by Sheila Doucet, AAWE Paris and Environment Team Co-Chair
SOME GOLDEN RULES*
*as gleaned from several urban nature walks taken during the summer of 2023 in and around Paris. This is presented here only as a general introduction to the subject.
WHO: Know which plant species it is you see.
Which characteristics are you relying on to identify the plant?
Here are a few general tips to consider: stem and leaf shape, placement, disposition of leaves, number of petals, size, color, smell, etc. Remember that a plant’s appearance evolves as it grows, so be aware of seasonal changes as it matures and goes to seed.
Typically, one begins classifying a plant by family (e.g., number of petals, how the leaves grow, touch, smell of the leaves if crushed or whole, presence of “hairs” or “poils”; examine the underside of the leaves, number of flowers (be aware that certain flowers change color depending on the soil), shape and color of the stem, presence of grains, etc.).
Taxus baccata, the hardy Yew tree, shown in the photo at the right, is commonly employed as a decorative tree, but is highly toxic.
WHERE: Know your surroundings: where you are “in the world?”
Are plants located downstream from cattle – to avoid parasitic worms? Are they close to railroad tracks which were routinely sprayed with herbicides? Is this field routinely sprayed with pesticides? Has this site seen industrial activity – which may include accumulated soil toxicity? How far away are heavy traffic and roads that result in pollution from exhaust pipes? Do wild (e.g., foxes, skunks) or domestic (cats) animals frequent the area? In this case, you should select higher branches – approximately 30 centimeters above the soil – to avoid contamination by feces; cooking typically removes this threat. The easiest way to reduce the risks associated with location is to gather from a variety of different places rather than concentrating on one spot.
Know WHAT part of the plant is edible (i.e., stem, roots, leaf, blossom).
Know WHEN to gather, how much, and when to eat (i.e., the intensity of the taste can differ depending on the season).
Know HOW to “consume” – as food or for topical or ingestible medicinal uses (raw, crushed, cooked, poultice/paste, dried into an herbal tea).
Know WHY this particular plant may be available in limited quantities (if that’s the case, then it is best to leave it in its habitat to allow nature to replenish the supply before picking).
To sum up: Unless you are 1,000 percent sure of the plant, DO NOT EAT. DO NOT consume. Do NOT “Pass Go to collect your $100” (for some plants, there is no “Get out of jail FREE card.”)
Now that we have your attention, welcome to the wonderous, wide world of foraging.
“Foraging: a subsistence system that relies on wild plant and animal food resources. This system is sometimes called “hunting and gathering.”1
Since humankind’s appearance approximately 200,000 years until the development of agriculture an estimated 11,000 years ago, homo sapiens have hunted and gathered. This applies to approximately 95% of our time on earth.2 Early foraged food types typically included nuts, fruits, tubers, berries, herbs, worms and insects. Without reaching beyond a generation or two ago, many Westerners either lived on farms or lived in cities with a backyard vegetable garden. It might not have been foraging, but we were closer to our sources of food.
Aside from the practical aspects presented above, there is often a sentimental connection many of us feel when speaking about foraging. Do you have warm, fuzzy memories of foraging during your childhood? What were the circumstances? Were you the one transmitting knowledge with the next generation(s) or the one receiving? That feeling is often rooted in “sharing”: of food, of culture, of a sense of adventure.
Left: My delighted niece sharing her favorite spot to collect juicy ripe blackberries. They typically collect enough for my Dad to prepare piping hot blackberry dumplings.
Right: Unripe berries.
Tips on ways to begin your foraging adventures
- Learn common poisonous plants, particularly those local to the area where you’ll be hunting.
- Learn which plants may be endangered in that area in order to allow plants to regenerate.
- Begin by joining a nature walk or class, or join up with an experienced individual.
- ONLY take what you will actually use.
- Be mindful of over-harvesting in any particular zone.
- Check out resources on comestible foods available at your local library.
- Invest in a couple of handy field guides to pack along with you on your walks to complement any plant identification apps you may have on your phone.
- Keep a notebook handy for notes, plant samples, photos, etc.
- Try harvesting plants which gardeners commonly refer to as “weeds,” such as dandelions and nettles. They are abundant; many are nutritious. Besides, if they pop up spontaneously in your yard or in a neighbor’s, you may win his/her appreciation if you cart them away.
- Be patient. It can easily take several seasons to comfortably – and confidently – recognize a desired plant.
Ultimately, these tips are here to encourage you to begin honing your observation skills while limiting risks. Gardening and foraging – as opposed to our contemporary Western habit of drifting through the fully furnished aisles of a local supermarket – require us to open our eyes to more fully see, appreciate and marvel at our natural surroundings, both for our personal safety and as responsible stewards of the natural world. Happy hunting!
REFERENCES
1 “Foraging” LibreTexts, Creative Commons Social Sciences, Cultures of the World—Perspectives on Culture (Scheib), Chapter 6. Subsistence. HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College
2 “Foraging” by Cynthia Stokes Brown, Khan Academy, Big History Project, Unit 6: Lesson 4, How Did the First Humans Live?
RESOURCES
Unlimited: the local library, field guides, forest ranger talks, a botany class, websites, specialized libraries, forager blogs, organized nature walks, etc.
All photos taken by the author and reprinted with permission.
