Foraging

A visit to any trendy food vendor will yield some interesting ingredients on the menu. For example, my daughter recently tried squid ink ice cream at one of our favorite …

Crunchy, tangy capers are a staple in Mediterranean dishes. These tiny buds pack a flavorful punch and go great in everything from seafood to the classic chicken piccata. Normally, there’s …

Every winter, there comes a point where you bundle up tightly, head outdoors, and it hits you, right in the face – that little whiff of spring. Instead of bitter …

It is officially spring when little yellow flowers begin to pop up in the thousands, turning every lawn into a star-studded carpet worthy of applause. Not everyone thinks the same …

At first glance, plants might appear totally helpless against insects, herbivores, and other leaf-gobbling predators. Like sitting ducks, plants are rooted in one spot so they can’t do the whole …

If you haven’t discovered nettle leaf powder yet, now is the time to taste the amazing flavor you’ve been missing. That’s right, nettle leaf powder is something that you eat …

Most of us know that dandelion greens are edible, but beyond that, how many of us have actually eaten them? Do you wonder how to pick them or when? Have …

When thinking about edible plants and foraging for food, ferns are one of the first things that come to mind. But, whether you’re a seasoned forager or an inquisitive gardener, …

With the holidays fast approaching, many of us are making lists and checking them twice. While some people are easy to find gifts for, there’s always one or two people …

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose… Sounds about right to me as evening temperatures are dipping to just below freezing and glittering frost fills …

Oh, folks, fall is finally here; isn’t it lovely? No more back and forth, with one day in the high 70s and the next rainy and cold. Fall has settled …

Foraging can be a great way to supplement a homegrown diet. When foraging, you may be surprised by some of the great wild edibles you can find. For example, did …

Finding free food is always a cause for celebration among the homesteading types, and the pawpaw is a prized yet often forgotten option. Considered the largest native North American fruit, …

Whether we are talking about leaves from your gracious English walnut, or black walnut leaves, gardeners have a tendency to tense up. “Not in my garden!”, they say. There are …

Stellaria media is all around us, one of the numerous early wild edibles, more commonly known as chickweed. Other names for this gracious little plant include chickenwort, starweed, maruns, craches …

Is dandelion a friend or foe? A thing of beauty or a yard-blanketing beast? Well, it all depends on how you choose to look at it. If you consider it …

Springtime is my favorite time to forage. There’s an abundance of wild edibles growing this time of year. After a long winter of heavy, comfort foods, the woods and fields …

Eat this plant. It’s garlic mustard. Eat as much of it as you can. (This is where you imagine intense music playing in the background.) Um, okay, Tracey, sure, whatever …

Raising perennial berry bushes on the homestead can take years of effort, often with minimal reward. A better option? Focus on foraging the wild fruit abundant in your region. Autumn …

Elderberries are one of my favorite fall-garden attractions. Where elders grow, the glossy, black berries on their reddish-pink stems are a definitive sight of the season. Here on our homestead, …

Rosehips are definitely one of the defining flavours of the fall. Yet many people are unaware that many rose bushes develop these useful hips (if they are given the chance …

Each spring, there comes a time when the new, green freshness of the season finally wears off, and the long hot days begin to take the notion of summer seriously. …

Elderflower is an ingredient with more potential than you may imagine. This common hedgerow find is often used to make a delicious seasonal cordial. But there are also plenty of …

You’ve got to love dandelions. They’re bright hey-look-at-me-yellow. You can often find these tough flowers growing up out of the cracks in the pavement in the middle of a city. …