How to Feed Yourself for Free
Winter produce can be outrageously expensive unless you know where to forage and what to grow – as our handy guide shows
If you’re at all concerned with what’s trending then you’ve no doubt encountered people talking about or engaging in a spot of foraging in the past few months. As a keen environmentalist, and wanting to appear in the know, I’ve been looking into how to forage during winter, where to look, what to look for and what to stay away from.
We’re very lucky down here – the great outdoors is all around us so it sort of goes without saying that New Zealand is marvellous when it comes to foraging. There’s plenty of produce in season. Who knows, you might even enjoy making seasonal foraged recipes and realise you no longer have to spend the winter months enduring floury tasteless tomatoes and limp lettuce.
1. Start small
I’m not advocating petty theft here, but a good lead-in to going it alone with foraging is to pick fruit. Winter sees an abundance of produce across both the North and South Islands and, typically, those with the trees end up with more fruit than they know what to do with. A simple knock on the door is likely to yield a bagful of something. There’s also a surplus of council-owned trees in parks and on the streets, which means there’s no excuse not to get picking.
Feijoas are just hanging around. Perfumed, sweet and perfect for adding to crumble, they’re only in season for a short time, but when they are, there are hundreds. Easily one of the season’s greatest joys, they’re the gateway fruit for the novice hunter gatherer.
I’m not advocating petty theft here, but a good lead-in to going it alone with foraging is to pick fruit. Winter sees an abundance of produce across both the North and South Islands and, typically, those with the trees end up with more fruit than they know what to do with. A simple knock on the door is likely to yield a bagful of something. There’s also a surplus of council-owned trees in parks and on the streets, which means there’s no excuse not to get picking.
Feijoas are just hanging around. Perfumed, sweet and perfect for adding to crumble, they’re only in season for a short time, but when they are, there are hundreds. Easily one of the season’s greatest joys, they’re the gateway fruit for the novice hunter gatherer.
Citrus is in its prime at this time of year, meaning it’s at its most delicious – grapefruit, lemon and mandarins are all at their peak and you’ll find many gardens positively littered with the stuff. Many parks and walkways around the city boast a surplus too. Get the kids out and about searching for fruit. Talk to your neighbours, go for a walk. The vitamin C in citrus is exactly what your body craves at this time of year: get a bit of exercise and a couple of your five-a-day. Two birds, one stone.
Obviously I’m exercising some creative licence here – stealing fruit from next door’s garden isn’t technically foraging – but it’s a firm beginning. Paying upwards of NZ$6 a kilogram in the supermarket for limes at this time of year, for example, is a ridiculous cost to absorb when a quick walk down the road could prove relatively, um, fruitful.
Obviously I’m exercising some creative licence here – stealing fruit from next door’s garden isn’t technically foraging – but it’s a firm beginning. Paying upwards of NZ$6 a kilogram in the supermarket for limes at this time of year, for example, is a ridiculous cost to absorb when a quick walk down the road could prove relatively, um, fruitful.
2. Know where to look
Shady spots, barked patches and coastal walkways are some of the best places to hunt for food in New Zealand. It’s surprising what you’ll find if you just get out there and look.
A lot of wild growing greens love dark, damp spaces. Chickweed is a wonderful example: it’s a little bitter plant with a long stem and white flowers that slightly resemble daisies. You can eat it raw in salads or cooked. It’s a little bit like spinach, which will mean it’s easy to stomach for those who aren’t used to pungent herbs.
Wood sorrel or oxalis looks a lot like clover: it’s pretty recognisable and hard to mistake for something more sinister. There’s a slight lemon scent on the nose and it’s very slightly bitter to eat, which makes it great for salads. It’ll become your favourite new micro-herb substitute in no time.
Shady spots, barked patches and coastal walkways are some of the best places to hunt for food in New Zealand. It’s surprising what you’ll find if you just get out there and look.
A lot of wild growing greens love dark, damp spaces. Chickweed is a wonderful example: it’s a little bitter plant with a long stem and white flowers that slightly resemble daisies. You can eat it raw in salads or cooked. It’s a little bit like spinach, which will mean it’s easy to stomach for those who aren’t used to pungent herbs.
Wood sorrel or oxalis looks a lot like clover: it’s pretty recognisable and hard to mistake for something more sinister. There’s a slight lemon scent on the nose and it’s very slightly bitter to eat, which makes it great for salads. It’ll become your favourite new micro-herb substitute in no time.
The beach is so dreamy in winter, and after a storm it becomes the ideal place to find delicious native (and non-native) seaweeds and coastal succulents.
Bull kelp is plentiful, and delicious! When it’s good it’ll look like a long wet eel, heavy and dewy. There’s a beautiful salinity and texture with this particular seaweed – Google for a range of ways to eat.
