Orchards Near Me Magazine

1. THEINTERNATIONALFRUITPICKINGCOMMUNITY ORCHARDS NEAR ME TOURS • PICKERS • RECIPES BECOMEAFLYINGPICKER Do you love travel, the outdoors and wild food experiences? You are already a budding picker... SEAFORAGING INIRELAND Read all about Conor's adventure foraging for mussels in Ireland... PICKINGTOOLS TOURS Learn about the lates orchard tours from harvest time to cycling trails in Italy!.. VISIT: ORCHARDSNEARME.COM DECEMBER 2019

2. CONTENTS WHO WE ARE COASTAL FORAGING WHY FORAGE PICKING TOURS 2 3 5 6 12 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE... TAKEYOURPICK! This ebrochure isdesignedtogiveyouatasteof thepickinglifestyle. Wewill providedetailsonourmost populartours, ourfavourite U-PICK FARMS FAMILIES WHO FORAGE 10 PICKING TIPS GROW YOUR OWN THE SEASONS TASTE TUSCANY WHY BOOK WITH US FORAGERS GUIDE pickingexperiencesandgiveyou sometipsforplanningyournext 13 foragingadventure... 14 15 16 16 23 24 -   1    ORCHARDSNEARME

3. WHO ARE THE ORCHARDS NEARME TEAM? WELCOME TO THE HOME OF HOMEGROWN FOOD... Doyoulookforwardtoblackberriesripeningonthebushes inAutumn? Doyoufindyourselflookingdowntosearchfor mushroomswhenyouareoutforawalk? Haveyou collectedshellfishontheseashore? Ifyouhavedoneanyof thesethenyouareaflyingpicker.  TheOrchardsNearMe.comteamareacommunityof foragingenthusiastsaroundtheworld. Wehavepicked cherriesatU-PickfarmsinVancouver, collectedfresh strawberriesintheOkanagan, searchedforwinklesonthe Irishcoastlineandenjoyedsamplingtheripegrapesduring thewineseasoninPortugal.  Atdifferenttimesoftheyearwegrabourbasketsand glovestoheadoffonourlatestforagingadventures. Our toursincludepickingtripsinIreland, PortugalandItaly.  Ourcommittmentistoeducateothersaboutpicking adventuresandbringalittlebitofwildfoodtoasmany kitchentablesaspossible.  Feelfreetojoinin. HappyPicking!  -   2    ORCHARDSNEARME

4. "The art of picking was simple, patience was the only real skill required". COASTAL FORAGING:  ADVENTURES IN IRELAND  Youareneverguaranteedtogetwarmweather whenwalkingbytheshoreinIreland. Raindropscomesinallshapesandsizes, tiny dropsthatsprinkletheground, sidewaysrain thatcatchesyouoffguard, warmdrizzlingrain thatsoaksyoutothebonebutallofthese weatherconditionscombinetomakeitextra rewardingwithyoustumbleuponsome uniqueculinarytreats. Fromfreshmusslestopoolsofwinkles, youwill findeverythingyouneedforawarmcupof seafoodchowderalongtheIrishcoastline. My firstcoastalforagingexcursionwasfruitful. Asa childmymotherwouldbuyussmallplastic bucketsandshortfishingrodstoscoopoutthe seaweedfromthegiantrockpoolsallalongthe Co.Clarecoastlines.  Pickingwaspartof every stageof growingup. FromchildtoadolescentI madethetransitionfrombuckettobagand backagainwhenpickingalongtheshore. -   3    ORCHARDSNEARME

