possible, we would kindly ask that all attendees switch their phones on silent and that the safety instructions given at the start receive your full attention. We would also kindly ask that any video footage of our tutors talking is 'muted' before posting on social media. In some instances, photos may be taken by the tutor or a third party to capture the occasion and use as promotional material - please inform any photographer if you would prefer not to be included in these images.
MINIMUM NUMBER OF EVENT ATTENDEES: 10 Adults. This event will be cancelled if this number is not reached. Want it to definitely go ahead? Invite your friends along!
Whilst extreme care and supervision will be in place on the day to ensure that everyone remains safe, the consumption of wild food is done so entirely at the risk of the individual workshop attendee. Occasional adverse reactions may occur when trying new foods. All foods served and prepared on the day will have been consumed many, many times before by other workshops attendees and are considered 100% safe for human consumption. That is the entire point of foraging, of course: to open our minds and palettes to what amazing, delicious food there is to be found in nature and not wrapped in plastic down a supermarket aisle!
Forage Box will only cancel the event in the case of an extreme weather warning being issued by the Met Office. This generally tends to be wind-related only - rain, sun or snow will not be sufficient to cancel! Should this be the case, the event will likely be postponed to the next available date, but refunds or ticket transfers will also be an option for those unable to attend the new date.
Our courses are organised with your safety as the top priority, and will follow any current government rules or guidance in place at the time of the course. If the event has to be cancelled for any reason, a full refund will be issued to all ticket holders.
Ticket refunds will not be issued within 30 days of the event. A transfer to another event may be available unless either event is sold out (it doesn't allow us enough time to re-sell your spot). A transfer to another event IS possible within 30 days of the event if neither the original nor the new event is sold out, but this is at the discretion of Forage Box Ltd and is by no means guaranteed. By purchasing your tickets you accept this policy. Drop outs due to illness, car failure or not fancying it probably won't result in a transfer if it is too close to the event. Please treat this like any other gig ticket - feel free to give your ticket to someone else.
These courses are run by Forage Box Ltd. Visit us at www.foragebox.co.uk or follow us @foragebox
Images are owned by Forage Box or kindly donated by Karen Herman Wright and Ele Suggett
Always wild. Always sustainable. Always delicious.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Rossmill Lane,Hale Barns,WA15,GB, Altrincham, United Kingdom
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