Wild foods and medicines

[Nashitheki]

In the eastern forests, Indians were hunters, gatherers and simple agricultualists. Many surivied upon hunting and wild foods while waiting to harvest the '3 Sisters'

Tuckahoe root, mayapples, persimmons, berries, wild plums, cherries, paw paws, mushrooms, sumpweed seeds, cattail roots-shoots, acorns and nuts are some of the wild foods I'm familiar with.

What wild foods are found in your locations and how do you prepare them ?

Club moss spores can be used on bad cuts to stop bleeding. Sasafras root can bring down a fever or quell stomach pains. Willow bark as everyone knows can ease aches and pain.

 

[Quintessence]

I dabble in wild foods, but I don't do much harvesting because of my sense of ecological responsibility. The only things I harvest to bring back home have been native fruits such as black walnuts, mulberries, and black raspberries. Everything else I sample small bits of when I'm wandering and I only take from populations I know are abundant and stable. Many things I try don't really keep and desiccate rapidly, so trying to take them home would be impractical.

I've been meaning to harvest cattail. I hear there are all sorts of awesome things you can do with them!

 

[Vinayaka]

Willow bark as everyone knows can ease aches and pain.

Didn't someone steal this, and call it aspirin?

I've eaten cattail shoots and their green flowers.

 

[Sylvan]

Nettles! Plenty of those on the trails I wander fed by springs and waterfalls. They are a favorite green, just sautee in olive oil and pitch of salt and you're good to go. Don't harvest after it flowers! (seasons almost over!) The trail also contains Trillium, which I would only take one or two of, even though there are many. Also LOTS of Lemon balm on the trail, which finds its way into my tea all year.

 

[Nashitheki]

Didn't someone steal this, and call it aspirin?

Perhaps the fine folk at Bayer.

Cattail shoots are good fresh and even better when seasoned and steamed.

 

[Nashitheki]

I dabble in wild foods, but I don't do much harvesting because of my sense of ecological responsibility. The only things I harvest to bring back home have been native fruits such as black walnuts, mulberries, and black raspberries. Everything else I sample small bits of when I'm wandering and I only take from populations I know are abundant and stable. Many things I try don't really keep and desiccate rapidly, so trying to take them home would be impractical.

I've been meaning to harvest cattail. I hear there are all sorts of awesome things you can do with them!

We've a decent patch of blackberries nearby and usually there's enough for everyone including the boxturtles who will munch them all day. It's kind of candid to see that purple juice all over their heads.

Anyway I once spoke to you about morels some of the finest fungus one can eat.

(Morels)

Now there's another species similar in appearance, called false morels. Not so good to eat.

 

[painted wolf]

We gather wild blackberries, blueberries, apples and chokecherries.... or we used to until we moved. We don't know the local area very well yet.

We have also gathered "Indian cucumbers", fiddle heads, walnuts, butternuts and would have done cattails (roots and stems) but all the local sources were to close to roads to not be contaminated.

We don't do mushrooms, too much risk for us.

I'd love to try processing acorns but it's a heck of a lot of time and work.

wa:do

 

[Nashitheki]

There's several species of edible mushrooms here, but morels are the only one I am sure of when gathering them alone.

I've tried poke salad a couple of times, but that's tricky to as the plant must be harvested at the right time.

The wild grapes around here are good, but one has to compete with the birds when they ripen. I knew a man once who home distilled wild grapes into a very good brandy.

 

[painted wolf]

Our wild grapes tend to be very tart and we have to be careful of not confusing them with moonseed which is poisonous.

wa:do

 

[Nashitheki]

Muscadines are rather sweet if picked at the right time. Most fox grapes I've tried were somewhat tart.

 

[painted wolf]

We only really have fox grapes up this way, too far north for Muscadines unfortunately. People south of us definitely have a better range of choices for wild edibles.

