Many foragers are also gardeners, and as one such forager/gardener, I only grow plants I can also eat. Most passers-by wouldn’t recognize my garden as edible, and that adds to the fun: I have a secret only other foragers would understand. I love seeking out ornamental edible plants that feed both body and soul. It’s also a practical decision since…
Read More
If I were a farmer I might curse this invasive plant. But as a forager, I look forward to its generous annual fall crop of fruit. Autumn olive was brought to the U.S from Japan in the 19th century, and it did so well here that in the mid-1900s the U.S. Soil Conservation Service recommended it as a windbreak and…
Read More
Drying is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to preserve your herbs, fruits, and mushrooms. Dried harvests are easy to store (no freezer space required!) and don’t heat up your kitchen in the middle of summer, like canning does. So if this has been a banner year for wild garlic or blueberries or porcini, why not fill your…
Read More
There are multiple species of wild asparagus that grow worldwide, but in the United States, you’ll forage for Asparagus officinalis, the exact same asparagus you pay big bucks for at the grocery store. Technically it’s a feral species. Animals eat and spread asparagus seed, helping the plant escape cultivation. Whether cultivated or feral, asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables.
Winter isn’t the most productive time to forage where I live. On a February visit to NH, I was able to score some fresh wintergreen, which I brought home and turned into an extract. I love the flavor of wintergreen (think teaberry gum) but it isn’t always easy to use in food and drink. I thought ice cream would be…
Read More
A podcast about plants with Ellen Zachos and C.L. Fornari