Food Foraging 101 – part 3 – Beginning to harvest and testing your harvest for safety

In part 1 of Food Foraging 101, we looked at why everyone should learn how to food forage. It can honestly save your life. In part 2, we gave you a list of safety rules to make sure you stay safe and you keep you and your family healthy by eating only safe foods. In this part 3, we want to give you the additional knowledge you need to get outdoors and go on your first food foraging trip.

If you have not read the first two parts of this series of lessons, you can find links at the bottom of this lesson. It is imperative that you at the very least read and study part 2 before you go on your first trip. Even if you plan is to stay inside your own yard on your first trip (which I highly recommend) you need the knowledge contained in part 2. It could literally save your life.

By now, you should also have a guidebook or a list of plants (with photo) you printed off the internet from a reputable source. I hope you have done a good bit of research into what plants grow in your area and what poisonous plants grow there also. If not, please think seriously about doing so. You can never have too much information.

Ready to head out on your first trip

Well, almost. Have you planned where you are going? Is your supply bag packed? Are you dressed properly? If you answer yes to all three questions, you are ready to step out the door on your first trip. If not, go back to the planning stage and complete the requirements.

Let’s go!

The moment you step outside your home, your eyes should begin looking for plants you have probably seen a thousand times but never really noticed. If you have put a lot of effort into learning about your local plants there is a very good chance you will not make it off your own property on your first trip. (Unless you live in an apartment).

At any given time, I can walk outside my door and find at least 3 edible plants that I did not plant onto the property and two of them will probably have medicinal properties.

Chances are, you know what the grass in your yard looks like. Look for anything that does not look like grass. When you find something, do not pick it on the first trip. Take photos of it and be sure to photograph the underside too.

Don’t forget to make notes in your book about the plant. Notice the shape of its leaves, their color, even whether they are a light green or darker green can be important. Do the leave have spines or sharp edges. Do the leaves, top or bottom look sort of fuzzy? Is it growing in a sunny or shady spot? Is the ground around it dry or moist? All of these are clues to helping you learn what that plant is.

Don’t overdo it on this first trip. Your yard could have dozens of plants for you to investigate, but stick to no more than about 3 for this first trip. You don’t want to get over whelmed.

If you had to leave your property to forage elsewhere, make sure to list specific instructions on how to get to the exact place you were at. It would be a pity to find several edible plants, but never be able to find them again after they have been identified.

One you have made note of everything and taken photos from many different angles, it’s time to head home and start doing some research.

How to determine if a plant is edible

There is only one sure fire way to determine if a plant is edible, identify what the plant is. Sometimes it is an easy task and sometimes it will drive you crazy. But it is worth the effort because every plant you identify as edible is a little more food for your family.

1. If you think you know the name of a plant, start by Googling the name you know, then look at the images being shown. Does it look like your plant? Never compare with just one or two images. Always look at as many photos as possible so you can compare at many angles. If you are fairly sure it is the correct plant, follow the Google links to the page it is from and see if they give the botanical name of it. REMEMBER: Different areas of the country (and world) have different common names for plants. So, you may see photos being called a specific plant, that in your mind could not be that plant. But it could be called something different in another part of the world.

2. If you cannot find photos that look like your plant you need to make a decision. Either set this plant aside and work on the next one, or reach out to one of the groups or forums that know plants. foraging.com has a wealth of information about plants, groups, forums and mailing list you can join. There is also a reddit group. Also, check your book(s), especially if you found one specific to the area you live in.

3. Follow steps 1 and 2 with any other plants you found. DO NOT EAT (if you picked them when I told you not to, lol) any of them until you have finished this lesson.

Once you are fairly sure you know exactly what your plant(s) are, it is time to look into which parts of the plant are edible and what time of the year they should be picked.

REMEMBER

1. Never pick the entire plant unless you are sure the entire plant is edible. Even then, do not pick all the plants. Make sure to leave enough so they can reproduce to provide food for next year.

2. No matter how sure you are that you have identified a plant, never allow your plants to touch each other until after you have completely the Testing for Safety section below. If you misidentified a plant or if you happen to be allergic to it, you do not want any part of the plant contaminating your other plants. You could have a false positive reaction to a plant you are not allergic to.

3. Only pick a small quantity of the plant on the first testing. If it is the flowers or leaves that are edible, pick only one or two petals or leaves. You can pick more after you have determined if you can eat it.

Testing for Safety

If you followed directions on your first foraging trip, you now need to go back and find the plants you identified
I won’t tell you to be 100% sure you know what your plant is or 90% of you will never reach the point of actually trying one of them. But you should be at least 95% to 99% before starting to think about trying a new plant.

