first time forager - advice wanted

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by nibs9, May 11, 2011.

  1. nibs9

    nibs9 Member

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    hello all.

    so, I decided recently that I want to learn how to forage edibile and medicinal wild plants in my area (southern ontario). I've spent the past few weeks learning about many edible plants, and how to identify and categorize plants by patterns and groupings. I realize though before I can go out I need to learn about non-edible plants too - and just have a general knowledge of all plants in my area.

    Does anyone recommend any particular books? Right now I have: Peterson's Guide To Edible Wild Plants (east North America), Peterson's Guide to Medicinal Plants, 'The Forager's Harvest' (Thayer), and 'Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification'. I was thinking it might be simplest to grab a couple more Peterson books, he has one on Trees + Shrubs and one on Wildflowers for easter North America. But does that leave any out? Not all herbaceous plants are wildflowers, so I'm wondering if there is a more thorough book. Or perhaps I am wrong and wildflowers will cover a lot. (I have also heard that Newcomb's guide to Wildflowers is good)

    After I have learned enough about non-edible flowering plants around here, I'm planning to go out to a forest area with a camera and photograph everything I see, then come back and see if I can identify some of the photographs.

    As a first time forager.. I'm basically just looking for any help or tips or advice on how to go about this. thanks!
     
  2. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    Um, I own a Peterson or two myself, but they would not be my first choice for someone who really wants to forage. You need to find region specific stuff, and find things written by people who have actually foraged.

    There is no short list of must-have books that will work for everyone. In foraging, the more research you can do with more reference works, field guides, and more field study, the safer you will be.

    Figure out why you want to forage and then make your selections from there. You've made a good start. There is no finish: it's life long learning.
     
  3. nibs9

    nibs9 Member

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    Thanks. You're right, I own a few Petersons, but books like 'The Forager's Harvest' are also very helpful because it lists only about 40 species and gives a very detailed and personal account of each one, including how to prepare, cook and eat them. I'm trying to obtain as many decent references as possible without overwhelming myself. And yes, now that I'm getting more into it I'm seeing how much there is to learn.

    Speaking of Peterson though.. I have a different question you may be able to help me with. (or anyone else who happens to read this.) I've been continuing to research and become familiar with the edible plants in my area through my books, but I've noticed that it seems like some North American species are edible, yet do not appear in Peterson's 'Edible Wild Plants (eastern north america)' book - which is my only book with a large volume of edible plants. I recently came across a website: http://www.pfaf.org/user/default.aspx ' Plants for a Future' which seems to have a very extensive and well researched archive of plants, including information on their edibility. Several plants are said to be edible on the site, but do not appear in my Peterson book. I guess it's wise to assume one can't include every edible species in a large region in one tiny field-book.. but it seems like he has even left out a couple of families. For example, the Wintergreen Family (Pyrolaceae), is not listed at all in Peterson's book, yet I think I am right to say many species in that family are indeed edible.

    Anyway.. I'm basically trying to get a sense from people how reliable Peterson's 'Edible Wild Plants' book is in terms of thoroughness. I don't know how many edible species of plants there are in eastern North America - I can't imagine it's a huge amount.. so I just want to know how much people think he is leaving out? The book includes around 400 species in this region. How many do you think there are altogether? His book was the most extensive I could find in terms of numbers, but tell me if there's a more thorough one.. or perhaps the ones he's missing are just a few that I can find on the net. It may not seem necessary to some, but I want to be as thorough as possible, so I don't accidentally encounter an edible plant and then ignore it because I've been misinformed. Thanks.
     
  4. nibs9

    nibs9 Member

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    Peterson's 'Edible Wild Plants' book. how thorough?

    I've been going through my 'Edible Wild Plants (eastern/central North America)' book by Peterson, doing research and trying to familiarize myself with the edible plants in my region a bit before I go out for my first forage. Recently though, I noticed that there seem to be several species that are edible, but are not included in his book (which contains around 400 species in this region.) Out of all the books on edible plants (not many) - Peterson's seemed to contain the highest number of species. Of course a field book isn't going to include every single one in a large region, but how many do people think are missing? Is there a different book I should buy that may have a larger number?