5. COASTAL LIFE Mygrandfatherwouldtakethewholefamily toanearbybeachandwewouldeagerlywait untilthetidehadgonefullyout, revealingthe rockpools, seaweedandmostimportantlythe shellfishhidingunderneath. Theartofpicking wassimple, patiencewastheonlyrealskill required. Myselfandmysisterwouldspend hoursscanningtheshallowpoolsofwaterfor thebiggestwinkles, crabsandmussels. Althoughalloftheshellfishthatwescoured forwereeasilyidentifiable, notallwereeasy tofind.  Winklesweretheeasiesttocollect. Theytend torollwiththetidesoitwasnotamatterof searchingforthembutmoretimewasspent decidingonwhichonestocollect. Inevertool thebabyones. Thiswasmyonerulefor COASTAL FORAGING TIPS collectingwinkles. Onceyouhaveavoiding thebabyshellsyoucanenjoyscoopingout DON'Tlettheweatherpreventyoufromyour largehandfulsofwinklesalonsmost nextadventure. Rememberthatalittlerainnever shorelines. hurtanyone. Ifyouhappentogetasunnyday thentakeadvantageofit, spendingafewhours WhenitcametocrabsIwasalwaysalittle bytheshore. nervoustopickthemup. Theirclawswould reachrightouttostabpinchyouifyouwere LEAVEenoughforothers. Everydaywehear tooquick. Sometimeswewouldjustplaywith warningsofoverfishingsobemindfulofthis themforawhilebeforeplacingthemcarefully whenyouareforagingbythesea. Onlypick backinweretheybelonged. Laughingasthey enoughforonedayspickings, givingtheshores scrambledofftofindtheirpals. Musselswere timetoreplenishitsgoodsovertime.  alwaysconsideredthebiggesttreat. They clungtightlytotheedgesofrocks, makingit WEARsuitableclothing. Thisiskeytoany moredifficulttopullthemoff. Nothingcan foragingadventure. Waterproofshoescomesin beatapotoffreshmusselscookedingarlic handywhenyouplayinginrockpools. Also, bring andtomatojuices. Giveitatry. Believeme asparepairofsockstokeepyourfeetdry. youwon'tbedisappointed.  KNOWthetides. Mostcountrieswilloffer Whynottryaspotofrazorclamhunting websitesthatgiveyouthetimesofthetidal whileyouarebytheshore. Simplybringsome currents. Keepacloseeyeonthese. Youdon't saltonyourjourneyandseekoutthesmall wanttoventureallthewaytothebeachtofind holesinthebeach. Pourinthesaltandwatch thatyouhavetowaitfivehoursuntilthetide inaweastherazorclamscometolife.  recedes. Otherfavouritesofmineincludekelpand DON'Tbeafraidofseaweedorcrabs. Thewaves seaweed. Thesemakedeliciousadditionsto maylookroughbuttheseaisgentlewithmany salads. Youcanalsousethemtoenhancethe varietiesofproducetotry. Youneverknowwhat flavourofanyseafooddish.  treasuresyouwillfind. -   4    TORCHARDSNEARME

6. WHY FORAGE  Pickingfruitfreshfromthefieldsmaybe themostrewardingactivityofanytrip abroad. Notonlydoyouhavethechance tojointhelocalcommunitiesduring theirharvestseasonyoualsolearnabout whatgrowswhereandwhen. Thatisthe mainreasonwhywelovegetting outdoors, gettingdowntoworkand offeringahelpinghandortwo throughoutthepickingseason. GETBACKTONATURE Fillupyourwaterbottleandpreparefor adaysurroundedbythefreshest produceofaregion. Benefitsofbeing outdoorsincludereconnectingwiththe land, increasedenergyandmindful engagementwithlocalcommunities. TASTEFRESHPRODUCE Ifyouhaven'ttastedfreshwildfoodthenyou LEARNFROMTHELOCALS aremissingout. Wildgarlic, berriesandother Everycountryharvesteduniquefruitsto plantscontainthecopiousamountsofVitamins theirregions. Ifyouarealifelonglearner thatwemaybelackingfromotherfoods. thanforagingandfruitpickingwillgive ReplaceyourVitaminCtabletswithahandful youtheopportunitytogainknowledge ofberries. Locallyforagedfruitsaredelicious aboutlocalindustries, natureandthe andhealthy. Jointhepickingcommunityto productionprocessesindifferent tastethefruitsofnatureslabor. Fromgrapesin regions.  PortugaltoshellfishinIreland, wildfoodis HELPTHELOCALFARMERS availableforeveryonetoenjoy.  Todayitisdifficultforfarming communitiestojointheratrace. HAVEFUNLEARNINGANEWSKILL Supportlocalfarmersbyjoiningintheir Foragingisn'tjustaboutusingthefood, itisalso harvestseason, helpthembyvisitingu- afunpast-timetoenjoywithyourfamilyand pickfarms, collectingfromtheirfruit friends. Embarkingonaforagingadventureisa filledtreesandallowingthemto fantasticexperience. Whetheryouplanto becomelessreliantonforeignworkers spendadaycoastalforagingatthebeachoran duringthebusyseasons.  afternoonrummagingforgoodsintheforest, thereissomethingforeveryonetoenjoy. The BESUSTAINABLE bestpartissearchingforwildfood, collecting Adoptingaforagerslifestylecouldhelp thegoodsandbringingthembackintothe youtoreduceyouruseofnatural kitchentotrythemout.  resources. Bypickingwildproduceyou arelessreliantonlargersupermarket Onceyouhavebeenoutinnatureandtasted chains, makingyourfoodintakemore thefruitsofnatureyouwillneverlookback.  Happy Picking! efficient.   -   5    ORCHARDSNEARME

