Free Food: Foraging for Herbs

by: wide eyed lib

Sun Jul 05, 2009 at 11:19:13 AM PDT

1. harvest plants on private property without permission; or

2. rake up virgin forest duff in order to get every last mushroom; or

3. imperil the general area through their gathering methods; or

4. severely endanger native populations of plants like wild ginseng.

From my perspective, anyone who commits such acts is not deserving of the name 'forager'; such a person is merely a thief or irresponsible profiteer. (Right: Mossy Path by wide eyed lib)

Foraging implies a responsible stewardship of the land. While it's sometimes necessary to kill plants, this isn't done lightly. Foragers keep in mind that their harvesting impacts far more than the target plant itself.

Covered: purslane, epazote & lemon balm

Updated: mullein, wild lettuce & mulberry

Free Food: Foraging, Longest Day of the Year Edition

by: wide eyed lib

Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 11:24:29 AM PDT

Those who have been following this series may notice some formating changes in this diary that I hope to include in all the diaries. The intro now features a list of the plants covered in each. I know this change has helped me a great deal when I need to reference a particular diary, and I hope it helps you as well. Eventually each diary will have a link to the previous diary and the next diary as well.

Covered: poor man's pepper, yarrow & Asiatic dayflower

Updated: burdock & field garlic

Previewed: black cherry & cornelian cherry

Free Food: Foraging, Is This June or April?

by: wide eyed lib

Mon Jun 22, 2009 at 11:16:20 AM PDT

The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel features the song June Is Bustin' Out All Over. Here's the beginning:

March went out like a lion, / a-whippin' up the water in the bay, / then April cried and stepped aside, / and along came pretty little May.

May was full of promises, / but she didn't keep 'em quick enough for some. / And a crowd of doubtin' Thomases / was predictin' that the summer'd never come.

This year June is the one crying and stepping aside. I was hot and uncomfortable under my raincoat as I foraged, but the plants sure didn't mind the rain. They were bustin' out all over. Join me as I discuss a few of the tastier ones.

Covered: elder bush, lady's thumb, pineapple weed & sweet cherry

Updated: jewelweed, daylily & poison ivy

Free Food: Foraging, Now with Insect Porn!

by: wide eyed lib

Mon Jun 15, 2009 at 12:50:49 PM PDT

When I posted the first diary in this series on DailyKos, prodigalkat recommended The Forager's Harvest by Samuel Thayer. I regret not following up on that tip earlier. (Left: Ladybugs Mating on Milkweed by wide eyed lib)

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This book covers a relatively small number of plants (32) but does so in loving detail, featuring color photos and practical advice derived from years of foraging. The plants covered are for the most part widely available in the Eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. (Amazon has the table of contents, so take a look before buying.)

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It's unusual to find a foraging guide with plentiful color photos and a reasonable price tag, but The Forager's Harvest delivers. Highly recommended.

Covered: greenbrier, catmint & goutweed

Updated: sheep sorrel & common mallow

Previewed: blueberry

Free Food: Foraging, Easing into Summer

by: wide eyed lib

Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 15:37:11 PM PDT

Tig was friendly with my cat Feral, but then he started following Feral inside our house and making a beeline for Feral's food. I asked the neighbor, who told me about her baby. I was horrified, and from then on he was my cat and I took him with me when we moved. (Right: Tig by wide eyed lib)

Seven years ago, Tig was diagnosed with feline diabetes. He'd been well-regulated on insulin, but yesterday at the vet's his blood sugar was 30 instead of 80. Blood sugar that low puts him at risk of entering a diabetic coma. The vet said to stop the injections, leave food out all day and keep a close eye on him.

Tig seems fine and is napping comfortably. We will return to the vet on Tuesday and re-evaluate insulin intake. It's possible that he might no longer need any, which is a good thing. For now we watch and wait.

Meanwhile, all around us edible plants grow, seemingly oblivious. But perhaps they simply know that the problems of people and cats don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. There's a lot we can learn from and about such calm and stable lifeforms, so let's get growing!

Covered: wild ginger, KY coffeetree & nettles

Updated: spicebush, ostrich fern & wood sorrel

Free Food: Foraging, We'll Always Remember

by: wide eyed lib

Mon Jun 01, 2009 at 09:56:23 AM PDT

sassafras
catmint
burdock stems
clover flowers
lamb's quarters
stinging nettles
curly dock
Kentucky coffee beans
chickweed
garlic mustard
mugwort

It was like coming home with a CSA box. Only free.

In other news, the baby robins have hatched! They're well camouflaged, but 4 of them are huddled above (photo by wide eyed lib). Their exposed nest was worrisome, so seeing them alive and well was a relief.

