Foraging

[tortoise]

I'm taking a wild edible plants class. I'm only 1 class in, but I'm so inspired about it. Today, I went for a walk in the woods and filled up a bag of food for my rabbits.

Excited to see what I will learn! I wish I had started this rabbit food thing earlier so that I didn't have to pay for rabbits food all summer.

 

[journey11]

That's cool. I wish we had a class like that around here. Or maybe I should start one? It would be cool to have a club. I know a lot of things that can be harvested from the woods, but I'd like to know more. If it weren't for my FIL, who was a real WILD MAN who loved the woods, I wouldn't know as much as I do. My dad was into that and taught me some as a kid, but he's had to work so much his whole life, he doesn't get out there much anymore.

I made some grape jelly from wild grapes last week. I was really pleased with it--it tastes just like grape jelly, beautiful color, but has a slightly different, richer, almost wine-like aftertaste. I'd always wanted to try it and only this year have I found enough wild grapes to do it--that I could reach!

 

[tortoise]

The instructor is Samuel Thayer. He has wriiten some books, including this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Foragers-Harvest-Identifying-Harvesting-Preparing/dp/0976626608

 

[i_am2bz]

Thanks tortoise, that's goin' on my list! I've always wanted to learn that stuff (altho I would prefer a class, for sure)...

 

[lalaland]

oh, you are so lucky! what great fun.

I used to be able to find lots of chicken in the woods (its a mushroom) but can't seem to find them up here. I did see one on an oak tree in the middle of a pasture - I considered climbing the fence but there was a bull in the field, so I didn't risk it. Sure was tempting though!

tell us what you find! talk about ss, wow.

 

[woodwzrd]

There is money to be made foraging. Some food co-ops will buy wild foods especially berries and mushrooms. I have a friend whos kids picked and sold blackberries to a local supermarket and made pretty good money doing it.

On that same not I have sold $250 worth of mushrooms in the last week and a half. My over head was the cost of gas to drive to the trail system I picked them on which was about 10 bucks.

Not to mention the money you save if you can preserve your find. We shouldn't have to buy mushrooms for a year after I am done dehydrating this fall.

 

[tortoise]

I don't like to eat mushrooms, but I can't believe the variety and how much is out there this year! I should have signed up for the mushroom class too... Except that would interfere with my bellydance class... lol

I have my little SHTF daydream. I'm trying to see what is RIGHT THERE around me, within walking distance. I'm hoping to find hazelnuts.

Samuel told us about filling the bed of a pickup truck with hazelnuts! Wow! Apparently there are a lot out there. Just a matter of finding them. And finding them before the squirrels do!

 

[Emerald]

Honey mushrooms are booming this year- hubs and I saw tons of them on our walk Sunday-but since we have not ate them ourselves, there is the slim possibility that we might get ill(only a few folks can not tolerate them) we plan on just eating a bite each and see if we get ill and if not we are picking and eating and figuring out how to save some for later!-I did a spore test and it was white and every picture I took matched the ones by friends and by the mushroom experts. I should get around and get the pictures off the phone and put them up.
I am tempted to go out there at night--they are supposed to sometimes glow in the dark!! That would be so cool to see!

 

[woodwzrd]

Emerald

If you are worried about the honey mushrooms par boil them for about 3 minutes first before you cook with them. I am told that will draw out some of the toxins making them less upsetting. You have to make sure to cook them for about 15 minutes and that should eliminate any problems. They are all over the place here in west central WI too. I just picked about 8 lbs. today and will load up the dehydrator shortly. They reconstitute very nicely and when cooked retain their texture wonderfully. I have eaten them 4 times in the last week and have had no problems. If you have a positive ID start small and enjoy. The way I ID them is they are the only cluster growing mushroom that has white spores, a ring around the stalk, and a stringy tough stalk that doesn't break clean. Good luck

 

[journey11]

I don't like to eat mushrooms, but I can't believe the variety and how much is out there this year! I should have signed up for the mushroom class too... Except that would interfere with my bellydance class... lol

I have my little SHTF daydream. I'm trying to see what is RIGHT THERE around me, within walking distance. I'm hoping to find hazelnuts.

Samuel told us about filling the bed of a pickup truck with hazelnuts! Wow! Apparently there are a lot out there. Just a matter of finding them. And finding them before the squirrels do!

368 pages...the book sounds thorough. I will definitely check that out!

Wild hazelnuts did well around here this year. I've come home with my pockets full on a couple short strolls. My MIL has 2 trees that she really has to work to beat the squirrels to them. These wild ones are smaller, but the flavor is better.

My MIL is coming to babysit for me tomorrow so I can go mushroom hunting!