7. O R C H A R D S N E A R M E . C O M Fruit & Foraging Tours We are picking by day and by night, loving every step of the journey. Join one of our mouth- watering, food packed tours for 2019. Whether you are a beginner picker or a seasoned forager we have something for everyone. Learn all about the local produce and taste some of Ireland's freshest fruits. Our tours take it the best landscapes across Europe. -   6    TORCHARDSNEARME

8. TASTE TRAILS IN IRELAND O R C H A R D S N E A R M E . C O M T O U R S I Ireland is known as the land of Saints and Scholars, a vast canvas of playful green welcomes you to the home of Guinness.  On every picking experience in Ireland you will have the chance to see the stunning landscapes, learn about the local history, pick the forest fruits and enjoy exploring the regions best trails with local guides. Your holiday will include a foraging guide, a tasting, a trip to the pub and walking in some of the most scenic locations.  DUBLIN FOOD EXPERIENCE You will join a group of picking enthusiasts to learn all about the local produce and taste some of Ireland's freshest fruits.  HIGHLIGHTS Explore the lively capital of Dublin Sample unique Irish fruits and shellfish Walk alongside ancient sites and ruins Enjoy making new Irish friends WHAT'S INCLUDED Foraging Experience Hotel Accommodation Half board Local cooking and tasting experience Foraging Notes Transfers HOW TO BOOK Email: info@orchardsnearme.com Get quote Get quote -   7 TORCHARDSNEARME

9. ORCHARD ADVENTURES IN PORTUGAL O R C H A R D S N E A R M E . C O M   T O U R S Northern Portugal is one of Europe's best kept secrets. The Duoro Valley is home to some of the world's premier wines and all of the vibrant towns have a relaxed atmosphere perfect for any trip away.   Starting in the UNESCO listed, seaside city of Porto you will be greeted by Sandy beaches and grape filled vineyards as you enjoy this picking experience. Along the way you will tour the vineyards, visit the olive groves and learn about the local produce. This tour is ideal for anyone with an interest in nature, food and wine.  Who isn't?   Spend time in the home of Port in the seaside town of Porto before making your way into the heart of the famous Duoro Valley wine region. This tour is 5 unforgettable days of learning, tasting and exploring. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS Join the locals for some Port in Porto Sample the famous Vinho Verde Taste delicious, homegrown fruits A boat trip from the Duoro Valley WHAT'S INCLUDED Country style accommodation A tasting experience Enjoy sipping some local wines and port Learn about the production processes Join in the picking experience HOW TO BOOK info@orchardsnearme.com Get quote -   8    ORCHARDSNEARME

10. ORCHARD EXPERIENCES ITALY O R C H A R D S N E A R M E . C O M T O U R S A land of tastes and smells we all long for. Our fruit picking adventures in Italy will leave you with lifelong memories. From the hills of Tuscany to the Italian Riviera we have handpicked the best food and fruit experiences across the stunning Italian landscapes. In Italy, there is a fruit for every season. The vineyards are bursting with grapes in Autumn, the cherries sprout from their beautiful flowers in Springtime, the olives are ripe for picking in Winter and in summer the citrus farms come alive. Visit the heart of the wine region in Canada to sample some of the best wines and fruits of the Okanagan region. This five night, self guided food tour is ideal for anyone who wants to get back to nature and spend time exploring the countryside.. HIGHLIGHTS Superior Package - $275 Centuria Package - $315 Premium Package - $400 WHAT'S INCLUDED Country style accommodation A tasting experience Enjoy sipping some local wines  Learn about the production processes Join in the picking experience HOW TO BOOK info@orchardsnearme.com Get quote -   9 ORCHARDSNEARME

