Foraging wild food

[Veritablehatter]

Buddy of mine gave me a few books on this a bit back and we've been hiking around looking at what stuff is edible in our area.

One was the old standby "chasing the wild asparagus", which is more stories and some ideas on stuff that grows out this way

and the other was a more scientific guide with solid photos and illustrations.

Still, anyone else poke around when out and hiking around? It's been seriously eye opening how much stuff is actually edible and decently tasty.

 

[Corbie]

I have had training off and on over the years as to what you can and cannot eat in various parts of the country, it is good information to know. how to conduct an edibility test is essential in survival situations.

 

[Jeff Graham]

When I was a boy scout, one of my leaders was really in to this. What I picked up was Limited to mushrooms, identifying the good from the (it will kill you) Bad. Probably a skill that should reconsider.

 

[Corbie]

Most instructors that I have had said. Unless you are buying them in a grocery store stay away from all mushrooms. That being said I know there are edible wild mushrooms, and I know my knowledge of them is extremely limited, so I will not be eating mushrooms in the wild unless I packed them in with me.


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[Jeff Graham]

I was told the same thing in SERE school, back in my military days.

 

[britz]

We practice almost daily, both on the trail and on the property, both edible and medicinal. This morning was harvesting alpine strawberries and needle tea for breakfast.

 

[Jeff Graham]

This is a great skill to have. It sounds like you have incorporated it into your lifestyle. I have to be honest: as much as I wish I was a better gatherer, I'm a much better hunter.

 

[Craig M]

Just basic stuff for me, but I would like to expand my knowledge in that area. Wild onions, pine needle tea, dandelions, honeysuckle, pecans.. No mushrooms as I am ascared like a layperson should be. :p

My step mother (up in WA) really knows her stuff, and often picked and served wild mushrooms, among other foraging. I wish I was more interested in that stuff growing up, I had an awesome resource available to me that I never tapped in to.

 

[Jeff Graham]

My scout master, that was a big influence in my life, was Native America. His father had taught him, he tried to pass these skills on to us. I wish I would have been more interested. I learned a lot, but unused skills get rusty. This was also in Washington state.

 

[Veritablehatter]

I take walks with one of the biotechs at the park I work at who has a pretty solid knowledge of some of our local species. It's a real help to get started with folks who do this stuff regularly.

Ran across wild strawberries, mulberry, elderberry, burdock, cattail, and american groundnut just yesterday.

How's pine tea work? Is there a specific pine you're looking for?

 

[Craig M]

My step mother isnt

I take walks with one of the biotechs at the park I work at who has a pretty solid knowledge of some of our local species. It's a real help to get started with folks who do this stuff regularly.

Ran across wild strawberries, mulberry, elderberry, burdock, cattail, and american groundnut just yesterday.

How's pine tea work? Is there a specific pine you're looking for?

Much like normal tea, really, and most actual pine needles work well. They have a lot of vitamin c. Basically, bring water to a boil, take a handful of needles and drop them in and reduce the heat to just keep it at a simmer. I usually make it in camp over a fire in a metal cup. Let it simmer (not boiling) for about 20 min. Strain out the needles and add sugar if you prefer.

I've found younger needles taste better, though I've read you get more vitamin c from the more mature needles.

There's a lot of good info out there if you Google, and you'll be able to get recommendations for species to try in your area.

 

[britz]

I take walks with one of the biotechs at the park I work at who has a pretty solid knowledge of some of our local species. It's a real help to get started with folks who do this stuff regularly.

Ran across wild strawberries, mulberry, elderberry, burdock, cattail, and american groundnut just yesterday.

How's pine tea work? Is there a specific pine you're looking for?

Most needles will work (spruce, pine, fir....) They are best when the new growth appears and the needles are bright and tender, which is right now in my part of ID. Just chop up and steep like regular tea. Adding some of those strawberries is a nice touch as well. You can make a forest honey from needles as well, but it's as much work as rendering maple syrup.

 

[britz]

Last night I sauteed some white clover leaves, much like spinach, and used the blossoms for a sweet tea this morning with before mentioned strawberries. Clover leaves do taste best prior to flowering, however. I've stopped growing spinach since clovers, miner's lettuce, lambsquarters, etc., all have a similar taste. I limit the consumption to few times a week due to oxalic acid, which can cause stomach upset in larger amounts.