Mugwort is one of the first plants that I foraged for as an adult, and it sort of happened by mistake. It grew in huge patches along the river in Yosemite National Park, where I spent many summers. Joel and I loved how it smelled and thought that it was a variety of sage (turns…
Forage
Foraging and wildcrafting for your own food and medicine is a great way to get outside and reap the benefits of being out in wild areas. It gives you access to some of the most nutrient rich and healing plants, all while getting some much needed exercise and fresh air. Foraging is good for your body as well as your mind and soul! I love teaching others about the benefits of wild food.
Foraging for Purple Dead Nettle
I can almost guarantee that you’ve seen purple dead nettle growing at one time or another. You may not have realized it, as it can sometimes be fairly inconspicuous, but if you really start to pay attention to the plants around you, I’m certain that you will see it growing. It’s one of those plants…
Foraging for Morel Mushrooms
This spring has been an exciting one for many reasons, but most recently because I found some morel mushrooms! This elusive mushroom is prized for it’s tastiness, and can only be wildcrafted as no one has figured out how to grow them (yet). They come up in spring to early summer, depending on where you…
Foraging for Stinging Nettles
I’ve been interested in foraging for stinging nettles for quite a while now, but I have to admit that I was a bit scared because of the “stinging” part. There’s a definite reason that I don’t have any tattoos, as I’m not super excited about voluntarily inflicting pain on my own body. I mean, I…
Foraging for Willow
One of the first trees or shrubs to bud in early spring is the willow. I remember as a child getting so excited to find pussy willows, although back then I didn’t liken it to the changing seasons. I’m pretty sure I just thought they were neat and fuzzy and like little tiny kittens, so…
Foraging for Pine Needles (and other conifer needles)
Late fall and winter can be a tough time for foragers in the majority of North America. After the fall mushrooms are gone, there isn’t a whole lot left in the realm of wild food. The one thing that most of us have, no matter where we live, is pine or other conifer needles. They…
Foraging for Dandelion Root: Edible and Medicinal Uses
Did you know that fall is the best time of year for wildcrafting herbal medicinal roots? All spring and summer long plants such as burdock, valerian, chicory, comfrey, and dandelion are growing long taproots. Once fall comes and the plants start to die back after a frost, that taproot stores all of the plant’s nutrition…
Foraging for Chanterelle Mushrooms
Aha! We finally did it! We have been out and about on many trails for the past few weeks with the hopes of finding some chanterelle mushrooms, as this is the time of year for them in the Pacific Northwest. Our luck hasn’t been so great, but it’s still been relatively dry in the Rogue…
10 Tips for Wildcrafting Herbs
Hello my peoples! How are you on this lovely fall day? I imagine that you are busy little bees putting up the harvest in all sorts of ways, which makes me smile :) I wanted to let you know about an article that I wrote for the The Herbal Academy recently, 10 Tips for Wildcrafting…
What is Gleaning and How to do it
You may have heard the word “gleaning” before, or maybe you haven’t. In a world where people still suffer from hunger and malnutrition, it amazes me how much food is thrown away or let go to waste each and every day. I have worked in the food industry for many years, so I know first…
