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@IcooIey @helenclayton @JimmyB @lionelb Forced rhubarb is earlier, a delicate pink and far less acidic than later rhubarb. I used to use it to make a lovely tart a bit like a Bakewell but with rhubarb. My sister used forced rhubarb to make rhubarb gin. Don’t mistake me for any kind of expert though. My mum had a lovely old terracotta rhubarb forcing pot.
@IcooIey @lionelb @Sarah111well @helenclayton I got one of those terracotta forcing pots last year - trying it now for the first time. Like so much in my garden I have absolutely no idea what it’s going to do…
@JimmyB @IcooIey @lionelb @Sarah111well I did read that you shouldn’t force it two years running, so hoping the previous owners didn’t do it last year.
@helenclayton @Sarah111well @IcooIey @lionelb oh! We’re all education here today! I love this: Mastodon can be ace sometimes. We’ve got a fella who clearly knows all about it, some folks who’ve sort of heard of it (I’m in that group) some ‘what is it - never heard of it’ here in this thread. And all except the first (sorry @Lionelb ) are going to learn some useful stuff!
@JimmyB @Sarah111well @IcooIey @lionelb great isn’t it.
So blueberries, discuss…
Just kidding, but I do know that I have blueberries! We came here in time for their harvesting.
@helenclayton @IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb only question with blueberries: are they worth it???? I eat them by the billion when I’m fishing in #Norway (they grow wild by the kilo). But in a garden?
@JimmyB @IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb these are kind of no bother, space wise. They are in a large planter alongside the house - about four bushes - and they’re in a cage to stop the birds getting at them. Quite nice to go out and pick a handful to go with a bowl of yogurt and muesli…or pancakes.
@IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb @helenclayton well quite! Ok. I’ll think about it! 
@JimmyB @IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb shop bought blueberries here are huge and have no flavour. These are more like the wild variety.
@IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb @helenclayton I discovered - the hard way - that flavouring porridge with wild blueberries, is really underwhelming. Needs honey or something too!
@JimmyB @IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb blueberries, maple syrup, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
@Sarah111well @helenclayton @lionelb @IcooIey that’s quite the recipe in a tent in the mountains!!! Pretty much tomorrow’s breakfast if I go and shop!
@JimmyB @Sarah111well @lionelb @IcooIey there’s porridge in there too ofc.
@helenclayton @lionelb @IcooIey @Sarah111well so I have this funny mix of oats and milk powder in a big bag in the cupboard (periodically the moths get in and…hmmm..start again time) which I take away to the hills when I go. But the question is always: what else? In Norway or the Scottish isles from late August, then blueberries are abundant. But it turns out… you need a bit more! Like honey or a banana.
Shame.
But true.
@JimmyB @helenclayton @IcooIey @Sarah111well
If you are adventurous you can use the waxy outer of ripe mountain ash berries. Similar to marzipan.
@lionelb @JimmyB @IcooIey @Sarah111well I’d have never have guessed they’d be edible!
@helenclayton @JimmyB @IcooIey @Sarah111well
Along with honey, one of the few paleo sweets.
@JimmyB @lionelb @IcooIey @Sarah111well you could pack a bit of honey 
. Wouldn’t recommend raiding a wild bee hive!
@helenclayton @lionelb @IcooIey @Sarah111well I’ve been know to! . I love the hills but I’m not addicted to discomfort. I feel if I’m schlepping for miles and kipping in a tent in a gale then decent grub (and maybe a dram) is ok…
@helenclayton @Sarah111well @IcooIey @lionelb ok good people: it’s an hour on here and I’m working tomorrow.
Night all…
@JimmyB @Sarah111well @IcooIey @lionelb don’t forget to go foraging for breakfast. Night all.
@IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb @helenclayton I’ve got into ‘overnight oats’ and birscher muesli with local Swiss influences and blueberries are great there. But it feels like you have a great bit bush and get 3. That might be a bit exaggerated…
@JimmyB @IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb I’ll let you know how I get on now that I am responsible for keeping them going 
@JimmyB @helenclayton @IcooIey @Sarah111well @lionelb I suspect those are bilberries? Native here too but not readily available in Wales. Much tastier than blueberries too