What do you forage?

[Rillowen]

chokecherries, elderberries, wild plums, "feral" apples (planted long ago on land that no one's living on now), nettles, purslane, dandelions, mullein... I've been watching a baby wild blackberry that started last year by the river, but no berries yet.

Unfortunately, I do not know where to forage fiddleheads, though I have a friend who let me do some picking on her property a couple years ago. Fiddleheads rank right up there with asparagus in terms of being delightful to eat. If I had to choose between the 2, I'd choose fiddleheads. Therefore... they just might be my favorite vegetable. They can be bought here when in season. There is an Indian reservation about 25 mi. away. Those folks harvest and sell a lot at good price in the College town that their reservation island abuts. Also, many Mainers collect and sell fiddleheads at road side when they are in season. Absolutely yummy, buttery flavor, with melt in the mouth texture. They MUST be well cooked, otherwise, they are toxic.

People guard their picking places, thus... I can't get anyone to take me out harvesting! Similar to hunters who won't tell anyone where their favorite hunting spot is... or Mushroomers who guard their morrel sites! Or, fishermen never telling WHERE they caught the big one.

Huh, so fiddle heads are the poke there? People go crazy for poke here, but anything that is deadly unless you boil it 6 times is a had no for me. Had someone knock on the door and pay 20$ to pick our poke once!

 

[FarmerJamie]

The only thing here I can gather are black walnuts.
I was thinking about this topic and decades ago, I spent hours gathering berries and mushrooms. The land was basically old pastures let go. Those properties are all basically forested now or sprouting houses. Not a lot of options.

The look on my mom's face when I came in the house after being gone since breakfast with several buckets of black raspberries. Lol. Pies, jelly, and jam. Plus bags for the freezer. Yes, she made me help. Great memories

 

[Rillowen]

The only thing here I can gather are black walnuts.
I was thinking about this topic and decades ago, I spent hours gathering berries and mushrooms. The land was basically old pastures let go. Those properties are all basically forested now or sprouting houses. Not a lot of options.

The look on my mom's face when I came in the house after being gone since breakfast with several buckets of black raspberries. Lol. Pies, jelly, and jam. Plus bags for the freezer. Yes, she made me help. Great memories

Haha! That sounds awesome!

You might try just going out and identifying as many things as you can, its always surprising how many edible plants are growing wild. We also harvest chicory root every year. We call it "kiddo coffee". Lol

 

[FarmerJamie]

Haha! That sounds awesome!

You might try just going out and identifying as many things as you can, its always surprising how many edible plants are growing wild. We also harvest chicory root every year. We call it "kiddo coffee". Lol

I do. access is the issue.