to wonder why there are blackberries going bad whilst people complain that they don't have enough money to feed their family healthy food.

[froken]

We went blackberry picking today, I was expecting a couple of manky blackberries to be left because I hear so often in the media and on mumsnet people saying how they struggle to feed their dc healthy food and sometimes people saying they have a hard time finding enough money to feed their dc at all.

There was a huge amount of blackberries, we were a 20 min walk outside a major city so an easily accessible place for 1000s of families.

We picked 9 pounds of blackberries.

Aibu to think that it would be a good idea for those struggling to feed their family a healthy diet (and those struggling to feed their family at all) should be out picking the free fruit that grows all over England's public spaces?

VerySmallSqueak

Worse than that. I did it to myself. By accident!

It all started one evening when my benefit-claiming single mother took me out to collect blackberries, when I was 7 or 8. I picked some rose-hips too, because they were such a lovely shade of red.

Then, once we were home, I asked for a knife, so I could see what they were like inside, and compare the seed arrangement to other kinds of fruit I'd seen...

Somehow, during the process of cutting up rosehips, I got the stuff on my back. A fortnight later, rose hips and itching powder were mentioned in my comic, and I was vindicated in my claim that I really had itched!

I haven't gone near a rosehip since.

Just wanted to say Thanks MNers. I'm on Nightwatch with v.poorly Dd and this thread has had me weeping with laughter! .

Blackberry Tax

Swallowedafly my stepdad would love you forever, his absolute favourite is bramley apple pie .

Yes our rhubarb was rubbish this year too, we weren't sure if it was because we moved it last year but I think it must have been the weather.

ahh misspixie -hope she's ok and there's no vomit involved

pixel mines been skinny and floppy for a couple of years now. wondering if i'm supposed to stick a load of compost on top or something?

my grandad used to cover the roots with upturned flower pots.

now i have rhubarb viagra in my head....

TheBigJessie .

You poor thing!

I love blackberries but I'm not surviving on them Going on the basis that hamsters are basically smaller guinea pigs with tails, next time the neighbour's hamster escapes into our house, it's supper.

Blackberrying has its hazards. Especially if you don't keep away from those evil dog roses!

Would you like a Werther's Original? I've just found a packet in here, and it could keep you going for a week, right?

aibu to eat my next door neighbours rabbit rather than rely on the benefit system?

aibu to make my children eat out of bins to avoid claiming child tax credits and expecting someone else to support us?

aibu to think that people who can afford to flush away their own faeces rather than make it into a wholesome stew do not need to be claiming benefits?

Oh my, does anyone remember that "hamster might have jumped into my stew" thread from years ago?

You've just reminded me of it LegoDragon.

It went on for ages - this woman looking everywhere for the hamster, she was on a deadline, dd due back from school any minute now...

i have rhubarb too!!

Blackberry picking - tick
Skip diving - tick
Rhubarb in garden - tick
Have eaten pigeon - tick

I WANT MY PRIZE!!!

saf

Second one isn't extreme enough. I could see someone posting that seriously on here.

No suggestion from me thay people shouldn't claim benefits, just the suggestion that people with a limited income could supplement their weekly shop with free, fresh fruit.

aibu to think that saying you can't afford to feed your children organic meat whilst frittering away money on luxuries like tampons means you have messed up priorities? i have fond memories of wadding used newspaper into my knickers. nowadays people just want the moon on the stick.

This thread is testing my pelvic floor

swallowed - i think you'll find thats moon in a cup!

funnily enough froken it seems that several of us on here do just that but recognise the seriously futile amount of savings we make by doing so.

people will be doing all sorts of things to survive that you won't know about because they're probably in touch with reality enough to know it's not fun to be picking through rubbish.

seriously - call your mum and tell her she's a fucking superstar that she managed to raise you to be spoiled and naive enough to not realise how miserable it must have been for her to be reduced to such tactics and to have actually convinced you it was a fun thing to do.

they want the moon in a cup these days (love my mooncup, check. rhubarb in the garden, check. eats dandelion leaves, check - i want my prize too)

That isn't quite the same as the way that you phrased your OP though, froken

I have read this thread diligently and not one of you lazy feckless, bastards has mentioned one of the best sources of free food there is: people.

There's loads of them, everywhere and they're so nutritious!

If you get caught eating one of them you can claim to be a zombie and if that doesn't scare the law off, you can go to prison - guaranteed free food!

Why oh why don't these poor people help themselves?

My mum is sat next to me ( we are staying with her) she agrees with everything I have said. I'm not spoilt, unless you count having as many blackberries as you want and a squashed ferbie as being spoilt.

I am aware that aibu ( according to most people) but I'm still not sure why it is so shocking to suggest that a nice activity that results in free fresh food would be a good thing for families with a limited budget to do.

I think picking fruit from bushes that grow wild is a great thing for everyone to do, the reason I specified poor people was because so many people seem to be struggling to feed their families at the moment. I am really thankful for the way my mum taught me to be resourceful, by picking berries and mushrooms and catching fish I can give my ds food that I'd never be able to afford if I had to buy it from tge shop.

Imagine how many meals you'd get out of Jamie Oliver.

What happens if you live somewhere like Peckham? There's plenty of wild things there, just no fruit...