11. ORCHARD EXPERIENCES FRANCE O R C H A R D S N E A R M E . C O M T O U R S A land of tastes and smells we all long for. Our fruit picking adventures in Italy will leave you with lifelong memories. From the hills of Tuscany to the Italian Riviera we have handpicked the best food and fruit experiences across the stunning Italian landscapes. In Italy, there is a fruit for every season. The vineyards are bursting with grapes in Autumn, the cherries sprout from their beautiful flowers in Springtime, the olives are ripe for picking in Winter and in summer the citrus farms come alive. Visit the heart of the wine region in Canada to sample some of the best wines and fruits of the Okanagan region. This five night, self guided food tour is ideal for anyone who wants to get back to nature and spend time exploring the countryside.. HIGHLIGHTS Superior Package - $275 Centuria Package - $315 Premium Package - $400 WHAT'S INCLUDED Country style accommodation A tasting experience Enjoy sipping some local wines  Learn about the production processes Join in the picking experience HOW TO BOOK info@orchardsnearme.com Get quote -   10 ORCHARDSNEARME

12. DAY EXPERIENCES O R C H A R D S N E A R M E . C O M DUBLIN FOOD TRAIL Join one of our guided tours which run on Sundays from Spring through to Winter each year. A flying picker will guide you along the Irish coastline or take you into the Irish Mountains to sample some of the fruits and plants in season.  On our tours you will learn how to forage, develop your picking skills and taste some fresh Irish produce. COST: 25.00 per person Contact us to learn more: info@orchardsnearme,com SEA FORAGING TOURS  At different times of the year we run guided sea foraging tours where you have the chance to learn about the local shellfish, pick some fresh produce and get a taste of the sea. GROUP PICKING TOURS Join one of our guided tours which run on Sundays from Spring through to Winter each year. A flying picker will guide you along the Irish coastline or take you into the Irish Mountains to sample some of the fruits and plants in season.  Maximium group size is 20 people. COST: 30.00 per person Contact us to learn more: info@orchardsnearme.com -   11 ORCHARDSNEARME

13. U-PICK FARMS: JOIN THE HARVEST SEASON Fortheultimatepickingexperienceventuretoa Manyofthesefarmsproducesomanyberriesthat nearbyU-Pickfarm. WhenIfirstmovedtoCanada theyfinditdifficulttocollectthemallandsome itwassuchatreattofindsomanyberryu-pick struggletohirefarmworkerstohelpduringthe farmsscatteredintheOkanaganregion. pickingseason. SonotonlyaretheU-Pickfarmsa splendiddayout, theyarealsoaneconomic Wedecidedtospendaweekendcampingjust necessityforremotefarmerswhoneedtoprune outsidetheremotetownofKelowna. Thisareais theircropseachseason. lesspopulatedthanthebiggercitiesofVancouver andAlberta. ItoffersatasteofoneofCanada's Afterwefinishedcollectingsomefruit, itwas premierwineregionsanditisabsoluteheavenfor weighedandwepaidasmallsumtobringsome apickingenthusiast. Asyoudrivealongthelong backtoourfriendsinVancouver. Inaddition, at stretchesofmoterwayyouwillseevastU-Pick manyofthesefarmsyouwillfindfarmshopsthat farmsoneithersideoftheroad. FromApplesto offerwinetasting, localpastriesandevensome Cherriesandeverythinginbetweenyouarefreeto uniquesouvenirs. Icanvividlyremembersipping visitthesefarmsandparticipateinthepicking thelocalwinesfromminibootsonhighstoolsin season. thefarmsbar.  SummertimeistheperfecttimeforaU-pick Thankyoutoalloftheverygenerousfarmersfor adventureasyouwillfindsomeofthejuiciest givingusachancetofillupourbasketswithfresh strawberriesinthefields. Westoppedbyalocal produceontheirU-Pickfarms. Thisisagreatway strawberryfarmtojointheherdsoffamilies tomakesomefun, pickingmemories.  gettingtheirhandsdirtyandsamplingthe deliciousfruitsoftheirlabour.  -   12  ORCHARDSNEARME

