# Foraging For Edible Weeds



## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

http://www.thedailysheeple.com/foraging-for-edible-weeds_122013

When food is scarce, chaos and fear begin to set in. Instead of panicking, step outside and go for a walk and more than likely, food will be right under your nose. In a previous article, "What To Do When There Is No Food," it was discussed that Mother Nature provides food - a person just needs to be resourceful enough to find it. Food such as tree bark, and insects are definitely on the lower priority for food sources, but when nothing else is available, it may look tempting. Not listed in the article were edible flowers and weeds that are in nearly every backyard. Normally, these food sources are seen as more of a nuisance than a survival food, but in times of need, they can provide much nourishment (and may taste better than eating insects) .

Naturalist Steve Brill sheds some great insight on foraging for food. He emphasizes how much food there really is, we just need to go out and find it. Here are a few examples of the most common types of wild food available to many of us.

*The 5 common edible plants*

*Dandelion* - The flower, leaves and root of this plant are edible. This plant has an abundant source of Calcium to aid in bone health and also has properties that help disinfecting lungs. Vitamin A is also present in this plant which acts as a natural antibiotic. The leaves, especially are packed full of every vitamin imaginable. This plant is extremely versatile. The plant can also be made into a tea to alleviate skin irritations such as athlete's foot, scratches and some acne . Collect the root in the late fall to early spring and makes a great addition to soups or by it self. Dandelion flowers can be eaten raw, sauteed, steamed, fried or used to make wine. Collect dandelion leaves in the spring when they are most tender and saute them or use in salads or teas.

To Make Dandelion Tea:

Tear six dandelion leaves into a hot cup of water and let it steep 5-10 minutes.

*Any unwanted tea can be used as a natural face wash.

*Chicory* - This plant is rich in vitamin A, B, K, E and C, calcium, copper and zinc and phosphorus. Collecting young plants in March and in November is the best time to harvest. The flowers are stems can be used in salads. The root can be eaten (after being boiled) or used as a coffee substitute, if necessary.

*To Make Chicory Coffee:*

Scrub the Chicory root, chop it up and toast them at 350 degrees for one hour until dark brown, brittle and fragrant. Grind the root up and mix 1 tsp. of ground roots in one cup of hot water. The chicory coffee tastes like bitter coffee.

*Cattails* - Cattails shoots provide essential vitamins such as beta carotene, niacin, thiamine, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C. Many survival sites view the cattail as one of the most important edible plants to know about. The shoot of a cattail tastes like a combination between a cucumber and a zucchini. It is advised to harvest plants after a bout of dry weather, so they are easily accessible. The entire plant (flowers, shoots and pollen) can be harvested, so cut the plant at the base. The best time to harvest and eat these plants is just before spring when plants are young and just beginning to flower. The older they get, the more fibrous they become. The pollen from cattails provides great energy, nutrition and can also be used as a flour for breads, or breakfast breads such as pancakes and muffins. Although the pollen does not rise, so it should be mixed with three times as much whole grain flower. Or sprinkle it on salads, oatmeal or yogurt.

*Amaranth* - Amaranth once ignored and thought as a pestering plant, is now getting the notice it deserves. Ancient Aztec civilizations thought this plant had superpowers. This plant is high in fiber, amino acid, essential nutrients, and proteins and comes in a close second (quinoa comes in first) with the lysine content. Whole bread can be made from ground amaranth seed. Substitute 25% of your wheat flour with Amaranth flour. According to sources, just 150 grams of the grain is all that is required to supply an adult with 100% of the daily requirement of protein. This plant can be used as a spinach substitute eaten raw or cooked. The leaves are best collected in the spring. Amaranth seeds can also be fermented into beer.

*Milkweed* - This versatile and useful plant has many uses. Not only does it attract butterflies to feed on it and assist you in the garden. But you can also collect the milk, eat the silken fibers from inside the immature pods and use the milkweed fluff as a stuffing for coats or blankets. Milkweed stalks have a fibrous material that can be used as twine for sewing. In more ancient civilizations, Milkweed was eaten as a vegetable. It's shoots resemble eating asparagus. Flower buds can be collected in the spring time for a broccoli alternative. Flowers can also be boiled and mashed to create a unique sauce. Additionally, the flower pods can be pickled for winter months. Milkweed provides a multitude of edible parts from late spring until late summer.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I don't think I would be able to maintain my body weight, even if all of those things were plentiful and I had to do very little effort to find and gather them.

I can say this: very little of *any* of that grows around here. I'll need more examples


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## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

LincTex said:


> I don't think I would be able to maintain my body weight, even if all of those things were plentiful and I had to do very little effort to find and gather them.


We had a family who was once part of our BOL group. We often discussed the problems with getting there if any of us had to walk. The husband once said they didn't plan on bringing much food on the trip, because they could "eat their way here" (forage). :nuts:


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

I try to practice foraging as much as practically possible. It is a good skill to have. It sure makes me feel good to be able to put a meal together that came soley from out in the woods. That does includes meat. 

I am not sure I would be able to avoid starvation on foraging alone, but at least I have an edge on most other people. I'm sure it can be done, but I am not up to that level. I'm still planning to rely on food stores, gardening, raising livestock, and small scale gardening. Foraging will hopefully just be a supplement. 

Good tips UncleJoe, I am fortunate to have all of the plants mentioned 'in the back 40'. Plus many more  I thik I will have to try making milkweed sauce next year


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

LincTex said:


> I don't think I would be able to maintain my body weight, even if all of those things were plentiful and I had to do very little effort to find and gather them.


I'm with you on this!!! Foraging, although a great skill to have, will not sustain you. It will maintain life but that is about it. It is great as a supplement to stores, adding minerals, vitamins and some starch but not much for protein. Try eating romaine lettuce for a week and see where it gets you, you need a LOT of it to get anywhere near feeling full. I am not discounting foraging, not in the least. Folks just need to realize that... what was his name... the tastes like wild hickory nuts guy back in the 70's... is not going to keep you going for years. Days and weeks yes, or as a supplement yes, but not as a true life sustaining diet.


