How To Forage Safely
Common Sense is the Best Tool You Can Have When Foraging
By using common sense when foraging, you can save yourself much discomfort, or even death.
What is Foraging?
Foraging is what our distant ancestors did to survive before they realized that they could grow their own food. They were hunter/gatherers, moving from area to area as was needed to survive. Foraging is the collecting of food from the wild…or near wild.
Obviously, we no longer need to forage to survive. Grocery stores are plentiful and easy to find. Farmer’s Markets, of one type or another, can be found in cities and towns most anywhere in the world. Around the world, gardens spring up where ever we can find the space.
Why forage?
The reasons to forage are as diverse as the people who forage:
- Provides an opportunity to reconnect with nature
- Allows you to slow down, relax, observe the world around you
- Taste new and different foods
- Possible health benefits of some wild foods
- Supplementing grocery budget
Common Sense and Accurate Information are Very Important
The most importand tool needed to forage safely is common sense. Accurate information runs a very close second. Not every plant will be one you want to eat. Some have a most unpleasant flavor that nothing will make right. Others will make you sick and a few can kill you. It is very important that you accurately identify wild foods before you consume them. Your first few foraging excursions should be spent identifying plants with the help of a veteran forager, not collecting. Never eat wild foods on the say so of another, unless that person is an expert. The responsibility to make sure a plant has been accurately identified rests with you, the person eating the plant. The Golden Rule of Foraging is: If In Doubt, Don’t.
You also want to be sure you do not collect wild foods near heavy traffic. The foods could be contaminated with pollutants from vehicle exhaust and the traffic itself could be a hazard. You also want to be sure that any wild foods you collect have not been treated with pesticides or herbicides. Finally, always try a small amount of any wild food the first few times. You may be allergic to something and not know it, simply because you haven’t come across it yet.
A Few Words About Mushrooms
For the beginning forager, mushrooms should not be gathered. Poisonous mushrooms can sometimes look like edible ones. With some varieties, all it takes is a taste to send you to the hospital...or worse. Foraging for mushrooms is not for the beginner. When learning to forage, err on the side of safety and steer clear of mushrooms.
Foraging Can Be Rewarding Experience
You can become a seasoned forager, no matter where you live. Always remember that you need to know what it is you are collecting. Make sure you carry an accurate field guide to edible wild plants when you venture out in the wild. Tagging along with someone who already forages won’t hurt either. If you come across a class offered at a local community college or county extension office, take it. A little knowledge goes a long way, and a lot of knowledge will expand your horizons.
Until next time, In Bocca Al Lupo!