14. FAMILIES WHO FORAGE: KID FRIENDLY TOURS WhenwewereyoungIcanclearlyrecallour weeklySundaydrivestothelocalwoodlandsor walkbythesea. Didyourparentsor grandparentsevertrytoteachyouaboutthe foragingtechniquesofyourancestors? Minedid. Wewouldhavewalkinglessonsaboutforaging whilepickingmushrooms, scouringtheseaside forwinkles, pullingfreshblackberriesfromthe bushes. Yestherewereafewthornybranches, yestherewereafewtimeswhenwefellintothe rockpoolsbutthesewerethebestmemoriesof mychildhood. Torelivethesetreasurehunting experiencesnowthroughtheFlyingPickers Toursisadreamcomethrough.  Doyoufindyourchildrenarespendingmore andmoretimeinfrontofscreens? Thisisahuge socialissue. Notonlyareweforgettinghowto communicatewithotherswearealsolosingour loveforthenaturallandscapesaroundus.  Ifyouwouldliketoeducateyourchildrenabout nature, farming, fruitsandflavoursthenaforaging experienceistheperfectwaytogetafeelforthe IRELAND: SEAFORAGING TOUR - 5 NIGHTS Travel may be local, regional, national (domestic) or international. In some countries, non-local internal travel may require an internal passport, while international travel typically requires a passport and visa. A trip may also be part of a round-trip, which is a particular type of travel whereby a person moves from one location to another and returns. PORTUGAL: FRUIT PICKING IN OCTOBER- 4 NIGHTS Once difficult, slow and dangerous, travel has tended to become easier, quicker, and more frivolous in the course of history. The evolution of technology such as horse tack and bullet trains has contributed to this trend. While travel in the Middle Ages offered hardships and challenges, it loomed large in the economy and in society. FRUIT LOVING DAY TOURS What a great way to spend an Autumn weekend. U-pick farms all over Canada offer unique chances to pick your own produce during the harvest season. You can pick everything from fresh strawberries to baskets of cherries to ripe tromatoes.  outdoors.dvisa. Atripmayalsobepartofaround- trip, whichisaparticulartypeoftravelwherebya personmovesfromonelocationtoanotherand returns. Ourfamilyforagingtoursaresuitableforanyage. Welimitthenumberofpeoplesothatwecan provideacustomisedexperienceandgiveyouthe toolsyouneedtogetstartedwithyourforaging adventure.  -   13 ORCHARDSNEARME

15. 10 PICKING TIPS  1.  ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES Thereisnorightorwrongwaytostartyour pickingadventures. Theremaybemoreplaces thataremorefruitfulthanothers, likeanorchard forinstance. Icanvividlyrecallmyfirsttime 2.  foragingformushroomsinwhatothersmayhave foundtobeavast, openfieldwithlittlecharacter DON'T FORGET YOUR BASKET  butthetruetreasuremaybehiddenbeneathyour feet. Simplylookdownandscanyour surroundings. Okayenoughwiththereminicising, 3.  itstimetogetdowntobusiness. Thereareafew CHECK THE WEATHER stepsyoucantakethatwillmakeyourfirst foragingexcursionalittleeasier. 4.  NEVER PICK SOMETHING YOUR UNSURE ABOUT 5.  WEAR SOME SUNSCREEN 7.  6.  LOOK DOWN AND AROUND KNOW WHAT'S RIPE & WHEN 8.  LEAVE SOME FOR OTHERS 9.  10.  WATCH OUT FOR WILD ANIMALS ALWAYS WASH YOUR TREASURE -   14 TORCHARDSNEARME