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## DangerDOTcom (Dec 10, 2013)

Dude this is awesome!


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## DangerDOTcom (Dec 10, 2013)

Where do these different plants grow?

USA?


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

This year I went out (after studying 2 years) touched, smelled and identified just over 600 species of wild plants growing on and around my farm (I know hundreds of plants already). Only 200 could be classified as useful, some edible, most medicinal. This was only because I knew where to look. On average in eastern woodland only 10% of the plants are edible or medicinal. I can't speak to other areas.

There is a reason man became a farmer after being a hunter/gatherer. Depending on your location and most importantly, the time of year, you will be able to get a few meals on 5 or 10 acres or starve because there is nothing&#8230; 2000 calories a day, day after day, is a hard find in the wild. It takes thousands of acres to feed just a few folks.

I'd urge folks to study the medicine&#8230; It can be had almost anytime of year and is everywhere if you know where to look!

Start here for wild edible plants... http://www.eattheweeds.com/


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Woody said:


> I'm with you on this!!! Foraging, although a great skill to have, will not sustain you. It will maintain life but that is about it. It is great as a supplement to stores, adding minerals, vitamins and some starch but not much for protein. Try eating romaine lettuce for a week and see where it gets you, you need a LOT of it to get anywhere near feeling full. I am not discounting foraging, not in the least. Folks just need to realize that... what was his name... the tastes like wild hickory nuts guy back in the 70's... is not going to keep you going for years. Days and weeks yes, or as a supplement yes, but not as a true life sustaining diet.


I must say ... That was a surprise post...


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

DangerDOTcom said:


> Where do these different plants grow?
> 
> USA?


Yes these plants grow in the USA. Go to the library and get some books on wild edible plants, like Petersons guide to edible wild plants. There are different guides for different areas of the country. Also books by E. Gibbons, Stalking the wild asparagus. Make sure that you get several books and take them out in the field so that you can cross reference your finds, there are many look a likes among the plant kingdom, for example Milk weed is edible and very good, Butter Fly weed looks very similar but is poisonous. Hemlock looks very much like Queen Ann's Lace (wild carrots), which is edible but one mouth full of Hemlock will kill you. My point is that you need to be ABSOLUTLY, POSITIVLY SURE OF THE PLANT THAT YOU ARE EATING. If there is any question don't eat it, don't even put it in your mouth. That being said there are thousands of plants all across the world that can be used for food, drink, medicine, clothing, building materials and tools just be sure you educate yourself first


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

camo2460 said:


> . My point is that you need to be ABSOLUTLY, POSITIVLY SURE OF THE PLANT THAT YOU ARE EATING. If there is any question don't eat it, don't even put it in your mouth. That being said there are thousands of plants all across the world that can be used for food, drink, medicine, clothing, building materials and tools just be sure you educate yourself first


Exactly, a book with a few pictures isn't going to save you. It takes hundreds of hours in the brush to know what will. Do the work and you will reap the benefits.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

It is much easier to find stuff to eat in the desert. most places you have a choice of rocks or dirt.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

*Andi said:


> I must say ... That was a surprise post...


Yes, it was truthful - - and that can be a surprise.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

camo2460 said:


> My point is that you need to be ABSOLUTLY, POSITIVLY SURE OF THE PLANT THAT YOU ARE EATING. If there is any question don't eat it, don't even put it in your mouth. That being said there are thousands of plants all across the world that can be used for food, drink, medicine, clothing, building materials and tools just be sure you educate yourself first


This is so very true. And I really need work in this area.

Last summer I started a nature journal, and was trying to get to really know just a few plants at a time, to ID them in different habitats (if applicable) and watch them over the course of several months and how they changed. But my project fizzled out - always more important things to do. 

I need to get back to that again. Glad for the reminder to do so.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

camo2460 said:


> there are many look a likes among the plant kingdom, for example Milk weed is edible and very good, Butter Fly weed looks very similar but is poisonous. Hemlock looks very much like Queen Ann's Lace (wild carrots), which is edible but one mouth full of Hemlock will kill you. My point is that you need to be ABSOLUTLY, POSITIVLY SURE OF THE PLANT THAT YOU ARE EATING.


This is why I don't forage. The risk vs reward of foraging is just not worth it IMHO. My sister's kids nearly died after eating castor beans their sperm donor thought was something edible. Foraging is definitely an instance of when a little knowledge can be extremely dangerous.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

LincTex said:


> Yes, it was truthful - - and that can be a surprise.


It was a surprise because Woody and his herb knowledge ... As to being truthful, well maybe for some but not for others. 

Uncle Joe listed just 5 to look for but there are may others. The number of nuts, berries and other goodies are many. But it is a skill many don't care to learn or are scared of. (And that is alright, to each their own.)


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Why, thank you Andi. I would blush but the few month old scrub on my face wouldn't show it.

I only pointed out ,as others have that to gather enough calories to fully sustain you, from foraging plants and nuts only, will not be enough. Sure, different time of the year yes but not for the rest of the year. Yes, you can eat springtime greens. Yes you get berries throughout the summer into fall. (ever check out your poop after a week of eating blueberries? :-})) Yes there are nuts to gather in the fall. Yes, there are greens available through the winter, at least down here. But you will need protein also, that would come from meat.

Think of how many pecans you would need to gather and store, not to mention the calories exerted to shell them all. You best have a good orchard, not just one tree around. I have not mowed my yard in years, it is my garden. Still, on my acre and a half I would not be able to forage enough wild edibles to survive. What happens when you devour and wipe out a patch of something, it will take years for it to grow back. You can only take so much from any given patch of edibles before doing irreparable harm. The sustainable rule is to only take a small portion of a patch of something then move on, giving it a chance to regenerate for the next person to come along.

I'm not saying it is not a valuable skill!!! But, being realistic it will only keep you going until you reach your final destination, not sustain you forever.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Woody said:


> What happens when you devour and wipe out a patch of something, it will take years for it to grow back. You can only take so much from any given patch of edibles before doing irreparable harm.


