Wildcrafting Edible Plants

Wildcrafting, or gathering plant material in a "wild" environment is becoming very popular. Many local herbalists and wildcrafters are concerned about damage to our resources. Most wildcrafters are looking for a way to connect with nature, finding some plants for food, medicine, fiber, or art.

A common mistake some new wildcrafters make is harvesting the first good patch they see. There is no hurry. There may be even more plants over the next hill.

Your emotional state will greatly affect your plant and habitat locating abilities. Let go of all your concerns, fears, and problems, or you will cloud your awareness of the signs around you. One must approach the earth with openness and respect if you expect to learn anything from it.

If you obtained a permit from a public agency to harvest from our public lands, you agreed to harvest a specific distance from roads and trails. Follow this regulation on private land also.

A successful wildcrafter treads lightly on the land and leaves the area the way they found it.

Some plants are not damaged easily, and should be the first choice of a wildcrafter. Blackberry and Dandelion are two that are nearly impossible to eliminate, even if you dig their roots. If a piece of root stays in the ground, it will grow back. Yarrow is another that even if it is cut off to the ground will still flourish regularly. Nettles and Catnip can be harvested 3 or 4 times in a growing season. Generally, these plants are perennials. You can pick them and not threaten their survival.

Endangered plants are species in danger of becoming extinct in the near future.

Do not pick protected plants. There may be large amounts of them in one spot, so that they appear plentiful. If you go wildcrafting, educate yourself on some of these varieties. There are some good books available, as well as much information on the internet. When in doubt, don't pick it.

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

To harvest Milkweed shoots, cut them when they are less than 8 inches tall. You can also harvest the young leaves until the flower buds form. To remove the bitter latex from your milkweed, at any stage, place the harvested plant parts in boiling water and cook for 5-10 minutes. Have another pot of boiling water handy and drain the first pot then place your milkweed in the second pot and boil in this second water change for an additional 5-10 minutes to remove any remaining latex. Serve this with butter and salt and pepper or a nice cheese sauce.

*Note here, never allow the milkweed to be immersed in cold water. The cold water sets the latex sap and no amount of boiling will remove it. If you feel you must rinse the plant parts before cooking place them in a colander and rinse with very hot water.

During the flower bud stage, boiled milkweed blooms taste a little like steamed broccoli and with a good cheese sauce it is a culinary delight. Use milkweed buds as a side dish or use in a vegetable casserole recipe.

The flower bloom is so incredibly fragrant; remeniscent of Stargazer Lilies! Soak in Brandy for a delightful herbal liqueur.

Collect the seed pods when less than an inch long. These are also boiled twice in two changes of water and store well in the freezer for use during the winter. The pods make an interesting side dish or work well in soups, stews and casserole dishes.

Nettles (Urtica urens)

Nettles are loaded with vitamins, minerals and the list of uses is almost endless.

Nettles are very widespread across North America, especially in moist fertile soils along disturbed areas, stream and river beds, woodland trails, road sides and vacant lots. The stinging nettle is a perennial which reaches the height of up to 4 to 5 feet with an erect, square stem covered in bristly, stinging hairs. Leaves are opposite, long and broadest near the base and coarsely toothed. Flowers produce in the junction of leaf stalks and each flower is tiny, male or female, loosely branched, elongated and form in clusters. You will usually know right away if you have come into contact with Nettles. Touching the plant will cause a reaction similar to a bee sting and can be very annoying and painful.

Advice on collecting nettles? Wear long gloves to protect both your hands and arms or if you find yourself without gloves as I generally do simply grasp the very tips of the plants by it's upper most leaves and clip with long scissors with your free hand placing the clipped nettle tops in a large bag. If you do get stung you can find relief from the sting by using mud, crushed yellow dock leaves, (Rumex crispus), toothpaste (yep I said toothpaste), the crushed stems and leaves of Jewelweed (Impatiens biflora) or even chewed plantain, (Plantigo major). Use all as a poultice and leave in place until the sting subsides.

Young spring nettles steamed and served with butter and spices is a great side dish for any meal. You can use young nettles in soups, stews, and sauces that will be used in lasagna and spaghetti dishes for the family. Nettles are also easily frozen after a quick blanch if you wish to save them for later use.

Stinging nettle plants of over a foot or two tall become very grainy and are not suitable for consumption in steamed or boiled dishes.

Rose Hips (Rosa Canina)

Rose hips are the fruit of a rose that develop after the petals have fallen. They were used in Britain during World War II to prevent scurvy during a shortage of citrus fruit. Since then, rose hips have been used as a source of Vitamin C and have up to 60 times the Vitamin C of citrus fruit as well as containing the bioflavonoids that aid in the absorption of Vitamin C. It is the highest herb in Vitamin C content and contains the entire C-Complex.

Rosa species were used by Blackfoot Indians. Blackfoot ate the fruits fresh or roasted after removal of the seeds. In the winter, dried fruits that were still on the plants were used as famine food. Rose hips were used to make necklaces before the Natives acquired trade beads. Roots of Rosa species were brewed into a bitter tea that was used in the treatment of diarrhea. Poultices were made out of the rose hips for boils or mixed with grease, they were eaten with dried meat. They were also thickened with flour and eaten. Rose hips were frozen in the snow and given to children to eat.

Rosehips can be made into jam or jelly.

Puffballs (Lycoperdons and Calvatias)

Puffballs are another of my favorites. They actually will grow on my lawn if we've had enough rain. There are two families of puffballs, Lycoperdons and Calvatias and within each family is several species. All of the white fleshed puffballs are edible and can be found across the temperate areas of North America. They range in size from a marble to a basketball, though the ones I collect are usually the size of a golf ball or smaller.

Puffballs are globe shaped and stemless which helps in identifying it properly. If you have any doubt whether you have a puffball or a young mushroom simply cut it in half and inspect the inside. In a puffball there will be no sign of a stem. Puffballs have a mild, delicate flavor that reminds me of mushrooms or an oyster and these are great sautéed, deep fried or added to casseroles and stews. Remember to only use the puffballs that you collect that are pure white inside. If they are gray or brown, they have matured too long and are not edible.

Puffball Potato Soup

2 cups fresh white puffballs, washed and sliced

3 cups potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces

¼ Cup or more onions, chopped

3 Cups Milk

1 Cup Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Dill Herb

1 Tbsp Tarragon

Salt/Pepper or Herbs to taste

Optional: Ham

Directions: Sautee onions and puffballs in butter just to soften. Set aside.

Partially cook potatoes, drain

Heat milk until scalding (be careful not to burn)

Add Potatoes, Puffballs and Onions to milk

Add sour cream and heat slowly until done.

Stir in Herbs and other seasonings to taste.

Enjoy!

Cher Marie 2008