Foraging for Wild Edibles

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Remember, when you forage, you are essentially helping yourself to the pantry and fridge of your neighbors—the wildlife—that live in that home.

Ethical gathering of wild foods assures that the plant communities will have enough stock left in place to thrive and reproduce, and that the local animals who rely on those food sources will not have their larders plundered.

Foraging Ethics

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Every year, I conduct online presentations or lead group walks that provide information about how and where to find edible wild plants along with recipes on how to enjoy your foraged harvest.  After each presentation or walk, I will archive that information (most include a map indicating where to find the targeted species) on this page for your reference and use.  In addition, I occasionally post an article about a wild edible that may be ready for harvest locally; those are archived below.  Please feel free to download any information provided on this page.

Before heading out, take the Forager’s Oath and read these foraging tips.

Happy foraging and bon appetit!

Foraging for Wild Edibles (listed alphabetically by title):

• American Black Currant:  conducted on 7/14/2021
• Autumnberries:  conducted 10/4/2020
• Blackberries:  conducted 8/9/2021
• Elderberries:  (to be conducted 8/7/2024)
• Fern Fiddleheads:  conducted 4/26/2021 and repeated 4/26/2022
• Hazelnuts:  conducted 8/26/2020
• Herbal Teas:  conducted 6/9/2021
• Hickory Nuts:  conducted 10/3/2020
• Highbush Blueberry:  conducted 7/29/2020
• Nannyberry:  conducted 9/9/2020
• Native Cherries:  (to be conducted on 6/26/2024)
• Our “Sichuan Peppercorn”:  conducted 6/14/2021
• Plantains, Docks and a Pair of Invasives:  conducted 5/13/2020
• Salad Greens:  conducted 5/10/2021
• The Many Culinary Uses of Cattails:  conducted on 6/2/2021

Archived posts about wild edibles (listed in order of their publication date, most recent first):

• Foraging for Common Evening Primrose (to be published on 11/1/2024)
• National Nut Day (to be published on 10/22/2024)
• Foraging for Common Barberry (to be published on 10/1/2024)
• Foraging for American Beech (to be published on 9/22/2024)
• Foraging for Hawthorn (to be published on 9/16/2024)
• Foraging for Juneberry (to be published on 6/16/2024)
• National Herbs and Spices Day (to be published on 6/10/2024)
• National Grape Day (to be published on 5/27/2024)
• Foraging for Sheep’s Sorrel (published on 5/14/2024)
• Foraging for Quickweed (published on 5/9/2024)
• Foraging for Jerusalem Artichoke (published on 11/9/2023)
• Foraging for Wild Bean (published on 11/6/2023)
• Foraging for Wild Edibles:  Candy, Candy, Candy! (published on 11/4/2023)
• Foraging for Wild Cranberries (published on 10/2/2023)
• Full Harvest Moon (published on 9/27/2023)
• Foraging for Spicebush Berries (published on 9/4/2023)
• Today sucks, but…in a good way (published on 7/20/2023)
• Foraging for Wild Bergamot (published on 7/3/2023)
• Foraging for Wild Thyme (published on 6/23/2023)
• Full Strawberry Moon (published on 6/1/2023)
• Today is World Baking Day (published on 5/21/2023)
• Foraging for Maple Seeds (published on 5/15/2023)
• Foraging for Wild Edibles:  Adult Beverages (published on 5/13/2023)
• Foraging for Not-Your-Store-Bought Pickles! (published on 11/14/2022)
• Now Ripening:  Black Raspberries (published on 7/5/2022)
• Time to gather our local “Sichuan peppercorns” (published on 7/3/2022)
• Harvest hazelnuts now (published on 9/4/2021)
• First of the Dewberries will be ripe soon (published on 7/17/2021)
• Now Ripening = Black Raspberries (published on 7/5/2021)
• Now would be a good time to look for Morels! (published on 5/7/2021)
• National Black Cow Day (published on 6/10/2020)
• Autumn-olive Fruit – How to ID and Enjoy (published on 10/5/2019)
• Time to Pick the Cranberries (published on 10/8/2018)
• Fiddlehead Season is Here! (published on 5/15/2018)
• Hickory nut harvest is underway! (published on 10/1/2017)
• Nearly time to pick Mayapple fruit (published on 8/13/2017)
• Spicebush berries (published on 10/1/2016)
• Mayapples now ripening (published on 8/14/2016)
• Dewberries Now Ripening (published on 7/25/2015)
• Black Raspberries Now Ripening (published 7/4/2015)
• Trailside Nibble (published 6/6/2015)
• Elderberries ripening now! (published on 8/16/2014)