This has been my foraging experience. Other than dandelions, You might find 1%-2% edible stuff amongst 98% weeds.

Removing the good stuff barely feeds you for that day, and destroys that plants ability to progress in the area for years.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

To me, two important steps in *sustainably* harvesting wild edibles:
1) knowing the various harvest times for plants in your area
2) preserving that harvest

I don't follow how discussing foraging wild edibles leads to discussing impossibilities as if people would be wandering around grazing in the field like cattle for each meal. SHTF or not, there are modern and more traditional ways to preserve seasonal harvests and carry over some of it to the next seasons, whether they grow in tilled fields or past a briar patch down by the creek.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Woody said:


> But, being realistic it will only keep you going until you reach your final destination, not sustain you forever.


Yes, no and maybe ... (I will agree also that you need to add fishing/hunting)

If you want to be realistic ...  all we need to do is look to the past. (history) Not only did it sustain them but they did thrive and move on to become "farmers". We are here today because of people that did hunt and gather. (Crap... I guess I need to add ... IMO!!! )

Now I will agree that you can't forge 1 (or 2 ) acres for long but how about 1 or 2 hundred acres? (Like I have here?)

Yes, times have changed but not all the folks with it. (and my path did break my moms heart ) But I can't change the path I have made for myself. (not that I want to)... While others may say different, I say Mother Nature gives you all you need... even the weeds you cuss, spray and walk on. (The food under foot.)

(and )The calories exerted to shell the nuts ... as to what ??? If you are low on food, you are low and food... no matter what. Would a person look at some walnuts and say well that is to much trouble or would take to many calories to crack them?

Some how I think not ... but that is just me.

I guess we must agree to disagree but Mother Nature has always added to out table... even if it was a weed under foot...


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

*Andi said:


> We are here today because of people that did hunt and gather.
> 
> Now I will agree that you can't forage 1 (or 2 ) acres for long but how about 1 or 2 hundred acres? (Like I have here?)


You enjoy that luxury now, but if as few as 25 people left the city looking for food (and could forage) ended up on your place it would hamper your efforts.

Granted, they would most likely not know what to look for at first.... but assuming for the moment that a large qty of people did NOT die after a major economic disaster and could forage, they could eventually wander into your backyard looking for food.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

> assuming for the moment that a large qty of people did NOT die after a major economic disaster and could forage, they could eventually wander into your backyard looking for food.


All plants need fertilizer.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

tsrwivey said:


> This is why I don't forage. The risk vs reward of foraging is just not worth it IMHO. My sister's kids nearly died after eating castor beans their sperm donor thought was something edible. Foraging is definitely an instance of when a little knowledge can be extremely dangerous.


I agree 100% if your not willing to put in the work gaining the knowledge of plants as food then don't mess with it. Just because you can change the oil in your car doesn't make you a mechanic. The trouble is some people like your BIL think that just because they can identify a few common plants, it makes them a herbalist. For me I have been a hunter/gatherer for close to 50 years now, but that's just me, I like to Identify plants, animals, tracks etc. etc. etc. that I come across in the woods, fields and along streams. To me it's not a chore, it's fun.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

LincTex said:


> You enjoy that luxury now, but if as few as 25 people left the city looking for food (and could forage) ended up on your place it would hamper your efforts.
> 
> Granted, they would most likely not know what to look for at first.... but assuming for the moment that a large qty of people did NOT die after a major economic disaster and could forage, they could eventually wander into your backyard looking for food.


I guess the hogs would have extra feed for a few days anyway...


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## black_dog (Feb 24, 2013)

Woody said:


> I'm with you on this!!! Foraging, although a great skill to have, will not sustain you. It will maintain life but that is about it. It is great as a supplement to stores, adding minerals, vitamins and some starch but not much for protein. Try eating romaine lettuce for a week and see where it gets you, you need a LOT of it to get anywhere near feeling full. I am not discounting foraging, not in the least. Folks just need to realize that... what was his name... the tastes like wild hickory nuts guy back in the 70's... is not going to keep you going for years. Days and weeks yes, or as a supplement yes, but not as a true life sustaining diet.


 Huel Gibbins


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

If you look at the population density of "Native Indians/Americans" before Europeans arrived or as they moved deeper into the Natives lands you can get an idea of what the environment could support.

Around here it would take quite a few square miles per individual to keep a person fed long term, that is if they knew what was edible.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

*Andi said:


> Yes, no and maybe ... (I will agree also that you need to add fishing/hunting)
> 
> If you want to be realistic ...  all we need to do is look to the past. (history) Not only did it sustain them but they did thrive and move on to become "farmers". We are here today because of people that did hunt and gather. (Crap... I guess I need to add ... IMO!!! )
> 
> ...


Andi I think you know your stuff, there is so much food out there. Some of us know, some of us don't. People will be tripping over sources of nutrition and think they are in a food desert.
You are so right in your walnut analogy, people forget that food should be a big part of what we do. Food has become cheap so people think it should be effortless... they have a steep learning curve to climb.



LincTex said:


> You enjoy that luxury now, but if as few as 25 people left the city looking for food (and could forage) ended up on your place it would hamper your efforts.
> 
> Granted, they would most likely not know what to look for at first.... but assuming for the moment that a large qty of people did NOT die after a major economic disaster and could forage, they could eventually wander into your backyard looking for food.


They might not know what to look for at first.... who's gonna teach them what to eat second? I get the feeling they would wander into a field of plenty and starve.

I live in one of the most food deficient countries in the world historically. We've changed the landscape, food is every where. I don't think anyone expects you to fill a bowl with greens and call it a balanced diet but a bowl of greens today and a lump of meat tomorrow is getting close.

