Wild Edibles: 5 Tips for Beginner Foragers

wild edibles

New to foraging? Here are a few beginner tips to get you started on your hunt for wild edibles!

And next time you are taking a walk around the neighborhood, keep your eyes peeled for these thirteen plants: dandelion, mallow, purslane, plantain, thistle, amaranth, dock, mustard, grass, chickweed, clover, lambsquarter, and knotweed.

The following is an excerpt from The Wild Wisdom of Weeds by Katrina Blair. It has been adapted for the web,


5 Tips for Beginner Foragers

wild edibles

  1. Ask for help. Seek the guidance of a local plant expert who can help you identify the subtle differences between various plant species.

  2. Stay close to home. The wild plants that grow closest to where you live are the ones best adapted to support your ability to thrive in your current environment. Wild plants are extremely resilient and they help us embody those same qualities of excellence.

  3. Be mindful. of where you harvest wild weeds. Use your observation skills to determine if an area may have been sprayed with herbicides or heavily fertilized with chemicals. If a plant is discolored or curls downward in an unnatural way it may best to harvest elsewhere.

  4. Start off simple. Look for the common simple plants first that are easy to recognize like dandelions. Dice them up finely and add to your dinner salad along with something sweet like apple slices.

  5. A little goes a long way. Wild plants are very potent so it is best to start by ingesting small amounts. Begin by nibbling a taste of a common wild edible plant and slowly introduce it to your body and taste buds.


Recommended Reads

Foraging For Wild Strawberries

How to Grow Okra Microgreens

 

Read The Book

The Wild Wisdom of Weeds

13 Essential Plants for Human Survival

$34.95

Enter your email to sign up for our newsletter and save 25% on your next order

Recent Articles

Bread Kvass

Homemade Kvass: Ancient Fermentation

Looking to add another recipe to your fermenting repertoire? Try your hand at Kvass. Bonus: it is the perfect entry-level project.  This nourishing beverage calls for just a few simple ingredients and only takes a couple of days to ferment. 

Read More
ghee

Cooking With Nutrient-Dense Fats: How to Make Ghee

Start your journey to making homemade ghee! Discover how to make this delicious staple and incorporate it into delicious recipes — like our Citrus-Glazed Chicken recipe. Get ready to level up your cooking game with homemade ghee!

Read More

Take a Tea Break to De-Stress This Winter!

Stressed out? Take a breather and brew some calm! Simply stopping to brew and drink a tea benefits nervous tension! Next time you’re feeling stressed, take a break and brew some tea. Better yet, brew this tea before you’re stressed out as a preventative measure.

Read More

Get to Know the Storytellers of Wild Folk

From a unique collaboration comes seven richly illustrated fables of transformation and power, summoned from the ancient stones beneath our feet and transformed by word and image into portals between past and future.

Read More
miso soup

Best Homemade Vegetarian Miso Soup with Dashi Broth

Warm up with a bowl of Japanese miso soup! Hearty, comforting flavor that will leave you craving more. Slow food for the soul: nourishing your body one spoonful at a time.

Read More