16. GROW YOUR OWN: HOW TO LIVE FRUITFULLY EVERY YEAR Dependingonwhereintheworldyouhavechosen Ourexperimentingbeganwithasmallpatchof asyourbaseyouwillbeintheperfectlocationto tomatoes. Ifyouareunsurewhatfruittostartwith growcertaintypesoffruits.  Growingfruitisn't thenthisoneiseasy. Onceyoufindtheright reservedforthefarmingortheaffluentpopulation tomatofeedforyoursmallplantyouwillseeit whohavetheresourcestobuy, manageand blosson. Cherrytomatoesarethebestandso maintainlargeorchards. Yes, thisisthedreamand deliciouswithanymeal. onedayIalsowishtoownafruitfilledfieldofthe mostfertilelandbutinthemeantimeyoucan Forberryliciousdessertsthenyouareinluckas growyourownpatchoffruityheavenwithabitof berriesaresupereasytogrowoncethebirdsdon't patienceandafewhelpfulhintsalongtheway. getatyourripefruitsfirst. Headtoyournearby homestoreandyouaresuretofindsomeberry IstartedmygrowingexperimentsinAutumn. This plantsreadyforthegarden. Blackberries, wasabadmove. Notonlydidmyraspberrybushes raspberriesandgooseberriesaretheeasiestto dieacoldandmiserabledeath, therestofthe maintain. Althoughraspberrybushesareknownto gardendiedalongsideit. SoSpringtimeisthebest growoutofcontrol, thishasneverhappenedinmy timetostartyoursmallfruitpatch. Whetheryou experience. Rememberthatberriesneedtobe haveasmallgarden, largegardenorasimpleshelf, picked. Luckilywelovepickingsothisisaneasy therulesfortreatingfruitbusheswillremainthe job. same. Thelargerfruitstakelongerbuttheseareworth Sunlight, goodsoilandshelterfromthebirdsare theeffort. Wehavealargeappletreeoutourback threekeyingredientstoasuccessfulfruitharvest. gardenandyouwillthankyourluckystarswhen Don'tworryifyoudon'thavespace, youcaneasily youtasteyourveryfirsthomemadeapplecrumble. growsmallfruittreesandherbswithjustasmall windowforsomelight.   -   15 ORCHARDSNEARME

17. O R C H A R D S N E A R M E . C O M A Fruit for each Season With every season comes a new fruit to harvest, a new berry to discover and a new place to explore. Our seasonal tours offer the chance to meet local producers, taste the freshest produce, walk the trails and forage for unique seasonal foods. We will show you the art of picking and how each food is used within the local communities.  From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the vineyards of the Duoro Valley, let's go picking! -   16   ORCHARDSNEARME

18. Autumn DISCOVER THE EUROPEAN HARVESTS AwalkthroughanyforestinAutumnisamagical time. Tis' theseasonoffreshproduce, wildfoodie delightsandmushroomhunting. Notonlydoyouhavethelastoftheyear'ssuntokeepyou comfortableonthetrail, youalsohavethebenefitofknowingthattheproduceisreadytobepicked.  SowhatcanwefindalongthetrailsinAutumn: berriesareplentiful. KeepaneyeoutforBlackberries, blueberries, SloesandRaspberries. Mushroomsareliketreasureforforagers. Enjoyidentifyingthemostcuriousshapesoftheforest. Ifyouprefertofindratherthanseek produce thenheadtoanyU-pickfarminearlyAutumnforaspotofpicking.  FruitloverscanfeastonthefreshharvestsofAutumnthroughoutEurope. InSpain, PortugalandItaly thevineyardsareburstingwithgrapestobepicked. SeptemberandOctoberaretheidealmonthsto goonatourofthetopvineyardsacrossEurope. TIP: Readuponthedifferentspeciesofmushroomsandberriesbeforeyouattempttopickoreat them. LearnmoreabouttheTopOrchardtoursinAutumnhere.  -   17 TORCHARDSNEARME

19. Winter TRAVERSE WINTER WONDERLANDS Don'tfearthecoldthatgripstotreesinwintertime. Wrapupinyourwinterwarmersandheadfor thehillstodiscoversomewildtreats. Anafternoonofforaginginwintercanyieldsomefruitful bountytoaddtoyourChristmasfoodstock.  Watercress, nettlesandgroundIvyarejustafewofthewildplantsthatcomealiveinwintertime. Didyouknowthatyoucanaddnettlestohomemadepesto? Anddon'tworrytheywon'tstingonce theyareboiled.  SomewildwinterspecialsincludeRosehipsandPineneedles. Bothmakeflavourfilledteasto warmyouupafteranafternooninnature.  TIP: Keepaneyeoutforacornspackedfullofnutrition.  LearnmoreabouttheTopOrchardtoursinWinterhere.  -   18 ORCHARDSNEARME