The 99% of people who have no idea what food even looks like in it's natural habitat will starve.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

camo2460 said:


> Yes these plants grow in the USA. Go to the library and get some books on wild edible plants, like Petersons guide to edible wild plants. There are different guides for different areas of the country. Also books by E. Gibbons, Stalking the wild asparagus. Make sure that you get several books and take them out in the field so that you can cross reference your finds, there are many look a likes among the plant kingdom, for example Milk weed is edible and very good, Butter Fly weed looks very similar but is poisonous. Hemlock looks very much like Queen Ann's Lace (wild carrots), which is edible but one mouth full of Hemlock will kill you. My point is that you need to be ABSOLUTLY, POSITIVLY SURE OF THE PLANT THAT YOU ARE EATING. If there is any question don't eat it, don't even put it in your mouth. That being said there are thousands of plants all across the world that can be used for food, drink, medicine, clothing, building materials and tools just be sure you educate yourself first


I absolutely agree. Educate yourself. BUT I'd like to use your reference as an example if I may. As an educated plants-woman I would NEVER mistake a Hemlock for Queen Annes' Lace. To me they are really nothing alike. For example one (hemlock) reflects light (is shiny) and the other (Queen Annes' lace) absorbs light (is dull), just one instant reference among dozens. I know what is edible in my environment. This is not just about learning about each plant but also learning how to SEE what is around you. You can study all you want but until you learn to really LOOK at what's in front of you you won't have the skills to use what's within reach.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

tsrwivey said:


> This is why I don't forage. The risk vs reward of foraging is just not worth it IMHO. My sister's kids nearly died after eating castor beans their sperm donor thought was something edible. Foraging is definitely an instance of when a little knowledge can be extremely dangerous.


The only thing more dangerous then a little knowledge is none, no knowledge at all.Castor beans are sold in many seed catalog as a poison to kill moles, how could a father not know this!!
If anyone gets lost in the wild, they will eat something when the hunger pains set in. Most people know about the bad plants, but can not remember is it 5 leaves or 3.
IMHI is you own more then 50 acres, planting wild fruiting plant on your land is the way to go. Do not wait for nature to do it, be ready.
Jerusalem Artichoke, asparagus, some onions can live on their on in the wild.
Native fruit tree, blue berries,crabapples( as someone posted on another thread) will grow wild for 20 or more years as well as many nut trees.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

Wellrounded said:


> I absolutely agree. Educate yourself. BUT I'd like to use your reference as an example if I may. As an educated plants-woman I would NEVER mistake a Hemlock for Queen Annes' Lace. To me they are really nothing alike. For example one (hemlock) reflects light (is shiny) and the other (Queen Annes' lace) absorbs light (is dull), just one instant reference among dozens. I know what is edible in my environment. This is not just about learning about each plant but also learning how to SEE what is around you. You can study all you want but until you learn to really LOOK at what's in front of you you won't have the skills to use what's within reach.


Wellrounded that was probably one of the best explanations on gathering that I have read, other than from an Indian. You are 100% correct, people often look but don't see, they listen but don't hear. Being a hunter/gather means, among other things, being attuned to the environment not only physically but if I dare say, spiritually as well. I know that sounds esoteric, but for me, being in the wilderness is a spiritual experience


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## gam46 (Jan 24, 2011)

Allow me to bump this up. I have a great fascination with finding food in my surroundings. No way would I think I could survive long term, but as I do now, I would use what I can find and knowledgeably identify as delicious and nutritious, especially in terms of vitamins and minerals, supplements to an otherwise boring diet. Now, in spring, I can make a different flavor of frittata every day just using "weeds" from the lawn and ornamental beds.


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

As everything greens up where I live, whenever I go walking outside, I pause to pick things like dandelion greens and plantain, to munch as I go. They are high in iron and several vitamins. I figure it's a good boost in the spring.









Plantain









Dandelion


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

I always forage when I am out hiking (which I do a couple days a week). Obviously I don't need to eat wild stuff now but by doing it now it will be much easier to find and identify the edible plants in the future when I might have to depend on them. Most wild edible plants could sure use a little Western dressing on them!


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Perilla, a mint&#8230; one of my favorite munchies here on the farm. Brought over by the chinese in the 1800's. Its seed were used as lamp and cooking oil in India and China for the past 2000 years. I bought a seed press for this plant. Why store cooking oil. I have acres of it growing every year! 

As a cooking oil Perilla rich in fatty acids, has more omega 3's and 6's than fish oil. http://www.sourcenaturals.com/products/GP1826

Perilla as massage oil, uh la la
http://www.amazon.com/Perilla-Seed-Oil-100-Pure/dp/B00573ENWG

Perilla as medicine
http://www.altnature.com/gallery/perilla.htm

Perilla pancakes&#8230;. (Korean style)
http://www.spicy-aroma.com/2013/05/canned-tuna-and-perilla-leaves-pancake.html

Restaurants named Perilla in SF and NY
http://www.perillanyc.com/
http://www.perillasf.com/

Perilla has been used in far east cooking as long as it has been used as an oil.

I've a good crop coming up as always, usually spend a couple of days a year bush hogging it here on the farm. It will take over a pasture.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

Some of you guys are very lucky to have open woods in your area to forage in and find food but have you ever thought of seeding the woods for edible plants, you never know when you will need them ,even good to teach the kids something ,just a crazy idea guys.....


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

readytogo said:


> Some of you guys are very lucky to have open woods in your area to forage in and find food but have you ever thought of seeding the woods for edible plants, you never know when you will need them ,even good to teach the kids something ,just a crazy idea guys.....


Back when I was homeschooling my kids, we read that some of the northern Indian tribes would plant their crops in the spring -- corn, beans, squash (or pumpkin) -- and then move to their summer camp on one of the Great Lakes to fish for a few months. Return at the end of summer and harvest what the wildlife hadn't eaten.

Not a bad idea!


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Part of my off-season (winter) work this year was to compile a 'foraging calendar' for my area. I was tired of remembering to pick certain plants until they were past their prime. I also cross referenced it with available (and legal seasons for) game and fish in my area. For now, they spice up my menus, and I do not wish to have to deal with a foraging learning curve if/when necessity dictates I need to use it for survival. My emphasis on the 'calendar' was on small game and other critters with no season or bag limits, though I also note those that are 'protected' by laws and limits.
I collect recipes with an eye to the 'free' species - possums and porcupines, for example, over wild turkey or goose. Pests taste as good as other meats, IF properly prepared. 