In honor of Memorial Day last week, this diary is dedicated to my paternal grandfather who was stationed in Hawaii with the Navy during WWII. I was young when he died, but I'll never forget the Naval uniforms, the notes of Taps or the tidily folded flag handed to my Dad.

Covered: burdock, sassafras & lamb's quarters

Previewed: highbush cranberry, juneberry & mayapple

Free Food: Foraging, Hudson River Edition

by: wide eyed lib

Mon May 25, 2009 at 08:33:21 AM PDT

It can feel like shopping at your favorite grocery store; the one where you know that those yummy, cheesy crackers are on the right hand side of aisle 6, 2nd shelf.

But it's also nice to depart the familiar and explore new places. It might not be as productive in terms of the variety and quantity of food that you bring home, but it's infinitely satisfying to discover old friends in new places. (Left: George Washington Bridge by wide eyed lib)

Today I foraged along the Hudson River in a meadowed and thicketed area quite different from the wooded area I normally frequent. I was a little concerned that I might not find enough new plants for today's diary, but my fears were soon laid to rest.

Walk with me beside the mighty Hudson for a new crop of delicious edibles.

Covered: black locust & mulberries

Updated: dandelion, clover & plantain

Previewed: wineberries & hawthorn

Free Food: Foraging, A Belated Hurray for Moms!

by: wide eyed lib

Mon May 18, 2009 at 13:08:05 PM PDT

My Mother-in-law is currently at a rehab center recovering from a bad fall. She'll be fine but it was still scary. We brought her a New Zealand impatiens bursting with hot pink flowers for Mother's Day. When she's out, hopefully she'll be able to plant it in her garden. (Right: Robin's Nest by wide eyed lib)

I also came across a mother-to-be today. I first noticed this nest a couple of weeks ago. It had been hidden in a small tree amidst a thicket, but the park groundspeople cut back the thicket leaving the nest exposed. I assumed that the nest had been abandoned, but when I peeked in today, there were 4 bright blue eggs in it, so Mommy and Daddy robin were probably somewhere in the vicinity. I took a couple of photos and then tiptoed away. If all goes well, in about 5 weeks, there should be a clutch of little robins. By that time, the thicket will hopefully have grown back a bit. At least I hope so for their sakes!

Covered: wisteria, watercress & mullein

Updated: winter cress

Free Food: Foraging, Now With More Greens!

by: wide eyed lib

Thu May 14, 2009 at 11:40:20 AM PDT

Alas, Saturday's forecast was for rain, followed by intermittent rain with a light chaser of rain. Today was supposed to be even wetter. So yesterday I dutifully packed an umbrella and a light raincoat. Not only did it not rain a single drop, but the only clouds that dotted the blue sky were the puffy cumulus kind. The 70 degree weather made me feel silly walking around with a raincoat tied around my waist all day. (Left: Waterfall in Central Park by wide eyed lib)

At least I found some delicious greens to munch on.

Covered: curly dock, mallow, ground ivy & fiddleheads

Sampler Platter 05.12.09

by: Jill Richardson

Tue May 12, 2009 at 04:47:54 AM PDT

• A Charlottesville, VA paper writes about the virtues of their new grocery store, built with eco-friendly materials and practices. So, to honor the eco-friendliness of it, the author provides a list of items not to buy in the store. As noted, that eliminates most of the products. Which means they could have made the building MUCH smaller and thus MORE eco-friendly.

• Scientists found a new way of making herbicide resistant plants. It's still GMO, but the gene changes are less significant than current methods used to make herbicide resistant GMOs. My thoughts? They are sooo missing the point. It's nice that they found a new way to do it, but haven't they heard about the herbicide-resistant weeds that have been popping up lately? The GMO techno-fixes are short term, at best.

• Here's the latest from the evil Center for Corporate Front Groups Consumer Freedom: They accuse Dr. David Kessler of "conspiracy theories" because he exposed how the food industry intentionally leads consumers to overeat. Dr. Kessler, if CCF is pissed off at you, then you know you're on the right track.

• From Alternet: Agriculture is One of the Most Polluting and Dangerous Industries

• Fast food is why you're rich. No, not because you eat McDonalds. Because you literally eat fast. An analysis of a number of different countries found that the faster you eat, the fatter you are - and the richer you are. Is it worth it? I'd still rather be French.

• A new study says that virtually all of our weight gain is explained by our diets and exercise plays less of a role. Interesting.

• Check out Neighborhood Fruit, a site that shows maps of major cities and the locations of fruit trees. In other words, FREE FRUIT! Currently available are Seattle, San Francisco, and LA. Oh please, somebody, put San Diego on that website so I can start cashing in!