We have tried different times with fox grapes... including after a hard frost, which should crystalize the sugars and make them more pronounced... but still too tart for our tastes. Maybe if we made jelly and added sugar, but we don't have enough plants to harvest enough for that and leave some for those who need them more than we do.

wa:do

 

[Nashitheki]

While camping in the mountains in the Spring, we sometimes pick ramps, a wild leek some call wild or bear's garlic. We have used them in potatoes and in various other dishes. Although ramps are tasty, they are rather strong and should be measured in dishes accordingly. I made that mistake once and completely snuffed out the taste of some fine rainbow trout.

 

[Broken Smoke]

While camping in the mountains in the Spring, we sometimes pick ramps, a wild leek some call wild or bear's garlic. We have used them in potatoes and in various other dishes. Although ramps are tasty, they are rather strong and should be measured in dishes accordingly. I made that mistake once and completely snuffed out the taste of some fine rainbow trout.

:no: Stick with using them on stronger meats like bear. But ramp time is over here now. Ground nuts are booming and duck potatoes as well as fairyspuds are just right. Isn't it great to have real family experiences to draw on for food?

 

[painted wolf]

I forgot one of the best of the best here.... maple syrup. You can make syrup from trees other than the Sugar Maple, but they produce the sweetest and most tasty sap.

We aren't too far from the ocean... a couple of hours. So if we really wanted we could go there to gather periwinkles, muscles, quahogs, razor clams, scallops, oysters, crabs, lobster and fish.
We can also gather edible muscles from lakes. But, you need to be careful of polluted waters and their population needs.

This would also be the time of year for ducks and geese and the collecting of wild eggs.

wa:do

 

[Nashitheki]

:no: Stick with using them on stronger meats like bear. But ramp time is over here now. Ground nuts are booming and duck potatoes as well as fairyspuds are just right. Isn't it great to have real family experiences to draw on for food?

But I've had your bear roast before my love and it needed no ramps. Yes the ramps are gone for the year and bear season is far off, but upon my next visit to yer kitchen, I'm sure you can whip up something for me, my fine woman of the river.

Crab cakes and hush puppies will do in a pinch.

 

[Broken Smoke]

Nettles! Plenty of those on the trails I wander fed by springs and waterfalls. They are a favorite green, just sautee in olive oil and pitch of salt and you're good to go. Don't harvest after it flowers! (seasons almost over!) The trail also contains Trillium, which I would only take one or two of, even though there are many. Also LOTS of Lemon balm on the trail, which finds its way into my tea all year.

We love cream of nettle soup!!!! We use a chicken stock base for it. I think the heavy cream cancels out the blood cleansing properties of the nettles though. Nettles are one of the best spring foods along with sorrel.
Trillium are a bear to transplant for me. Are you using them in your garden or for medicinal reasons?

 

[Broken Smoke]

But I've had your bear roast before my love and it needed no ramps. Yes the ramps are gone for the year and bear season is far off, but upon my next visit to yer kitchen, I'm sure you can whip up something for me, my fine woman of the river.

Crab cakes and hush puppies will do in a pinch.

There is nothing lovelier on a tanned face than a blush.:hearts:

Will you be here for the green corn ceremony or do you want to come sooner?

 

[Nashitheki]

There is nothing lovelier on a tanned face than a blush.:hearts:

Will you be here for the green corn ceremony or do you want to come sooner?

You know I will

 

[methylatedghosts]

What wild foods are found in your locations and how do you prepare them ?

We have Horopito here in NZ. Commonly known as the pepper tree. Loads of antioxidants, and a good fungicide. Traditionally used to treat fungal skin infections by bruising and steeping in water, or chewing before applying to the skin, and also to treat digestive complaints simply by chewing or drinking as tea. As an analgesic, it can be chewed to relieve toothaches.

As a herb, it adds a peppery spice to dishes. Delicious with kumara and pumpkin

 

[Broken Smoke]

We have Horopito here in NZ. Commonly known as the pepper tree. Loads of antioxidants, and a good fungicide. Traditionally used to treat fungal skin infections by bruising and steeping in water, or chewing before applying to the skin, and also to treat digestive complaints simply by chewing or drinking as tea. As an analgesic, it can be chewed to relieve toothaches.

As a herb, it adds a peppery spice to dishes. Delicious with kumara and pumpkin

It sounds like it has the same uses as tea tree. I shall google it and see if they are of the same family.