    A few species here and there of course isn't a big deal, but for example the Wintergreen Family (Pyrolaceae) seems to include many edible species if I am correct, and this family is not even listed in the book. I got this information off a website that seems to have quite an extensive database of plants and their edibility, http://www.pfaf.org/user/default.aspx.

    Anyway.. I'm basically trying to get a sense from people how reliable Peterson's 'Edible Wild Plants' book is in terms of numbers and thoroughness. I don't know how many edible species of plants there are in eastern North America - I can't imagine it's a huge amount.. so I just want to know how much people think he is leaving out? How many edible species are there in this region anyway? (if anyone knows) It may not seem necessary, but I want to be as thorough as possible, so I don't accidentally encounter an edible plant and then ignore it because I've been misinformed. Thanks.
     
  5. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    I think you are looking for a tome that doesn't exist. People who are actively foraging generally will not rely on any one of the big name field guides, Peterson included. Yes, some groups are omitted by any extensive edible plants field guide that is out to date. Lots of reasons including lack of space.

    Among the several published experts I encounter online or in person, no one of them is going to be able to cover all aspects.

    You absolutely will continue to overlook edible plants that grow nearby simply because your scope of knowledge hasn't covered it yet. The experts will disagree on edibility, and the aborginal peoples will have historically disagreed on some of them too.

    Just last week, one list I'm on had one top notch researcher-teacher state that something was not palatable, only to have three others come forward and say the opposite. Was it that he was wrong, or was his experience to do with environment or his own taste buds? Another list someone recently stated categorically that all wild mushrooms should be considered toxic. Hmmm, that's safe, but not accurate at all. I will mention here that the first named authority we've noted is guilty of including edibility and preparation tips that are not borne out by others with first hand experience. That doesn't reduce that invaluable field guide in my eyes, but does reinforce that multiple sources must be checked.

    Go to used book sales and get the Boy Scouts manuals and Euell Gibbons books. Lots of others that are out of print too, but you'll see those often enough. Foxfire books, sometimes witchy books, or esoteric plant use books will occasionally have something useful to foragers.

    People want Wildman Steve Brill to cover mesquite beans but why would he? He's in New York City. Every one of the foremost published foragers will have a concentration of interest. Sometimes that will extend to other regions or parts of the world, but they can't be all things to all people.

    Start with one or two plants and really get to know them in all seasons. The rest will come in due time.

    I couldn't say how many edibles could be expected in your area. Is 400 reasonable? Sure. Will you be able to find 400, and like 400? No way. What degree of edibility are we talking about? I don't want to eat any solid part of sycamore trees (Platanus occidentalis), but I can drink the sap. Does that make it edible or just a curiosity for survivalists? There are a ton of landscaping imports that have some degree of utility including edibility but foragers don't usually include them unless they naturalize.

    Oh, I probably have a good deal more than 400 wild edibles growing in my area, but look where I live.
     
  6. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    Re: Peterson's 'Edible Wild Plants' book. how thorough?

    Daniel might want to combine this with the other post...

    Just thought I'd mention that Plants for a future has some of the same logistical problems as Petersons. Also keep in mind they are not based in your area, and are not providing a source for foragers so much as a database of information on potentially useful plants.
     
  7. nibs9

    nibs9 Member

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    Thanks thanrose, you've been very helpful. Yeah, after reading your response I realize I am being a bit too obsessive about this, and I should just get out there and start foraging, rather than trying to make some master list of every possible edible plant in my region. Your point about multiple sources is something I have to keep reminding myself of in this vast and complex field. It's true, defining something as 'edible' is largely subjective, and I'm going to have to get to know these plants and try them for myself before I can start to make informed opinions.

    Thanks for the book tips too. And again, you're right - Peterson may have dubbed 400 species in my area 'edible', but what constitutes 'edible' seems to be quite variable. Some plants are made into flour, others need to be boiled several times in a row before they can be remotely palatable.. Some may be used only for tea or sap as you mentioned..

    Anyway. I'll keep working at it, and cross-reference as much as possible. I'm away in Holland right now, but when I return home I think I'll try to get out there pretty soon and start actually getting my hands dirty. (no pun intended :P)
     
  8. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Another excellent resource are the native elders in your area. It's more than worth it to visit the reserve and try to talk to them - once they find out you're interested in foraging they'll normally open right up, and they're an amazing fount of information.
     

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