Foragers have edge in tough times
By Gretchen Steele
A natural substitute for toilet paper is just one of many useful finds you can make in nature in these difficult days.
As I sit here today, our state is under a shelter-in-place order due to circumstances that many of us have never expected to see happen in our lifetime. Certainly not in the United States, not in our state, not in our neighborhood, not to us personally.
We have watched the entire country seemingly lose its mind in a panicked rush to acquire food, supplies, sanitizing agents and medicines. Must I even mention the mind-boggling rush to buy and hoard toilet paper?
We may be looking at difficult times ahead, we may be watching paradigms shift. Right now, we just don’t know.
What I do know is that when life gets difficult, getting outside becomes more than a little therapeutic for many of us. I do know that the forests and the fields, the woods and the water can provide more than just food for our souls. The outdoors can also provide us food and medicine. Foraging gives us a sense of control and purpose when so many things are seemingly out of control.
I learned from my mother and her brothers. They came of age during The Depression, children in an already struggling coal-mining family. My uncles went off to the CCC, they went off to war. They survived and even thrived because of the outdoor skills instilled in them as children.
They found respite for tired and weary souls as they traversed about collecting plants, mushrooms and spending an afternoon on the river bank with a fishing pole or in the duck blind. My mother could make and set snares for small game like nobody’s business.
Thanks to those folks, and their willingness to share, I began my learning at very early age. Family legend says I was only six weeks old when Mom gathered me up, wrapped me in a big swath of material snugly against her chest and off we went to dig ginseng. I really haven’t come inside since.
Today, I can’t think of a time in my lifetime when having good woodsman skills, good foraging skills might have been more important.
So, let’s talk about foraging basics for this time of year – especially those that are easy enough to find close to home, even in urban or semi-urban areas.
- TP substitutes – Here are three plants with leaves that make good substitutes for toilet paper. Crisis and pandemic aside, this information can also come in handy when out and about adventuring.
Mullein (right) is hands down the best choice. The leaves are soft, fuzzy, and often very large. Wooly lambs ears are a close second. They are smaller leaved, so there is that, but they can also be found in many garden centers and planted at home. Added bonus: Lambs ears have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and absorbent properties. Broadleaf plantain is often found in yards and parks.
When you aren’t wiping, here are some foraging finds you can eat. - Dandelions – Who doesn’t have dandelions? Not much need to worry about harvest with this plant. Seriously, they are great; stop trying to wipe them from the planet!
Dandelion leaves are excellent fresh or cooked. Best-case scenario are young, recently emerged leaves, or those growing in semi-shade. They are tastier BEFORE they start to flower. They make a delicious addition to a salad, quiche, or sautéed greens. They can also be used to make tea.
Along with leaves, you can also eat the flowers and roots. Roots should be dug in early spring or late fall and eaten before the plant sends up its flower or after it has died back.
With wee ones at home these days, how about trying dandelion flower fritters or cookies? They are tasty treats, a fun activity and kids will learn that foraging and harvesting plants is great. - Violets – More flower fun! Leaves and flowers of violets are edible, tasty and attractive on the plate. Flowers can be candied, tossed into a salad to add color and interest, or made into syrup and boy do they make a beautiful and delicate tasting jelly!
The leaves are super tossed into a salad, and consumed raw. Mix them into your salad or chop and add on your sandwich or in your tuna or chicken salad. Yes, they can be cooked in a stir fry, steamed etc. But honestly, they get an odd gluey texture when cooked and it’s not so great.
Lastly, dry some violet leaves to use for a tea. Dried violet leaves make a delightful tea that is good for coughs, congestion and soothes sore throats.
- Red bud blossoms – Here in Illinois, not only do red bud trees grow wild, they are often used as ornamentals. Find a red bud in flower, pull off the flowers and eat them, right there on the spot. You won’t be disappointed.
Once you’ve gathered extras, the blossoms fit into any salad. They are fantastic raw on salads, but can also be pickled, added to sorbets, omelets, tossed on top of sandwich and are good in muffins, pancakes and baked goods. The flower buds are also edible and can be pickled and used the same way you would capers.
Because red bud blossoms can disappear almost overnight during a storm or spring heat wave, I always dry some in the dehydrator for later on in the year. Red bud blossoms and flower buds are very high in vitamin C and are certainly helpful when warding off colds, flu and other icks. - Garlic mustard – Oh yes, that dastardly invasive species that seems to be taking over everywhere in Illinois is a great early spring green. There is definitely no worry about overharvest on an invasive species! Garlic mustard greens are a high nutrition value as they have substantial amounts of vitamins A, C, E and some of the B vitamins. Consider that garlic mustard also contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium, copper, iron and manganese as well as omega-3 fatty acids, and you can see that there’s plenty reason to be eating the darn stuff. Like most spring greens, it’s the young, early leaves that are the best. As it gets taller and tougher it’s not as good.
Here are some creative ideas to use this nutritious plant: add some finely chopped leaves to grain and pasta dishes, throw it in your mashed potatoes or omelets, certainly add it to a salad or on top of a sandwich. It makes a really tasty pesto, and the pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays to use later on down the road. - Chickweed – Chickweed is another helpful and nutritious plant that gets a bad rap and most people tend to curse and spend a good bit of time and money trying to eradicate from picture-perfect lawns. Instead of fighting chickweed, embrace it for what it can give you.
Chickweed is not just tasty, it’s nutritious as well. Additionally, unlike many wild edibles, all of the plant is edible.
Raw, it tastes much like corn silk. Cooked it is similar to spinach, though the texture is different. It can be added to soups or stews, but wait to add it until the last five minutes to prevent overcooking.
This is a rough start, always utilize field guides, friends in the know, reputable web sites to help you learn to identify these plants and find more and varied ways to use them.