For example, my 'forage calendar' for the upcoming month of May reminds me to start looking for the following:

plants- wild asparagus, arrowroot tubers, bedstraw, bracken fern (fiddleheads), burdoci, boysenberries, bladdeer campion, curly dock, cattail sprouts, daylily shoots, dandelion leaves, evening primrose shoots, fireweed buds, gooseberries, lambsquarters, mints, milkweed buds, mushrooms, mustard greens, mallow, nettles, prickly lettuce (leaves) purslane, quickweed, sweert fern, sile onions, wild violet shoots, and winter cress bud clusters.

Game & Fish (unprotected species) boar, chukar partridge, couternix quail, pigeons, possum, porcupine, skunk, sparrows, starlings, snowshoe hare, weasel. (no protected species 'in season' at this time).

Rock bass, White bass, yellow bass, burbot, bowfin, bullheads, carp, catfish, cysco, drum, gart, lawyer, redhorse, uckers, whitefish, lamprey ells, bluegill, crappies, sunfish, warmouth, yellow perch, smelt, crayfish, and frogs are all 'unprotected' with extremely liberal bag limits if any. Limited fish this month are trout (9 inches long, limit 3), muskellunge (40 inches, limit 1), northern pike (26 inches, limit 2) walleye/sauger/hybrids (15 inches, limit 5), Large or smallmouth bass (limit 5). I list the limits so that I can avoid runnuinbg afoul of the local fish/game laws. But most of my forage activity is based on the non-protected, non-game species

This way I can enjoy the 'hobby' of food foraging while integrating them into my diet NOW, before any crisis erupts. (plus it does save on grocery bills....)


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

readytogo said:


> Some of you guys are very lucky to have open woods in your area to forage in and find food but have you ever thought of seeding the woods for edible plants, you never know when you will need them ,even good to teach the kids something ,just a crazy idea guys.....


Not luck, choice. We bought our woods & deliberately live in the country.


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

Starcreek said:


> Back when I was homeschooling my kids, we read that some of the northern Indian tribes would plant their crops in the spring -- corn, beans, squash (or pumpkin) -- and then move to their summer camp on one of the Great Lakes to fish for a few months. Return at the end of summer and harvest what the wildlife hadn't eaten.
> 
> Not a bad idea!


I am thinking about planting a 3 sisters garden myself this year. I like the storage properties of what they planted.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*purslane*

http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/13...unrecognized-health-boosting-plant.html?c=aan

Just a Weed, or an Unrecognized Health-Boosting Plant?



> Purslane, also known as Portulaca oleracea, is considered a common weed to many that may even be growing in your garden right now, without your explicit invitation. It started its cultivation in India and Persia, and spread to the rest of the world. Some cultures pluck it out and throw it away with leaf clippings and other weeds, while others cultivate it specifically to eat as food. Purslane is an aesthetically attractive weed with fleshy leaves and often yellow flowers, but its health benefits are even more desirable.
> 
> Powerful Seeds Grow in Many Climates
> 
> ...


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## gam46 (Jan 24, 2011)

Purslane is a weed I never pull, but nurture. I like its taste, that it's free, and highly nutritious.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

It makes good sweet or dill relish.


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## cantinawest (Nov 9, 2011)

*Grows easily and in abundance*

I just learned about this plant and its value as a food three days ago in food storage forum, and I was surprised because I have this stuff growing all over our side yard in large quantities. It just keeps sprouting and growing all over the place, especially after each rain which spreads the seeds all over the soil and then sprouts it.
It seems to also do well in our clay soil and our hot southwest summers.

So far have just munched on it here and there. I am going to have to find some different ways of preparing and consuming it.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

black_dog said:


> Huel Gibbins


You mean Euell Gibbons. 
I have a forage calendar that I check now and again to remind me what is available out there. Foraging plants may not sustain you totally, but my calendar also lists fish, game, and other wild edibles with the emphasis on non-regulated species that you can harvest larger amounts of (catfish here, for example, may be taken 20 at a time - if you can fish that well). 
Between hunting, fishing, trapping AND foraging I expect to maybe eat regularly, but then again, maybe not. Since I prefer to expend my efforts on un-commonly eaten critters and foods, I expect most of the sheeple to be too grossed out or afraid to go after those.


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

kappydell said:


> You mean Euell Gibbons.
> I have a forage calendar that I check now and again to remind me what is available out there. Foraging plants may not sustain you totally, but my calendar also lists fish, game, and other wild edibles with the emphasis on non-regulated species that you can harvest larger amounts of.


Where did you get the foraging calendar?


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## catsraven (Jan 25, 2010)

Woody said:


> Folks just need to realize that... what was his name... the tastes like wild hickory nuts guy back in the 70's... is not going to keep you going for years. Days and weeks yes, or as a supplement yes, but not as a true life sustaining diet.


 Euell Gibbons. whoops never mind


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## lanahi (Jun 22, 2009)

LincTex said:


> I don't think I would be able to maintain my body weight, even if all of those things were plentiful and I had to do very little effort to find and gather them.
> 
> I can say this: very little of *any* of that grows around here. I'll need more examples


You would be surprised at all that grows around you, no matter where you live. You can even find cattails in areas that are mostly dry...nearly everywhere has streams or ponds of some kind where cattails could grow. I found them in the driest parts of Arizona and west Texas.

