Foraging is a great way to collect free, wild foods that are fresh, nutrient-dense, and have higher amounts of flavonoids, polyphenols, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a fun way to fit in additional exercise, de-stress, spend time outdoors in natural areas and breathe fresh air. With all those benefits, it’s important to be considerate of the plants and wildlife, to be mindful of your surroundings, and to stay safe.
10 Foraging Guidelines:
Ten things to remember when foraging for any herb or wild food you plan to eat or use:
1) Always get permission from the property owner or the State Forest Service before harvesting.
2) Let a friend or family member know that you will be foraging before you leave. Give them a rough idea of the location or area where you will be looking. Text or call them when you arrive, part way through your day, when you are leaving, and again when you arrive back home.
3) Don’t forage alone. Although we don’t plan to become injured, ill, or encounter a wild animal that could harm us—those things can happen. It’s a best practice to forage with another person or in a group. Make sure you have a mobile phone and first aid kit with you.
4) Have an idea of what you want to look for. Know what the plant/s look like and how to be 100% sure that you have correctly identified them. Learn at least 3 visible characteristics for each one; field guides are always recommended.
5) Learn to identify common poisonous plants in your area so you can avoid them. Some look very similar to edible and medical plants. Common plants, like poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), will only give you an itchy, annoying, and easily spread rash. However, others, such as Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum), have NO known antidote, and symptoms begin in just 20 minutes after breathing in or ingesting the plant’s spores.
6) Safe places to forage are in State Forest lands, backyards, or privately owned land that has NOT been sprayed with toxic herbicides (weed killers) or pesticides (insect killers). There are abundant wild foods in cities and backyards that can be foraged, but many people don’t even know they are there. Start by learning what could be in your local area, then look for those beneficial wild foods. Renowned naturalist Henry David Thoreau wrote, “The woods and fields are a table that is always spread.” I love that.
7) Do NOT Forage in or along
- Spaces favored by dog walkers or yards where pets are free to make daily deposits (yuck)
- The sides of roadways
- The sides of railroad tracks
- Along borders of farmed fields
- In community parks or gardens
- Near industrial sites
These areas are often sprayed with pesticides and herbicides.
8) Collect in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.
- Never harvest a protected or endangered species
- Only harvest what you will actually eat, nothing more
- Leave plenty of plants for wildlife
- Ensure enough of the plant is left so it will thrive and self-propagate
- One rule of thumb is to take only 10% of an individual plant. In an area with a larger grouping of plants, forage from 3 plants and leave 7 out of 10 plants untouched in the same space.
- Be careful where you step so you don’t damage surrounding plants.
9) Be mindful of your surroundings. When we forage, we often spend a lot of time looking at the ground. Occasionally, stop and look around the area where you are standing. Are there any animals watching you or on the ground around you that you should move away from? What does the sky look like? Has it become darker or are there storm clouds forming? Do you know where you are and how to return to your vehicle? A compass or GPS can be really helpful if you are in a large, unfamiliar area like a State Forest.
10) When you are finished, always give thanks and appreciation for the goodness you collected. This needn’t be long and drawn out—a simple affirmation or prayer is sufficient. I like to put my palms together at my heart, bow my head, and say something like, “Thank you for allowing me to forage here today. Thank you for the fresh food I gathered to feed myself and my family. May the sun continue to shine upon you and the rains fall to sustain you.”
The Earth is filled with abundance and that includes wild edible plants that we can harvest for food and medicinal purposes. We must remember not to abuse these wonderful natural resources, to keep safety in mind, to give thanks, and before we head home to leave no trace.
Have you foraged for wild food? If so, please share your favorite foraging plant or tip with us. Is this something that you would like to do? Please share in the comments below.
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