“Harvesting wild food is the oldest and most basic subsistence activity of humankind, but today we live in a world where these skills are almost lost. Foraging is the missing link in modern civilized cultures--it is this direct physical connection, in the form of sustenance, that brings us to our deepest appreciation and understanding of the natural world.” --Forager’s Harvest.com
Spring has sprung and we are not only blessed with stunning views at every turn, but food as well! While you can forage for wild foods all year long, some of our favorite wild edibles appear in early spring, adding bright pops of color to meals and nutrients to the diet, after a winter that sometimes seems to never end. What are our favorites this month?
Redbud blossoms, cleavers, violets, dead nettle, and dandelions!
Before starting foraging, make sure you do your research and that you can confidently identify edible plants (and any possible lookalikes). It helps to attend a workshop, join foraging clubs, or shadow an experienced forager. Do not feel daunted by the sheer number of plants out there, as foraging is easy to learn if you start with a few common local plants. Make it a family affair, as children especially enjoy learning about wild foods (and eating flowers!).
Books we like are “The Forager’s Harvest” and “Nature’s Garden” by Samuel Thayer.
The Eastern Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis), is a small native deciduous tree, known for its bright pink spring blooms. A member of the legume family, the flower blossoms are light and delicious! We throw them raw into salads or desserts, or cook them in soups or in a vegan rice or noodle dish. They make a colorful addition to lemonade, or grab a handful to snack on while you are out for a walk. The blossoms are only around for a couple weeks in spring, but you can freeze them or make redbud jelly, to extend the harvest.
If you’ve ever been hiking and had a weed literally stick to your skin, you may have had an encounter with cleavers (also known as “Nature’s Velcro”). Galium aparine, these sticky plants are considered medicinal, and are a great spring tonic. We like them best in tea, and the health benefits are many. We think of cleavers as a great plant to cleanse unwanted materials from the lymphatic system and blood, and use them in for the purposes of a spring cleanse. Their use has even been studied in regards to skin conditions and cancer!
We are lucky to have the whole backyard full of wild violets, which is great because we eat them nearly everyday this time of year. We once tried to pull them from the garden as weeds, but now embrace their presence and enjoy eating the flowers and leaves. These small purple blooms (Viola sororia or Viola sororia albiflora) are a first sign of spring and are incredibly versatile and medicinal. We freeze them in ice cubes for a fancy drink, throw them in salads, use them in garnish, add to a smoothie, and have even made violet syrup.
Purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) is a member of the mint family and can be found all over the farm this time of year, in areas of disturbed soil, such as next to fences. They are called “dead”, because there is no sting to them. We like these on pizza or folded into a pancake batter, but also use them anywhere we would use greens. We prefer to cook them as they can be fuzzy when eaten raw. Go ahead and share them with your rescued chickens, and they have been known to help those who experience spring allergies.
I’ve never understood the suburban vendetta on dandelions. Nothing pleases me more than looking out into a yard of bright yellow blooms, and blowing dandelion seeds into the wind brings back so many pleasant memories from childhood. They are known as Taraxacum spp., but Taraxacum officinale is the most common species. All parts of the plant can be eaten-- the flowers, leaves, and roots, but we usually eat the flowers. Dandelion fritters are excellent. I’ve been known to make a colorful rice with a big handful of flowers and have added them to my breakfast banana mint almond milkshakes. Check out the variety of uses for this awesome “weed”.
Happy foraging!
Heather Patrick
Wild Earth Sanctuary