20. Spring LIVE FRUITFULLY IN SPRINGTIME Theairiscrisp, thedaysarebrightandgreenleavesarebeginningtoawakenfromtheirwinter hibernation.  Thisisatimeofnewbeginningsandaperfecttimeoftheyearforaforaging adventuresograbyourbasketandheadforthehills. YoumaynotthinkofSpringasthemostfruitfultimeoftheyearbutthereareplentyofflavour filledplantstopickfrom. Dandelions, daisiesandwatercressstarttomakeanappearanceinthemonthsofSpring. Fora truetasteoftheearthtrymakingsomedandelionteaorwhynotusethepetalstoaddsome colourtoanotherwiseboringgreensalad.  Nettlesareoneofthemoreunder-utilisedandundervaluedspringtreats. Afterwashingand boilingyournettlesyouarereadytoeatthemwithanyhomelydish.  LearnmoreabouttheTopOrchardtoursinSpringhere.  -   19 ORCHARDSNERME

21. Summer SEASHELLS AND SEASHORES FOR SUMMER Headtotheseasideanddon'tforgetyourbucketandshoveltoenjoyalittleseaforagingduring thesummermonths. Thesmelloftheseawillguideyouonyourcoastalpickingadventures.  Foranactionpackeddaygosearchingforsomebountifulshellfish, foundinrockpoolsonthe edgesofmostbeaches. Bendlowanddon'tbeafraidtogetyourhandswet. Rubyourhands againstthesidesoftherockstopickperi-winkles, musselsandseaweeds.  Rememberto thoroughlywashanythingyoupickfromtheseaincoldwaterbeforeboiling.  WhattopickinSummer: Shellfishisavailableatanytimeoftheyearbutsummerisalovelytime tocollectfreshmusselsbythesea.  Tip: Summeris  oneofthebesttimetovisittheu-pickfarmsinEurope. Strawberries, cherries andotherdeliciousfruitvarietiesareripeforpicking! LearnmoreabouttheTopOrchardtoursinSummerhere.  -   20 ORCHARDSNEARME

22. TASTE TUSCANY Typically Italian food is based on fresh, local ingrediants, pasta is often handmade and you will be treated to the smell of fresh fruit and vines wherever you go. If you have never tried truffle hunting in the Tuscany then this is your chance.  GELATO IN LUCCA TRUFFLE HUNTING IN SAN MINIATO San Miniato is a tucked away paradise, the perfect nesting spot between the walled town of Lucca and historic Siena.  Meeting Massimo and his truffle hunting dog companion may not be high on your bucketlist but it should be. All that is admired about romantic Tuscany from afar can be found while rummaging through the forests for this rare, expensive produce. Finding truffles is no easy task. It required time, patience and an mistakable love for nature. Massimo has all of these qualities in abundance and any trip with him is worth the wait. A crown jewel in this delightful region of Italy, for this tour you will stay in the enchanting town of San Gimignano with its ancient high towers. Learn about the wine production process, taste Italy's finest grapes and tour the stunning landscapes.   Travelling to Italy and not tasting the scrumptious array of Gelato on offer should be a sin. Taste the nutty flavours of Bacio, the fruity delights of fragola or the mouth-watering Cioccolato. Just opposite the gigantic Cathedral in Lucca is the famous Gelatarium. Pick your scoop and take a swing on their indoor swing set. GRAPE PICKING IN SAN GIMIGNANO -   21 ORCHARDSNEARME

