Foraging For Beginners
Foraging is something that I have fallen in love with.
Being able to find food + things to take care of our bodies growing wild. Uncultivated by human hands. Every time I step outside and find something new, I thank God for His provision.
When foraging there are some things to remember.
1. Know the surrounds you’re foraging from. Public or private land, is it sprayed, is it in a possible toxic run off. It’s counterproductive to harvest food or a healing remedy from a place that’s been contaminated.
2. Double check, triple check plant identification. There are a lot of plants that look very similar and if you aren’t 100% on your identification it could cause problems. The ways to make sure you are spot on is find a mentor who knows local plants and can show you how to identify them. Get a couple foraging guides for your local area and compare photos and descriptions with the plant in front of you. Have access to a plant app for quick identification that you can double check and confirm. If you are not completely sure of the plant you are looking at leave it there, better safe than sorry. Maybe mark the area until you can confirm and come back to harvest later.
3. Harvest with the idea of sustainability in mind. Know harvesting guidelines for that plants that you are looking for. Don’t take more than you need. When harvesting dandelions make sure to leave plenty for the bees. My rule of thumb is leave at least 40% of whatever I’m harvesting behind. That way I can come back for years to come to harvest from that area, and there is enough left to continue the life cycle of plant, and not damage that ecosystem.
Foraging is an amazing thing that connects you to the places you call home, and the creator who blessed us with the means to care for our bodies.
You can find more information about foraging in our eBook, which is available in our mercantile (purchase your copy of Beginners Guide to Foraging here).
Some things to make sure you take with you when you head out to forage.
Foraging field guide for identification purposes. There are fantastic app’s out there that will help with identifying, but you won’t always have access to internet access, so having a trusty field guide is going to come in handy.
Basket or bag to collect your goodies. I use market baskets with a tight weave to keep smaller plant material from falling through. Linen foraging bags are also helpful in these situations because they can be put into a backpack.
Water
Bug Bite cream, or poison ivy cream - just in case
First Aide Kit - always good to be prepared.
