Foraging for...pheasant?

PLUMS ON THE LEFT,

Now that Chislehurst Village News staff have had their fill of blackberry jam, blackberry pie, blackberry vodka and blackberry blackberry after last month's foraging, it's time to let you know where the best place is for damsons and plums. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the spot a few days ago, every single damson had been picked from what we consider to be our personal Scadbury orchard.

Undeterred, we set about picking the cream of the plum crop, although, more accurately, we set about shaking the tree trunks for the cream of the crop.

UP IN THE TREES,

It's a messy business. The ground beneath the trees is never attended to, fortunately, and so is a jungle of moss, bindweed and other bits of undergrowth combined with a mosquito colony.

If you can brave this, the rewards are spectacular. Dozens of fresh, plump plums are yours, together with a scent to ensure a large number of wasps will accompany you home, indoors, up the stairs and into the shower.

To get to our personal Scadbury orchard start on the same route as last month's "Foraging" for the blackberries. Again, keep tight left to the house in front of you and once you have gone through the gate don't turn off the path, go straight on, down the field and up the other side. Cross the track that leads to the cottages and go into the woods. Once the path starts going down look out for the right turn. Take this turn and after a few yards all the plum (and one damson) trees will be on your left. You can keep to the path, almost doubling back on yourself at an overgrown left turn, or you can venture amongst the trees to get to the best yields.

THEN IN BASKET; PHEASANT TO FOLLOW.

When the Chislehurst Village News team were down there last week we spotted a pheasant. Sadly it's not open season until next month otherwise we might have tried to put him in our basket as well.

Maybe we'll creep up there on the 2nd November whilst the fireworks are on.

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