Vegetables are not high calorie foods, and yes, it would be difficult to get enough from just them. Nuts and roots are quite another matter, though. Some roots take more calories to dig than they give back in food, depending on what kind of soil you have. But others have shallow roots that are easy to dig up or even pull. Daylilies are like that, and so are those cattail roots or any root that grows in moist ground or even water...these are many of them. If you have sandy soil, you are fortunate...the ground around me is mostly rock with a little soil in between. Daylilies have small roots but they are numerous on each plant, so it doesn't take a lot of effort to make a meal of them...you just snip them off the plant, clean them up, and boil them for a few minutes or eat them raw or in stir fries. Cattail flour from the roots is a kind of a chore to process, but it makes a lot of white flour which is almost exactly like white flour from the store in both taste and appearance. It doesn't have gluten to make bread rise, but it makes excellent pancakes and flat breads, even crackers.

Almost all areas have some kind of nuts. Everyone who has tried my acorn bread loves it, and the acorn cookies disappear very quickly. After the tannin from acorns is removed by leeching in water, you have a sweet nut that makes a dessert bread without added sugar. And one mature tree can produce over 2000 acorns. That's a lot of high fat, high energy bread! That too is a chore to process acorns into flour, if flour is your intent, but it's well worth it and won't take that many calories to do it.

A few plants are so dense with seeds that it takes little effort to collect and prepare them, and seeds are also high calorie and high protein/fat food. Such as the amaranth, which really DOES grow everywhere. I can almost guarantee that you have amaranth growing somewhere near you.

Cattail pollen is very high protein food and you have to do almost nothing at all to process it. Just collect it about June or so when you see the cattails with yellow tips of pollen. Then sift out the impurities. Then mix it in with other ingredients and cook it. It makes beautiful baked goods or pancakes that also taste good. (Warning: Cattail pollen is designed to be unaffected by rain...it simply won't mix with liquids in cooking either unless you have at least one other dry ingredient to mix in with it first.)

Living off the land is not as easy as shopping in the supermarket. Sometimes it's a lot of hard work. But so is working 8 hours a day to pay for supermarket foods. I suggest a good book on wild plant foods for your region for all the ideas of what's available.


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## lanahi (Jun 22, 2009)

readytogo said:


> Some of you guys are very lucky to have open woods in your area to forage in and find food but have you ever thought of seeding the woods for edible plants, you never know when you will need them ,even good to teach the kids something ,just a crazy idea guys.....


That's what I do any time I can. The woods isn't a good place for every plant, but when you harvest seeds or roots, plant some in a new place that has the same growing conditions. Many will not grow, but some will. I now have much more dock, camas, daylilies, oak, Oregon grape, mint, barberry, and many other foods growing closer to me than I had before.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

lanahi said:


> You would be surprised at all that grows around you, no matter where you live. You can even find cattails in areas that are mostly dry...nearly everywhere has streams or ponds of some kind where cattails could grow. I found them in the driest parts of Arizona and west Texas.
> 
> Vegetables are not high calorie foods, and yes, it would be difficult to get enough from just them. Nuts and roots are quite another matter, though. Some roots take more calories to dig than they give back in food, depending on what kind of soil you have. But others have shallow roots that are easy to dig up or even pull. Daylilies are like that, and so are those cattail roots or any root that grows in moist ground or even water...these are many of them. If you have sandy soil, you are fortunate...the ground around me is mostly rock with a little soil in between. Daylilies have small roots but they are numerous on each plant, so it doesn't take a lot of effort to make a meal of them...you just snip them off the plant, clean them up, and boil them for a few minutes or eat them raw or in stir fries. Cattail flour from the roots is a kind of a chore to process, but it makes a lot of white flour which is almost exactly like white flour from the store in both taste and appearance. It doesn't have gluten to make bread rise, but it makes excellent pancakes and flat breads, even crackers.
> 
> ...


What a great post, my friend you are welcome at my fire any time!!!


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

The acorns are thick here this year! Since I have really started foraging here in the desert I am so surprised just how much is available. Even in very dry years the mesquite trees hang full of the pods. And yes we have cattails in a few places near me here. And all over the west there are prickly pear (edible pads, edible fruit, pads can be used like a bandaid for wounds). 
I keep a close watch on free E-books that are promoted on Amazon and have collected a dozen so far on foraging at no cost. Many of these ebooks are poor but each has a kernel or two of new knowledge. I also buy paper books on foraging when I see them reasonable, either new or used. I also buy books that just have pictures and descriptions of wild plants which I use to help with identification. 
If you plan on foraging during bad times you have to start doing that now so you have the knowledge needed when that time comes. And if you watch the news it seems that bad times are getting closer everyday.


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## lanahi (Jun 22, 2009)

hiwall said:


> The acorns are thick here this year! Since I have really started foraging here in the desert I am so surprised just how much is available. Even in very dry years the mesquite trees hang full of the pods. And yes we have cattails in a few places near me here. And all over the west there are prickly pear (edible pads, edible fruit, pads can be used like a bandaid for wounds).
> I keep a close watch on free E-books that are promoted on Amazon and have collected a dozen so far on foraging at no cost. Many of these ebooks are poor but each has a kernel or two of new knowledge. I also buy paper books on foraging when I see them reasonable, either new or used. I also buy books that just have pictures and descriptions of wild plants which I use to help with identification.
> If you plan on foraging during bad times you have to start doing that now so you have the knowledge needed when that time comes. And if you watch the news it seems that bad times are getting closer everyday.


I've made good food from manzanitas and prickly pear there as well as the Gambel oaks for good acorns. Arizona is where I first learned to forage wild plant foods. Sumac lemonade, all sorts of prickly stuff like other cactus (lol, the desert plants are always well armed for their own survival!), jojoba, locust trees, pine nuts (and don't forget the green needles for tea), some kinds of pin cherries, etc. One good thing about desert plants is that the trees are smaller or more bush like and makes it easier to harvest their fruits.

A desert is surprisingly bountiful, more so than a thick forest, for human food.

