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?

Oh I seen that one too. There used to be a Butchers near my old Workplace that used to sell them for something silly like 10/20p. Cow Trotters are actually considered a delicacy in some cultures heard Its also the part they use to make the gelatine for sweets too and so are slightly more expensive than pig Trotters. Poor folk shouldnt even bother washing them any mud shit they have potentially trood in can be utilised to grow the Potatoes on your 8th floor flat Balcony. Excuses Excuses

You can buy blackberry and nettle tea from Sainsbury's, very nice it is, too.

I just believe that if there is free food and you are a family in need of food you should take advantage of tge free food. I don't think all families should eat from skips bins or eat meat tge general population rejects but Ido think letting blackberries go mouldy on the bush whilst you rely on other people to provide you with food is stupid.

Here you say that people are stupid for relying on benefits to feed their children when they can pick blackberries. You also say they should be out picking free food.

I do think it is daft to buy blackberries when the can be picked, but that is not what the OP said.

I also think the OP is unreasonable to pick so much fruit.

Someone up thread said they would be embarrassed to be seen blackberry picking without a child in tow.

Whats all that about?

True, latera.

ChooCha that's me and I would be embarrassed because I don't want my neighbours to think i'm either poor or eccentric.

(I'm a woman living alone with a cat - I don't want to get an eccentric spinster reputation thanks. PS. how old do you have to be to become a 'spinster'. Hopefully I'm not quite there yet.)

'Obviously blackberries are not going to sustain a person but a handful a day will provide vitamins and will free up cash to spend on other foods.'

But I dont waste cash on buying blackberries in the supermarket. Cos I dont like blackberries and nor do my kids.
Now if pizzas and beer grew wild I'd be out there with my carrier bags like a fucking shot....

Oh, and I dont own a freezer for any of natures abundance sadly.

I don't think lots of people realise there is an etiquette, which is why woodland close to urban areas is being threatened by foragers. Fungi, as cited by the OP as a marvellous source of wild food, is not sustainable when taken from relatively small areas such as woods near suburban and urban areas. Our local woods have seen a decline in certain species due to the recent trend for foraging. For the most part it's not poor people supplementing their food budget at all, it's just another twatty middle class "Good Life" pastime.

As for the OP's entire argument, it's becoming comocally close to the MOnty Python "Four YOrkshiremen" sketch.

"But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor."

"Aye. BECAUSE we were poor. My old Dad used to say to me, "Money doesn't buy you happiness.""

etc.

Even the OP acknowledges that blackberries will not sustain a family so this thread is just an attempt to make her feel good about herself and criticize those she sees as beneath her.

Arisbottle if families can live comfortably on benefits thats great, I ment if people are relying on foodbanks which I would imagine are pretty unpredictable.

9 pounds of blackberries between 4 people is just over 2 pounds each which worked put to be an icecream tub, there was plenty of fruit left for other people and wildlife.

Would you drive 20 miles for an ice cream tub? How much petrol is that?
Or a bus ticket?

I agree about the 'good life' pastime.

I don't want my neighbours to think i'm either poor or eccentric.

What's wrong with being poor and eccentric?

and the whole lot amounted to 1700cals.

hardly worth the freezer space is it?

incidentally i just found a half eaten rat in my front garden. anyone got any good recipes?

Rat a la Blackberry?

Hmmm.... we do have blackberries growing round here but I would be embarrassed if the neighbours saw me picking them (without an excited child present)!

Why on earth would you be embarrassed about picking some blackberries?!
Now if you were being encouraged to dive head first into a skip or bin for a good old rummage, I could see your point.
But picking blackberries?!

Sauteed rodent with blackberry reduction (smeared on the plate, obvs).

everyone knows I"m poor and eccentric and it has fuck all to do with me picking blackberries

I hate to tell you Latara but as a single woman living alone with a cat, your neighbours already think you're a loon.

We snaffled some brambles on the path leading back to the car from the scout camp we'd just walked DS1 up to. DS2 loved it. Then we came home and had some lunch.

Just so everyone knows, weed soup looks exactly like you think it would: some water with grass and daisies floating in it. The sort of thing you used to 'cook' up in a bucket in your back garden when you were 4.

I do love how the OP is back tracking and pretending she didn't say that the poor should all be out picking fruit rather than relying on other people to feed themselves.

A tip for next time: start a thread saying 'I just took the kids to pick brambles and it was great fun.' Just leave the poor out of it.

Chipped YABU for making me spit my drink out laughing!

And don't forget, Arbitrary, they are stupid for not doing so, those benefits claimants who rely on others to feed them.