We walk past food in our gardens, along footpaths, in parks, on street verges and overhanging fences everyday but we are so used to buying a restricted range of processed foods in the supermarket we don't see it. There are many reasons to take up food foraging: it connects you to nature and the seasons, teaches you old skills of recognising, harvesting and processing food, supplements your bought food groceries dropping your food bill, could feed you during natural disasters, exposes you to a wider range of food and it really is fun. I love the intellectual challenge of eating foods free from nature like our ancestors have for thousands of years.
However basic safety rules are:
1. If you are not 100% sure of your identification of a plant DON'T EAT IT
2. Don't eat plants that are close to busy roads or have been sprayed.
There are plenty of good books on foraging and information on the internet. Start with plants that are easy to recognise and increase your foraging diet as you grow in confidence and learn more.
Have fun!
However basic safety rules are:
1. If you are not 100% sure of your identification of a plant DON'T EAT IT
2. Don't eat plants that are close to busy roads or have been sprayed.
There are plenty of good books on foraging and information on the internet. Start with plants that are easy to recognise and increase your foraging diet as you grow in confidence and learn more.
Have fun!