You have a good point about learning how to forage for these foods now and especially learning how to prepare them once you have them. It is not terribly complicated to forage for wild foods but it does take time to learn, like anything else. I follow plants from one season to another (it's nice that they don't move around much!) and just get to know them at each of those seasons. I only dig up roots for eating now so I know how to prepare them or if they are very plentiful and I want to transplant some, but it does help when you do it once so you know how. It would be stressful in SHTF to have a root you know but don't know what to do with. Like that flour from cattail roots...I did that a few times and that's enough for now, I can buy white flour at the store...but I'm glad I know how to get the flour when or if I need it. In the meantime, I transplant a few roots but otherwise leave most of them alone after I've tried them once. Of course, it kills the plant to eat the roots, but thinning them out often helps them grow, so there's a time to do that too. Even if I were sure I'd never have to survive on those plants, I'd want to see them thrive and expand...that's just part of my stewardship of the little part of this earth I've been able to be responsible for.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Acorns*

I have been wanting to gather some acorns for my wreaths. I went to 2 locations in my neighborhood and did not have much luck. Someone said they didn't think there were acorns this year. What I did find seemed old, maybe from last year. Now I think I am going to step up acorn gathering in future years. Since I have never gathered them before, I wonder if there is an optimum time to find them?

I know there is the process of soaking them to remove the tannin. I think that process would be good to go through.


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

weedygarden said:


> I have been wanting to gather some acorns for my wreaths. I went to 2 locations in my neighborhood and did not have much luck. Someone said they didn't think there were acorns this year. What I did find seemed old, maybe from last year. Now I think I am going to step up acorn gathering in future years. Since I have never gathered them before, I wonder if there is an optimum time to find them?
> 
> I know there is the process of soaking them to remove the tannin. I think that process would be good to go through.


Where I live in the SE there aren't many acorns from White or Red Oaks this year. But there is an abundance of water oak acorns ( a subspecies of the white oak genus). Check the plate river valley....


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

weedygarden said:


> I have been wanting to gather some acorns for my wreaths. I went to 2 locations in my neighborhood and did not have much luck. Someone said they didn't think there were acorns this year. What I did find seemed old, maybe from last year. Now I think I am going to step up acorn gathering in future years. Since I have never gathered them before, I wonder if there is an optimum time to find them?
> 
> I know there is the process of soaking them to remove the tannin. I think that process would be good to go through.


I don't think the nut bearing trees did well this year. At least not here. Normally I am finding pecan, walnut and acorns by the hundreds in our yard and orchard from the local wildlife. They pilfer the trees in surrounding yards. This year I found one acorn on the driveway but nothing else.

Also the tumblewweeds didn't take hold of the orchard they way it has in the past. The wild Hollyhocks also seemed stunted.

When we lived in the cabin the acorns would drop about middle fall about the time we got the first snow (October). Normally when the leaves turned.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

weedygarden said:


> I know there is the process of soaking them to remove the tannin. I think that process would be good to go through.


Leeching the tannins out of acorns has come up a number of times, it's a simple process and easy to do.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f36/acorns-4053/

Above is a link to one of the threads.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Davarm said:


> Leeching the tannins out of acorns has come up a number of times, it's a simple process and easy to do.
> 
> http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f36/acorns-4053/
> 
> Above is a link to one of the threads.


Yes, I remember that thread.

This lack of acorns is another lesson about years when things just do not produce, lean years. This reinforces the idea of being ahead of the game, not depending on this year's crop of anything. Some years the tomatoes do well, other years not so well. In a SHTF long term, counting on this year's crops may be the end of them. It also reinforces the idea of diversifying. Don't count on this year's potatoes to get us through the winter. Plant a variety of beans to dry, corn, root vegetables such as carrots, onions, beets, turnips, parsnips, and potatoes.

If nuts are to be an important part of our homestead and preps, diversifying may not even matter for years like this past year when none of them did well. It would be a year when the sunflowers would fill the gap.

Last winter was horrible in my area for trees and my prolific peach tree died. Many trees in my area died, not just peach trees. What if I had thought I was going to can 100 quarts of peaches, but instead, I got none?

These are all things to consider and to try to figure out how to be a bit ahead of the game for these possibilities. I am taking it as a learning item.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

weedygarden said:


> I have been wanting to gather some acorns for my wreaths. I went to 2 locations in my neighborhood and did not have much luck. Someone said they didn't think there were acorns this year. What I did find seemed old, maybe from last year. Now I think I am going to step up acorn gathering in future years. Since I have never gathered them before, I wonder if there is an optimum time to find them?
> 
> I know there is the process of soaking them to remove the tannin. I think that process would be good to go through.


Oak trees produce different amounts of acorns each year. Oak trees of the same variety are on the same cycle. Other oak trees have their own cycles. Every so often all kinds of oak trees produce a minimal number of acorns all in the same year.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/11/30/acorn_cycle_tough_to_crack/?page=full

For two autumns in a row, acorns fell like rain from the tall oak trees in George Robertson's yard in Rockport, carpeting his lawn so thickly that raking seemed almost futile.

Not this year.

"Last year there must have been thousands of acorns and squirrels all over the place," Robertson said. "And this year there are hardly any."

After two years of record acorn crops, people across the Northeast are scratching their heads at the sudden absence of the telltale underfoot crunch of fall.

Enormous swaths of oaks in the Northeast are taking a year off from producing acorns, and scientists aren't quite sure why. The nut shortage appears to be a periodic blip in the life cycle of oak trees, and one that is already beginning to have dire consequences for animals such as chipmunks and mice that feed on acorns. It is also bringing new annoyances for gardeners, as squirrels and chipmunks dig into gardens to get at bulbs or other protein sources.

New England is home to at least 10 different kinds of oak trees, and the acorn, the fruit of the oak, has long played a role in local culture. Though toxic for humans to eat, acorns were long believed to bring luck. For many New Englanders, including Robertson, folk wisdom dictates that a big autumn acorn crop is a harbinger of a tough winter.

Scientists know that oak trees produce one bumper crop of acorns every two to seven years and then a small crop the following year. But this year's nut drought appears to be more severe, and it seems more extreme following two back-to-back years of stupendous acorn crops.

At the Acorn Alpaca Ranch in Millis, the namesake nut has been scarcer this year. Last year, "the animals were tripping on them they were so thick," said Louise Hebeler, who owns the farm with her husband, Bob. "We had to rake the pastures near the trees where the acorns fell." This year, she says, the acorns haven't vanished, but there are far fewer.

