RP, Dragggon - Foraging advice

[Dandelion Girl]

I have a LOT of weeds, but haven't been able to identify them. I haven't been able yet to find anyone to identify them in person and I am not having good luck identifying them on the internet. I'm thinking of just trying different ones without really knowing what they are. Is there anything I should watch out for that I shouldn't eat? Do you have any advice? I'm thinking most if not all of them would be good for me and it would sure be a lot cheaper that way and more fun. Thanks!

Pam

[karenisraw]

My mother used to forage for lambsquarters and dandelions for salad. They were good. I

k
Here is a link to a book that is called Edible Wild Plants, A North American Field Guide.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0806974885/102-6742979-3756165?v=glance&n=283155

Here is a link to a nutrition guide for wild edible plants.

http://www.edibleplants.com/wepnut_frames.htm

Jusst google "wild edibles" if you want to find more resources.

My RVD recommends foraging. He discussed this in his last lecture. He said most wild edibles are very nutritious.

k :) :)

[PATH301]

hey kareisraw,
thats a great link - thankyou :D

http://www.edibleplants.com/wepnut_frames.htm

[Dragggon]

Great links ppl
and there are so many diffrent plants it is hard to know where to start first hing is to know what part of the planet yer on then go from there.
there are tons of good edibles out there
you just need to make sure that they havent been sprayed or anything like that
get a book on your local area there are tons out there or one of the basic books on edible plants and sit down and give it a good read .

there are lots of plants that look alike so make sure you know befor you eat too much.

let me know what ya find I am making a lil log book of what I find
Enjoy you time in nature

[Lunar*Fey]

This might sound dumb, but I was wondering...what part of the dandelion can you eat?
When I was little I used to pick clover leaves and eat them...are they ok to eat?

[Ginger]

OMG!! I just had to say Ilove your screenname Dandelion Girl!!! :D

[Dandelion Girl]

karenisraw, thanks for the great links. I will be spending some time checking them out. I have been picking dandelion greens too but I'm not sure which ones are lambs quarters yet. The previous pictures I had been looking at weren't good enough to identify them. I really like the link you posted with all the nutrition info.

Dragggon, thanks for your advice. I live in central Texas, a little northwest of Austin. I live on an acre and it is mostly weeds, except for my garden area, so I know I have lots of good stuff here. I know what you mean about so many of the plants looking alike. That is the problem I have been having. I look at the pictures and then I see different ones that look so similar it is hard to tell them apart. I'll let you know what I find in my foraging adventures.

Lunar Fey, that doesn't sound dumb at all. Most people think I am a little weird when I want to pick dandelion greens to eat. I know the greens part is really good for you and I think you can eat the flower too, but don't know for sure.

RawVeganMom, Thanks!!!

[Lunar*Fey]

Thanks Dandelion Girl! So the leaves of the dandelion? awesome...I'll go dandelion picking tomorrow :D and further convince my mom that she has given birth to one strange child *hehe*

[rawpriestess]

We have so many wild edibles growing in our yard, we hardly have any lawn anymore. LOL

[Zena]

This topic has inspired me to go dandelion hunting today! And at the library I got 'wild edibles of missouri' and a guide to mushrooms... :p Can't wait to make a green smoothie with the dandelion tomorrow.

[Dandelion Girl]

Lunar Fey, have fun with the dandelions. I can relate to being the strange one in the family. My daughter and I were always the strange ones in our family. I'm happy for you that you are comfortable in that role at such an early age. I was a lot older than you when I was comfortable being the strange one. One of my cousins told my daughter at a family reunion "You and your mother are not like anyone in our family". We took it as a compliment. hehe

RP, I have no lawn either. It is just filled with wild edibles. I live out in the country so my neighbors have the same. They just don't know their lawns are full of food. LOL

Zena, have fun getting your dandelions. Just be careful not to put too many in your smoothie at first. Taste it as you add some more because they can be a little strong if you are not used to it. I like them in mine, but if you have not been drinking green smoothies for a while, it might be a good idea to taste it before you add too many. You may have to gradually build up to more. It is a lot of fun to pick them for your smoothies. Let us know how your foraging goes. BTW, your birthday cake looked awesome!

Pam

[Raw_Medic]

Zena~
Thanks for reminding me I can go to the library! lol

[Zena]

Dandelion Girl, thank you! I put a nice amount in and they left just the sliiightest bitter aftertaste, which I actually love! And they were sooo easy to find! Next challenge: Morel mushrooms and stinging nettles... hmm...

Raw_Medis, glad I reminded you, hope you find some good books!

[MangoMan]

Zena, I went picking stinging nettles Tuesday! My class at Wilderness Awareness School (http://www.wildernessawareness.org) gathered nettles and made some tea, an infusion, and some soup. They don't really have much flavor, but they provide an incredible amount of nutrients! We talked about nourishing herbs vs stimulating/sedative herbs. The nourishing ones like Nettle can be eaten as often and as much as you wish. Of course, to disable the sting (formic acid .. which is also the stinging agent in Red Ants) you would want to dehydrate (or steam/cook) them before eating!

Right now is the best time to harvest them, since they are still somewhat small, and the stalks haven't gotten all woody.**

When picking them, either use gloves, or take them with two fingers on a stalk and bend the stalk over to 'snap' it, then you can pull that part off without uprooting the whole plant. (Or use scissors. Funny, never thought of that before.) If you are gathering from an area where there aren't many plants around, then you'll want to pinch/snip them two-branchings down from the top. That way you get some good herb, and the rest of the plant still has its solar collectors to continue growing.

** The entire plant is gathered in the fall, dried, and then the outer layer is stripped off and used for making cordage. Out here in W. WA, it makes the strongest natural cordage around!

That was probably too much info, but since we just had a class using Nettle, I had to share. :)

[PATH301]

hey MangoMan,
Is this the stinging needle that your talking about?

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/JPEG%27S/Plant%2520Web%2520Images/WoodNettle.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Nettle.html&h=317&w=370&sz=50&tbnid=Sdd4C7k9mNgJ:&tbnh=101&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstinging%2Bnettles%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3

[exurb]

lunar fey as far as I know all parts of the dandelion are edible, but usually it's the leaves and root that are sought. With the leaves, the best time to eat them is early spring, when they are very young and tender. With the roots (you can also make tinctures and stuff out of them, they are thought to be nutritional and "purifying") I am told that the best time to harvest them is the latest in fall because that is when they have directed the most of their nutrition back into the root.

[Lunar*Fey]

thank you exurb!
Sorry if this is a silly question, but what are tinctures?