Autumn is the perfect time of year to be out and about, seeking and collecting the bountiful harvests of our trees and hedgerows. If you have extensive school grounds, it's possible you don't even realise what's growing around the perimeter, so take your class on a wander, taking baskets or tubs with you.
On a short foray last week, we found damsons, blackberries, the very last of some Victoria plums (on a garden escapee), figs (overhanging a neighbour's fence) and eating and cooking apples.
If you don't have facilities to cook up jams or crumbles, lots of these fruits can be 'macerated' with sugar to make them more palatable - damsons for example can be quite 'sharp' to the taste. Or mash them up with fruit juice and plain yoghurt to make healthy and tasty smoothies (or squish 'em and make face paints!)
Planning ahead, find out if parents or your local community have allotments or gardens that you can raid for future Autumn feasts!
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