Category Archives: Projects

365 Frankendael day 214

365 Frankendael, , ,

The largest female Ginkgo tree, outside of one of the British School of Amsterdam locations, is still doing useful fruit on the pavement. So if you fancy a Gingko nut forage there may still be time for you to gather a bagful. Please see my post about safe harvesting and preparation of this urban gift.

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Also today, in the Frankendael area of Amsterdam, I found Fat Hen, Chickweed, Dock seed heads and lots of Yarrow. Unfortunately when I had a chance to photograph any, there was too much wind so this is all I managed… A beautiful, feathery Yarrow, spreading throughout a lawn area. Full of herbal usefulness.

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Proposed dates for 2013 River of Herbs course

Growing herbs, River of Herbs,

Some time ago, 24 people signed up for my River Of Herbs training course, which will take place during 2013. There are no more spaces available at this time. The course is being completely funded by a Dutch government initiative to help the volunteer greeners of this country, obtain training.

I’d like to set the dates for the meetings now. If you are one of the 24, please could you take a look at the dates listed below and let me know if you are able to make them. Either reply to this post in the comments box or email me at Lynn.Shore@gmail.com.

Clearly, I’d like the dates to work for as many of people as possible so please feel free to suggest alternatives. Timings to be 10.30 – 12.30 for all the meetings and the venues will alternate between Oost / Oost Watergraafsmeer (near Park Frankendael, Oosterpark or Linneausstraat along tram 9 route) and Spuistraat (Centrum).

Thank you!

(NB: These dates are not yet fixed)
Sunday 10th February (Oost)
Sunday 17th March (Oost)
Sunday 28th April (Mercatoplein, West)
Sunday 19th May (TBA)
Sunday 30th June (TBA)

365 Frankendael day 212

365 Frankendael

Chickweed today, filling a pavement garden on Linneausparkweg.

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Also a mystery tuber which was floating past me as I stood waiting for Sinterklaas and his flotilla of boats, alongside the Amstel river today. It could be Reed  mace (Cats tails), which is edible in theory. However, it’s easy to tell that harvesting from somewhere as well used as the Amstel, is bound to
lead to digestive troubles at least!

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365 Frankendael day 210

365 Frankendael, Evergreen herbs, Exotic herbs, Growing herbs,

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Inside all day today, my little foraging buddy is poorly and my throat is pounding, so a balcony photo for a change and lots of herbal honey for us both!

This is the Camellia sinensis (Tea) plant which I bought in the summer from Intratuin. It’s still doing well, in the bonsai form and pot.  As you can see here, it is developing pretty little flower buds. I look forward to seeing them open in the very early spring.

I’ve not tried it yet but it is perfectly possible to make all types of conventional tea from the leaves if this lovely plant. White tea being leaves almost straight from the plant. Soon, I’ll give it a try.

365 Frankendael day 209

365 Frankendael, Foraging,

The Amsterdam Manor Hotel on Linneausstraat has a lovely wrought iron fence along side the road and I was delighted today, to find masses of delicious Chickweed (Stellaria media) tucked behind it, just within arms reach.

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I harvested a bag full I’m no time at all, drawing a few interested glances. No matter, I now have a 500 ml tincture jar set up and a small apple cider vinegar infusing with this wonderful herb and wild food.

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I’ll use the tincture for cleansing and if needed, to dissolve cysts our solve itchy skin complaints. Ill use the vinegar as a salad dressing, straight of the spoon or to draw minerals out of cooking food.

Chickweed is a nutrient dense plant, so easy to harvest and find and so tolerant of the cold weather.

Also today, behind another fence, this time belonging to Spanish tapas bar, Pata Negra, is a healthy patch of Gallant Soldiers. Quite appropriate I think!

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365 Frankendael day 208

365 Frankendael

A really beautiful autumn day today. I’ve been finding lots of young Garlic mustard plants around here. Their first leaves are kidney shaped, not completely unlike violets or the family which Fuki belongs to. The vein structure makes them easy to identify though.

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Here is none of the above and one which i keep looking at and considering toxic. It is a type of campanula and very pretty too. I’ve just been looking up the family of ornamental plants and apparently many members are edible and quite tasty. Here’s a link about them. I want to find out a lot more before trying a leaf or two.

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Here’s a toxic plant that has come up before on this blog, it’s everywhere in town at present, probably encouraged to thrive by it’s beguiling flowers and seedheads. This is nightshade family member, Shoofly or Apple of Peru, Nicandra physalodes.

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365 Frankendael day 207

365 Frankendael, , , , , ,

Today a damp walk around and lots of edibles still easily harvested in Amsterdam.

The first is a treepit loaded with Nasturtium and Calendula.

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Next, a healthy looking patch of Stinging Nettle, beside the park.

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A bonsai style Hogweed (most likely the non-edible type). It looks as though this one was determined to proliferate, despite repeated mowings in Park Frankendael.

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Here’s a little Chickweed, growing under the playground railings.

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Malva, nestled beside a landscaping rock, alongside Restaurant de Kas.

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Ground ivy, beside another such rock.

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And lastly, one of the most plentiful wild food trees in town, Copper Beech, definitely not looking tasty at the moment – well past it’s best. I’ll have to wait until spring to harvest the delicate new leaf buds, again. But there are plenty other tasty things available, all through the winter.

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365 Frankendael day 206

365 Frankendael, Apprenticeship, ,

I had a lovely time with the Apprentice group this morning. We went out hunting for Chickweed and found some along with plenty of delicious Gallant Soldiers (Galinsoga parviflora) This pavement garden patch looked particularly vibrant and suited to a Colombian potato soup!

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After the group had left I had another little wander around my neighbourhood and found the biggest patch of Chickweed (NL: Vogelmuur, Stellaria media), just 100m from my home. Here is a fraction of it. I feel a nourishing and skin calming Chickweed vinegar in the making…

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