23. ROMANTIC ITALY: AN ADVENTURE FOR TWO DAY1 Ourexperimentingbeganwithasmallpatchof tomatoes. Ifyouareunsurewhatfruittostartwith UnderneaththestarsinTuscany, eatingdelicious thenthisoneiseasy. Onceyoufindtheright ovenbakedpizzaandsippingfamousredwines. tomatofeedforyoursmallplantyouwillseeit Thisishowromanceissupposedtobe. blosson.  Afruitpickingadventurecanbejustthetonicfor DAY2 anycouplewiththerightbalanceofgivingbackto Forberryliciousdessertsthenyouareinluckas nature, helpingoutalocalcommunityand berriesaresupereasytogrowoncethebirdsdon't enjoyingqualitytimetogether. getatyourripefruitsfirst. Headtoyournearby homestoreandyouaresuretofindsomeberry Whetheryouarestillinthehoneymoonphaseor plantsreadyforthegarden. Blackberries, celebratingabiganniversary, anorchard experienceissomethingfunthatyoucanshare. DAY3 Dependingonthetimethatyouhavetoexplore raspberriesandgooseberriesaretheeasiestto therearedaytoursoflemongroves, winetoursand maintain. Althoughraspberrybushesareknownto flavourfuladventuresinmostregionsofItaly. Fora growoutofcontrol, thishasneverhappenedinmy particularlyromanticescapewewouldhighly experience.  recommendacyclealongthehistorictownsof Tuscanyatharvesttime. Intermsofsights, sounds DAY4 andsmellsitdoesn'tgetmuchbetterthanthis. Thelargerfruitstakelongerbuttheseareworth Youandyourlovedonewillhavethechanceto theeffort. Wehavealargeappletreeoutourback enjoythebestofnatureinEuropeonthisfruit gardenandyouwillthankyourluckystarswhen filledadventure. youtasteyourveryfirsthomemadeapplecrumble. -   22 ORCHARDSNEARME

24. WHY BOOK WITH orchardsnearme.com UNIQUE EXPERIENCE INFORMATION  Enjoyatasteofrealhomegrown foodwhilediscoveringthelocal Weprideourselvesondevelopinga culture, sitesandpeopleofthe deepunderstandingfortheculture, regionswherethesefoodsare trails, vineyardsandfoodonourtours. produced. Fromestablished Toassistyoualongthewaywehave Vineyardstowildforests, we puttogetherthebestitineraries, havechosenthebestforaging notesandmapsthatwillguideyou experiencesaroundtheworld.  alongtheway. Eachtourhasbespoke packages. Becausewetakecareof thedetails (accommodation, LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS transfers, notes, mapsandluggage transfers) youarefreetoenjoya relaxingholidayexperience.  Allofourpickingexperiencesare hand-pickedbylocalexperts. KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT Theproducers, guidesandflying pickersworktogethertocreate Speaktoourpickingexpertstolearn theultimatelearningexperience aboutthebestforagingexperiences forallvisitors. Overthelast aroundtheworld. Asseasoned numberofyearswehavebuilt pickerswearealwaysoutonthetrails relationshipswithfarmers, andmeetingtheproducerstoensure producersandguidesto theproducewepromotethroughour establishthebesttours. Weonly toursaresetatahighstandard, using picktoursthatwewouldenjoy localproductionmethodsand goingonourselves. Oftenoneof sustainablegrowingmethods.  We ourpickingteamwillgoalong offera24hoursupportnumberfor withthetourtocatchupwith everyonethatparticipatesinoneof localfriendsorguidethegroup.  theexperiences.  -   23 ORCHARDSNEARME

25. GET YOUR FORAGING GUIDE This eguideisdesignedforallfoodlovers, WHAT'S INCLUDED Foragingtipsforbeginners Whattopickwhenandwhere Avoidingpoisonouswildfood Thepickingseasons Nutritionalinformation Healthywildfoodrecipes Printerfriendlyformat Andmore! natureenthusiastsandanybodywhowould lovetoexploretheoutdoors. Thereisnoright DOWNLOAD orwrongwaytostartyourforagingadventure butwehavesometipsthatmayhelpyou alongtheway.  Ifyouarealoveroffoodandtheoutdoorsthan foragingisapast-timemadeforyou. Togetyou startedonyournextforagingadventurewe havedesignedaforagingguideforbeginners withtips, tricksandplantdetails  Inourusefulguideyouwilldiscoverwhatplants areripeandwhen, wheretofindthebest foragedgoods, wildfoodrecipes, nutritional detailsandsomesafetytipsforyourfirst foragingadventure.  Thisguidewasinspiredby myownoutdoorfrolics, itiseasytofollowand shouldbetreatedasashortcompanion. Enjoy identifyingthewillplantsfoundintheguide andgettingtogripswithdifferentforaging techniques. Fromforesttrailstocoastalpaths, thereisso muchtobefoundifyoutakesometimetolook aroundandenjoynature.  HappyPickingAll! GET YOUR GUIDE TODAY -   24 ORCHARDSNEARME

26. ORCHARDSNEARME.COM THEHOMEOFHOMEGROWNFOOD the International Fruit Picking Community ORCHARDSNEARME.COM