Wild Edibles: 5 Tips for Beginner Foragers
New to foraging? Here are a few beginner tips to get you started on your hunt for wild edibles!
And next time you are taking a walk around the neighborhood, keep your eyes peeled for these thirteen plants: dandelion, mallow, purslane, plantain, thistle, amaranth, dock, mustard, grass, chickweed, clover, lambsquarter, and knotweed.
The following is an excerpt from The Wild Wisdom of Weeds by Katrina Blair. It has been adapted for the web,
5 Tips for Beginner Foragers
-
Ask for help. Seek the guidance of a local plant expert who can help you identify the subtle differences between various plant species.
-
Stay close to home. The wild plants that grow closest to where you live are the ones best adapted to support your ability to thrive in your current environment. Wild plants are extremely resilient and they help us embody those same qualities of excellence.
-
Be mindful. of where you harvest wild weeds. Use your observation skills to determine if an area may have been sprayed with herbicides or heavily fertilized with chemicals. If a plant is discolored or curls downward in an unnatural way it may best to harvest elsewhere.
-
Start off simple. Look for the common simple plants first that are easy to recognize like dandelions. Dice them up finely and add to your dinner salad along with something sweet like apple slices.
-
A little goes a long way. Wild plants are very potent so it is best to start by ingesting small amounts. Begin by nibbling a taste of a common wild edible plant and slowly introduce it to your body and taste buds.
Recommended Reads
Read The Book
The Wild Wisdom of Weeds
13 Essential Plants for Human Survival
$34.95
You may like...
-
$40.00 -
$29.95
Recent Articles
Oxeye daisies are one of the most important plants for pollinators including beetles, ants, and moths that use oxeye daisies as a source of pollen and nectar. Instead of thinking about removing a plant like oxeye daisy, consider how you can improve the fertility and diversity of habitat resources in your home landscape, garden, or…
Read More
One simple and healthy way to breathe life back into your diet is by sprouting your own seeds. You can make nutrient-rich sprouts from all kinds of edible seeds right in your own kitchen. Sprouts are incredibly versatile too! You can make chickpea sprout hummus, salads, or in this case: energy bars! The following is…
Read More
What’s so great about oyster mushrooms? First, you can add them to the list of foods that can be grown indoors! They are tasty, easy to grow, multiply fast, and they love a variety of substrates, making oyster mushrooms the premium choice. The following is an excerpt from Fresh Food from Small Spaces by R. J.…
Read More
Maple is a special addition to any recipe and cozy way to enjoy the marvelous sweetness of maple. Perfect with coffee or tea and delicious everyday snacking!
Read More
This long-lived perennial legume is used for forage and erosion control. Kudzu is edible with many medicinal uses and other applications. Pollinators of all kinds love its prodigious lavender blooms!
Read More