Here and there, some homeowners are reporting yet another year of large acorn crops, but those appear to be isolated cases.

Scientists suspect that the oak trees might be tired, literally. Drought and unusual weather from 2000 to 2002 resulted in oak trees dropping large numbers of acorns for the last two years, possibly because stressed trees drop more seeds to ensure propagation. But the weather has returned closer to normal in the last year and the trees may not have the energy or the need to bear lots of acorns.

"It takes a huge amount of energy to create that fruit," said Ben Staples, a certified arborist with Bartlett Tree Experts in Beverly Farms.

Though for homeowners it may sometimes seem that the acorn's main role is to make small dings in the car roof, acorn production is the first link in a long chain of events in the natural world. Black bears feed on acorns. So do deer, chipmunks, and mice. The enormous overrun of squirrels in suburbia that started early this summer was probably due in part to the enormous acorn crops of 2002 and 2003.

This year's acorn drought could mean that there isn't enough food to go around. Researchers expect that many small animals will die from lack of food, and deer and bears may venture closer to houses looking for a meal. Already, scientists in New York are noticing a die-off of chipmunks and white-footed mice because of the lack of acorns there.

"We know it's happening for the smaller rodents so far," said Richard Ostfeld, senior scientist at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., who studies acorn production and its effects on the environment.

The next link in the chain: Once the mice go, the gypsy moths can move in. Mice also feed on gypsy moth pupae, and a die-off in the mouse population may lead to a proliferation of gypsy moths.

"And when gypsy moths defoliate trees, their preference is for oaks," Ostfeld said. "And we know that if gypsy moths are eating all your leaves, you are less likely to seed. It's a feedback loop."

Oak trees still remain a mystery to researchers, in part because they exhibit strange synchronized behavior. Perhaps because of a mix of genetics and climate, trees are able to turn acorn production off and on in nearly perfect rhythm, with no scientific predictability except that it appears to happen every two to seven years. Some scientists suggest that the trees may be "smart," turning off production when they sense a threat in their surroundings, such as an abundance of rodents eating their acorns and preventing new trees from taking root.

"The tree isn't doing this intentionally, but it makes sense in a natural selection kind of way," said John O'Keefe, coordinator of the Fisher Museum at Harvard Forest in Petersham.

Science aside, some homeowners are gleeful that they don't have to pick up buckets of acorns from driveways and yards. Some get so exasperated with the nuts that arborists say they get calls from people asking for removal of oak trees simply because so many acorns fall on cars.

"Some people hate them," Staples said of the region's huge oak trees. "But I say, 'When is the last time you made oxygen?' "


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Purslane Recipes*

Purslane was something I posted about earlier. It is growing like crazy in my garden.

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/ingredients-fine-foods/45-things-to-do-with-purslane/



> Have you ever cooked with purslane, or Portulaca oleracea as it is known to botanists? It is a succulent plant whose edible, delicious leaves are crunchy and slightly mucilaginous, with a tangy lemony and peppery flavor.
> 
> It is generally harvested from early June till the end of summer, and can either be foraged or purchased, usually from a farmers market or through a CSA share. The wild variety, which is actually considered a weed by many gardeners, is rampant and has pinkish stems (see picture above), while cultivated varieties tend to grow vertically and display greenish stems.
> 
> ...


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

weedygarden said:


> Purslane was something I posted about earlier. It is growing like crazy in my garden.
> 
> http://chocolateandzucchini.com/ingredients-fine-foods/45-things-to-do-with-purslane/


Why did I hear the voice of Forest Gump's friend while I was reading this?


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Burdock (stems & roots), bull thistle, lambs quarters, chickweed, very young sow thistle, purslane, and nettles are some of my favorite wild edibles. You add in wild medicinals and the list is even longer. One of the reasons I like the Petersens field guide to edible plants is that is shows how to differentiate between edibles and poisonous look alikes. I don't eat any that have poisonous look alikes, personally. Why risk it.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

kappydell said:


> Burdock (stems & roots), bull thistle, lambs quarters, chickweed, very young sow thistle, purslane, and nettles are some of my favorite wild edibles. You add in wild medicinals and the list is even longer. One of the reasons I like the Petersens field guide to edible plants is that is shows how to differentiate between edibles and poisonous look alikes. I don't eat any that have poisonous look alikes, personally. Why risk it.


Oh, Nettles are my favorite, though I haven't had them for some time. I also enjoyed Milk Weed Pods and Shoots and the unopened Flower Buds of the Day Lily.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Acorns are looking good this year!*

On my morning walks, I have seen oak trees that are loaded with acorns. They are still not fully developed, but there are many on the trees I've seen.

When fruit trees have their blossoms frozen and don't produce, they tend to be loaded the next year. I am waiting to see if we will see a bumper crop of acorns this year.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Bumper crop of acorns , usually means a bumper crop of Tree Rats too.

That's a good thing.



Jim


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Starcreek said:


> Where did you get the foraging calendar?


I made it myself, cross-referencing my state's hunting, fishing & trapping regs for seasons, bag limits, etc; combined with a section in the back of Petersen's Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants where they listed available herbs by season. I combined that with my local available edibles, and voila....a 'forgaging calendar' listing plants, critters and fish available (and legal) month by month. I discovered that there are an awful lots of protein sources in my area with no bag limits or seasons, all you need is a small game license & fishing license (unless you like to gamble that you won't get stopped without one)....lol.....I cant afford the fines, so I keep things legal....

It took me quite a while to get everything laid out but I liked the challenge.....

So now at the start of each month I check out upcoming potential forage food sources


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

Wild edibles we've enjoyed so far this year: Lamb's quarters, poke salad, dandelion, plantain, and day lily.

Lamb's quarters not only taste WONDERFUL, but they are high in sodium, so if you're in an area that doesn't have a salt lick and you need some salt in your diet, cook up some lamb's quarters.


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