• New York State might get a Prop 2! If passed, the bill A08163 would essentially do the same thing as California's Prop 2, banning the cruelest practices for veal calves, breeding sows, and egg laying hens.

Free Food: Foraging, Mottled and Spotted Edition

by: wide eyed lib

Mon May 04, 2009 at 10:05:18 AM PDT

--Gerard Manley Hopkins

I'm not really a religious person, but the religious philosophy that most appeals to me is pantheism. "Thou are God," as Michael Smith said. Join me as I present some edible pied beauties. (Right: Gnarled Tree by wide eyed lib)
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Covered: trout lily, knotweed & waterleaf

Updated: garlic mustard & jewelweed
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Free Food: Foraging, Good Things Come in Threes Edition

by: wide eyed lib

Mon Apr 27, 2009 at 08:45:25 AM PDT

So I took the plunge. I emailed a question from the website link and had a lovely chat with Linda about, among other things, stinging nettle. Even before I began foraging, I looked closely at interesting plants, and I would often roll a leaf between my fingers and sniff. I learn better when all my senses are engaged, and many plants have tell-tale scents. (Before doing this, make sure you can identify plants like poison ivy.)

Rather than chiding me for getting stung by nettle, Linda heartily approved.

Covered: wood sorrel, clover & ramps

Updated: wintercress

Saturday Sampler Platter

by: JayinPhiladelphia

Sat Apr 25, 2009 at 16:30:00 PM PDT

• From The Ethicurean, a great piece on community-food partnerships in downtowns throughout Ohio.

• A North Carolina-based group, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, is gathering a list and seeking to save from extinction heritage chicken breeds, 19 of which are already listed as "critically threatened" (fewer than 500 left in the world).  This quote really makes you think -

  Since the arrival of industrialized agriculture, more than 95 percent of vegetables that had been grown in the world have disappeared, according to the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture.

• I gotta go on one of these!  Local Portland foraging expert John Kallas is doing especially well with his wild food tours these days...

• Whither the days of syrup-drenched styrofoam-containered pre-sliced peaches in hospitals?  More and more U.S. hospitals are taking the common sense measure of serving patients more fresh, healthy whole foods.

• At Civil Eats, Nina Fallenbaum writes about her experiences participating in a recent sustainable agriculture-experience program in Japan; and Jerusha Klemperer reviews the new book "Righteous Porkchop".

• From The Nation, a piece on increasing racial diversity in the environmental movement reminds us of this important point -

  For decades ordinary citizens of color have become environmental activists when they organized to resist the siting of toxic waste dumps in their neighborhoods, to force regulation of polluting industries in fence-line communities, and to bring attention to the negative health impact of particulate emissions near their homes. But these largely decentralized, locally led movements were rarely understood as central to the conservation and climate change environmentalism that dominated federal policy and the national imagination. So despite their efforts, the contributions of black, brown, and poor communities have often been ignored in the story of a greening America.

Free Food: Foraging, Windy Day Edition

by: wide eyed lib

Wed Apr 22, 2009 at 10:02:34 AM PDT

Another week has gone by without my being able to find common or yellow wood sorrel. It should certainly be up by now in my local park, but maybe it heard I was coming. There another park nearby where I've found it in the past and hopefully I'll be able to get there sometime this week to collect and photograph it for next week. In the meantime, I have some other wonderful edibles to discuss. (Left: Natural Rock Well by Peter Coughlin)

Before you actually do any foraging, please review the first diary in the FFF series (if you haven't done so already), then lean forward in your best impression of a mime walking into the wind as we cross the barrier.

Covered: sheep sorrel, blue violet, mugwort & plantain

Getting ready for Morel season w/Poll

by: Laurdet

Sat Apr 18, 2009 at 12:08:12 PM PDT

I haven't found any mushrooms in any great quantity in about 4 years. I found enough for one wondrous meal that year, and pretty much nothing since. This year, I've been planning on heading to the high bluff area in MN along the Mississippi River. There are state parks in the area that are noted for producing morels in quantities that justify weighing by the pound.

This year, I just don't know if I'm going to get out in the woods, because my dog, Trudi, was just diagnosed with terminal cancer. She's in remission right now, but by the time the lilacs bloom (mushroom hunting time) I just don't know if she'll be up for a camping trip and a romp in the woods.

Every year, something seems to foil my journey to the woods for some serious hunting. I remember years as a child, bringing in grocery bags FULL of wonderful mushrooms. We'd cut them in half, and soak them in icy salt water for about a half hour to make sure that all the buggies were out.
They then went through an egg wash and were dredged in peppered flour. After slow-frying in an iron skillet, they made the best meal ever.

All hail the mighty morel mushroom!