Edible and Medicinal Plant Foraging Workshop
Sunday May 25, 2014
Our day began in the sunny morning along a trail deep in the Hockley Valley. As our small group arrived we began to introduce ourselves. It seemed everyone came together to share the sunny day, and to learn. New faces began to connect in nature, and everyone was eager to begin the hike into the valley. As we ventured forth, Alexis outlined a very important topic – ethical stewardship and sustainable harvesting techniques. Not only was it important to correctly harvest the plant, but also to offer the land something in return.
We observed our first plant – the American Basswood. The tender early spring leaves are edible only for a short time. We ventured forward, discussing edibles even within a few feet of the trail entrance. We didn’t need to walk far – there are so many edibles all around us! Garlic mustard was first, a highly invasive species but a delicacy as a pesto. My personal favourite of the day – the Spruce tree – appeared next along the trail. The young new growth is chock full of vitamin C and a flavourful punch followed every nibble.
The plants we began to encounter are considered superfoods due to the high content of rich vitamins and minerals and trace elements. The flavours of these plants hit interesting parts of the tongue. We discussed incorporating bitter and sour flavours into our typically salty and sweet diets. The richness of flavours is one to be explored. It is important to remember to eat a small amount of the foraged edibles before over-consuming. Our bodies are not quite used to the intensity and we may not be aware of possible reactions.
Our next venture took us into a clearing of a nettle patch mixed with wild raspberry. The common nettle and wood nettle were exciting to find, and we were careful to avoid the stinging hairs. We followed the stream off the path and made our way through meadow following a deer trail. We stopped at the foot of a deer bed to examine our first mystery of the day – identifying a poisonous Cypress Spurge plant. Our next edible that we came across was horse tail. The group became more aware of how to utilize weeds as edibles and how the value of plants can change depending on the value we put into it.




Jill Byers Earth Tracks Intern 2014
May 25th Orangeville course
Herbs:
Dandelion
Garlic mustard
Burdock
Plantain
Nettle
Wood nettle
Goldenrod (sp?)
Viola spp. “violets”
Wild ginger
Bedstraw
Jewelweed
Wild leeks
Blue cohosh
Trout lily
Sarsparilla
Trees:
Basswood
Spruce
White pine
Red pine
Walnut (sp?)
Eastern hemlock
Trembling aspen
Shrubs:
Raspberry
Gooseberry
Currant (sp?)
Other:
Horsetail
Chaga
Poisonous:
Cypress spurge
Bloodroot
Poison ivy
Jack in the pulpit
Squirrel corn
Discussed:
Waterleaf
Balsam fir
White elm
Wild marjoram or basil
Oak (Acorns)
Cattail