By now, you have hopefully identified all the plants on your list. If not, set the ones you have not identified to the side so you can start testing the ones you have identified.

Testing can be a little scary. If done properly, (always AFTER you have identified the plant) the chances of causing yourself any type of serious harm are very slim.

1. Test only one plant per day. Otherwise, there is no way for you to know which plant is causing a problem for you.

2. Always keep your untested plants separate from each other. Never allow them to touch. You could transfer part of what you are allergic to, to another plant, making you think you are allergic to a second plant when you are not.

3. Clean your chosen plant well with water. You can add a little vinegar to the water if the plant is especially dirty, but don’t wash with any type of harsh chemicals.

Begin your test

1. Remember only test 1 item per day.

2. Take a portion of the plant and rub it on your skin, one of the softer areas is usually best. Inside the forearm or on your stomach are good places. Never use rough, work worn skin or skin that is broke or cut.

3. Wait 60 minutes to see if there is a reaction. If you see any type of rash, reddening of the skin, blisters or anything that hurts or itches, do not test any further. You are having a reaction and consuming the item could cause severe problems.

4. If after 60 minutes there is no reaction, rub the plant on your lips. Wait another 60 minutes, but this time you are looking for either a skin reaction or changes in how you feel. By rubbing the plant on your lips, you are going to ingest a tiny amount of it which could cause negative changes in how you feel if you are allergic to the plant.

5. If after 60 minutes there is no reaction, take a small portion of the plant and chew it several times, then spit it out. The idea here is to get a slightly larger amount of the plant material and juices into your body without ingesting a large amount. Again wait 60 minutes and pay attention to the skin in your mouth and how you feel overall.

6. If you do not have a reaction after 60 minutes, take a small amount, perhaps a single leaf on a larger leafed plant or a few petals from a flower if they are small. Boil them in about ¼ cups of water till they wilt. The idea here is to bring out any oils that might be in the plant. Let the plant material steep till it cools down enough to be able to drink it. Don’t drink the entire amount, only a swallow or two will do. Again wait 60 minutes while looking for a reaction.

7. Last step, I promise. If after 60 minutes there is no reaction, take an amount equal to about 1 tablespoon (slightly over 14 grams) and eat it. You can include it in a recipe if you don’t care for the taste, or simply eat it. If after 60 minutes you have not had a reaction, you can assume the plant is safe to eat.

8. Wait until the next day to begin testing the next plant.

Additional things to remember

1. If you have a family and plan on them eating the foods you forage, you should do these test on them also.

2. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Anyone can be allergic to any food. The testing procedures may seem like a lot of work, but it is better to do the work than ending up killing yourself or one of your family members at a time when there are no doctors around.

3. Remember, there is no way for anyone to write a book that covers all the plants anyone will find in their area. You have to take responsibility for your future and do your homework. Ask questions, seek out local groups or websites, find others that are learning and help each other learn.

4. To find like-minded people check meetup.com in your area. It is perhaps the most used tool for foragers to meet others in their area.

5. foraging.com is a great resource site with a wide variety of information.

6. Use the sites listed here to start you a resource list. Build on that list as you find other sources of information.

7. Need artwork for your home? Pick out the best photos you take on your foraging trips and have them made into inexpensive posters. Use a photo editor to add the botanical and common name(s), plus the GPS co-ordinates of where you found them. Hang them around your home to help you remember all the needed info about the plants you have found.

8. Always be willing to share your findings with others. Recent natural disaster should remind you, help from the government and other sources could take weeks or months to reach you in a large-scale disaster. It is up to you to make sure your family survives.

Web sites with common names of edible plants.

Brandeis.edu

naturallearning.org – has a downloadable PDF near the bottom of the page with plants from the North Carolina area. (but many grow elsewhere also)

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor do I provide any type of professional assistance. ALWAYS do your homework. Research, test and research some more. I am not responsible of any actions you choose to take in foraging or eating any new plant. Anyone can have an allergic reaction to any plant, even if they have been eating it for years.

If you have not read them already, you should read:

Food Foraging 101 – part 1 – Why everyone should learn to forage

Food Foraging 101 – part 2 – Must Know Safety Instructions

Coming Soon

Detailed information on many of the most common edible plants in America. Each will contain photos, information on which area(s) it grows in, which parts are usable, any medicine value and much more.

If this has helped you in any way, please consider upvoting, resteeming and following me. I am no longer physically able to do many of the things I have done all my life and being recently widowed, I am using Steemit to build an income for myself.