Video - Collecting Oak Galls

How, when, what and why! A bonus for paid subscribers

collecting round galls last autumn

Welcome to the first of my videos to say thanks to those who support my work by being paid and founding subscribers. I’d hoped to have this out to you by Christmas, but my own and my partner / filmmaker’s health didn’t allow it. I am fit as a fiddle again (how fit is that, anyway?) So this afternoon I spliced and subtitled the film myself for you. It might not be as swish as Jonny would do it, but it has all the elements I wanted to include. There’s only one spelling mistake left in it, apologies! Auto-subtitle will choose any word except for ‘gall’, we had ghoul, girl and goal.

I assure you, I do not go ghoul-hunting…

The clips are from the last few months and the photos are from over a decade of blissful time spent gathering galls in the oak glades and parks of England. I even show you my very special ‘nosebag’ way of gathering the galls and leaving your hands free, it isn’t ladylike, but it works.

Feel free to get in touch with gall-gathering questions by replying to this email. I also won’t mind if you only subscribe for a month, to watch the film, I know times are hard. On that note, here’s a special offer for a year’s subscription as it’s my birthday next week. See you soon for a full regular post with new courses and updates in February. Happy Imbolc!

round, knopper, marble and artichoke galls in a horn bowl on my shelf

Here’s a few links to get you started if you go gall-mad.

British Plant Gall Society

Gall id in USA

Trees for Life gall id

British plant galls book - info

Oak apple - wiki

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