There’s horokaka, which are plum little buds, slightly furry with a crisp interior, and samphire, the coastal succulent of choice at many upmarket restaurants. Pickled, it’s wonderful, tangy, salty and balanced.
Bull kelp is plentiful, and delicious! When it’s good it’ll look like a long wet eel, heavy and dewy. There’s a beautiful salinity and texture with this particular seaweed – Google for a range of ways to eat.
There’s horokaka, which are plum little buds, slightly furry with a crisp interior, and samphire, the coastal succulent of choice at many upmarket restaurants. Pickled, it’s wonderful, tangy, salty and balanced.
3. Know what to look for
Limp, lifeless herbs in that horrible plastic packaging are so awful. They’re both tasteless and environmentally irresponsible – it’s such a shame that people still spend money on them when there are hundreds of spots to find herbs. (Growing your own is also incredibly easy, though getting them for free is much more satisfying.)
Rosemary is a great start. It’s everywhere in huge quantities and will add tonnes of life to your Sunday roast. You’re likely to see a fair bit of wild thyme at this time of year too; it’s pretty resilient through the winter months, making it another easy find.
Limp, lifeless herbs in that horrible plastic packaging are so awful. They’re both tasteless and environmentally irresponsible – it’s such a shame that people still spend money on them when there are hundreds of spots to find herbs. (Growing your own is also incredibly easy, though getting them for free is much more satisfying.)
Rosemary is a great start. It’s everywhere in huge quantities and will add tonnes of life to your Sunday roast. You’re likely to see a fair bit of wild thyme at this time of year too; it’s pretty resilient through the winter months, making it another easy find.
You’ll be able to find nasturtiums all year round, though the flowers are harder to come by in winter. The leaves are beautifully decorative and work wonderfully in winter salads in place of hydro-grown lettuce.
Lavender leaves are also readily available. Dried, they have a range of uses, from lavender sugar to tea, or use them to make lavender and lemon cake – it’s lovely.
Easy edibles to put into pots
Lavender leaves are also readily available. Dried, they have a range of uses, from lavender sugar to tea, or use them to make lavender and lemon cake – it’s lovely.
Easy edibles to put into pots
4. Learn what to avoid
Do exercise a certain amount of caution when you’re out and about picking up random plants. You don’t want to poison yourself by eating something untoward, and you’ll also want to be weary of council spraying.
The second part of this dilemma is easier to overcome – ring your local council if you find something lovely but aren’t sure about toxic weedkiller. Telltale signs that the plants have been exposed include dead weeds and yellow grass. You might even be able to smell the chemicals.
As for the first, avoid mushrooms at all costs: the risk for a beginner isn’t worth the potential reward… and always leave behind anything you’re unsure about.
Do exercise a certain amount of caution when you’re out and about picking up random plants. You don’t want to poison yourself by eating something untoward, and you’ll also want to be weary of council spraying.
The second part of this dilemma is easier to overcome – ring your local council if you find something lovely but aren’t sure about toxic weedkiller. Telltale signs that the plants have been exposed include dead weeds and yellow grass. You might even be able to smell the chemicals.
As for the first, avoid mushrooms at all costs: the risk for a beginner isn’t worth the potential reward… and always leave behind anything you’re unsure about.
5. Do your part
There are many community garden projects to get involved with if you don’t fancy roughing nature by yourself.
If you’re in Auckland, Kelmarna Gardens has been at the forefront of the organic growing scene since 1981, and are always looking out for volunteers and donations. They have nearly two hectares of growing land, with bees, vegetables and a worm farm.
A North Island initiative called Garden to Table, is encouraging kids to get involved at school too! The students grow, prepare and share vegetables from their own campus garden. Sign up to volunteer at one of 30 schools here.
There are many community garden projects to get involved with if you don’t fancy roughing nature by yourself.
If you’re in Auckland, Kelmarna Gardens has been at the forefront of the organic growing scene since 1981, and are always looking out for volunteers and donations. They have nearly two hectares of growing land, with bees, vegetables and a worm farm.
A North Island initiative called Garden to Table, is encouraging kids to get involved at school too! The students grow, prepare and share vegetables from their own campus garden. Sign up to volunteer at one of 30 schools here.
Whatever you do, getting outside – even in winter – and seeing where your food comes from will save you money, and possibly more importantly help feed the soul.
TELL US
Do you forage? What should people look out for and what do you do with it?
MORE
Kick-Start Your Vegetable Garden This Winter
TELL US
Do you forage? What should people look out for and what do you do with it?
MORE
Kick-Start Your Vegetable Garden This Winter