Hazelnuts.

Hazel trees are still uncommon on the Island (though thousands of years ago they would have been a dominant land cover). We are planting lots at Creg-Y-Cowin and in five year’s time they will start to produce hazelnuts. Around ten years from now they will be in full production, with a good bush producing a basket-full of nuts every year. One hectare of hazel trees can produce upto a tonne of nuts per year, which compares favourably (per ha) to cattle or sheep in fat and protein productivity.

The Island has one secret to hazel-nut production, and that is we have no grey nor red squirrels. Squirrels tend to eat hazelnuts in vast quantities and take them a week or two before they are fully ripe, so their absence makes the Isle of Man uniquely perfect for nut production.

Blaeberries.

Every July and August our family hit the best plantations (like Arrasey, Earystane and South Barrule), where parts are reverting to temperate rainforest, to forage for blaeberries. We can easily fill a lunchbox full and our lips and fingers will be stained purple from tasting the goods before the rest are baked into muffins.

Blaeberries (or bilberries) are common in acidic upland woodlands and replace heather and gorse in shaded areas of former heath. Blaeberry bushes grow to 1m high. They flower in spring and provide such good nectar that we have two native bees (the bilberry bumblebee and the bilberry mining bee) that depend on its nectar. Blaeberries spread easily via birds to new habitats, so new temperate rainforest habitats will have carpets of fruit laden bushes developing after a decade or so.

Blaeberries are a great ingredient for pies, jams, beverages and much more. People from Scandinavian countries have long had the knack of harvesting them from the wild using special combs, perfect to harvest our Celtic rainforest bounties.