# Wild Edibles



## RBM

It was suggested that wild edibles be a sticky thread so here it is. Like Ben and many of us have said on here, "Always be sure of your ability to identify the plants correctly or else get help from someone you really trust. Be careful and enjoy! " I would add that your local county extension office, expert, college, or university would be good sources to get a plant's correct identity. Just take a sample in.

A good reference site is Deane Jordan's Eat the Weeds. Use the search feature on the site. But still take a sample in or get positive ID before making use of a plant.

http://www.eattheweeds.com/


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## 7 point

Good site Thanks.


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## slow motion

Cool link. Very interesting info about ragweed. Gonna try some of the grain.


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## RBM

Just to reinforce what I said above, this thread link and article link should be read.

http://eattheweeds.com/forum/index.php/topic,1726.0.html

http://www.eattheweeds.com/field-testing-plants-for-edibility/


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## Bennyhillbilly

This subject is what lured me into the forum several years ago. Thanks for starting something up. If things really ever go south then this will be the way to go. All the meat will be gone in a year but plants do survive. Can't wait for the input from some of the folks that do this with regularity! Thanks again! Y'all made my year!!


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## RBM

Bennyhillbilly said:


> This subject is what lured me into the forum several years ago. Thanks for starting something up. If things really ever go south then this will be the way to go. All the meat will be gone in a year but plants do survive. Can't wait for the input from some of the folks that do this with regularity! Thanks again! Y'all made my year!!



I wouldn't be so sure. Both animals and plants can be over harvested. Both are actually needed nutritionally. Agriculture (of domestic animals and crops) is needed for "long" term survival. But wild edibles and wild animals do help and are needed for "short" term survival so please leave something behind and conserve the resources.


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## 7 point

I have A few to add Blackberry tea is good for soothing an upset stomach you can make grape tea that is good for head ach.


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## HossBog

7, how ye make the grape tea? The wild blue or purple ones that are growing all over? Those we call bullouses, or some such name? Use the leaves?


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## Jlbankston

I am new to foraging. actually im completely clueless to it, but I want to know more about it. With foraging for spruce gum would this not taste like pure pine sap? or is there ways of cooking it so to speak to prevent spruce gum from tasting like turpentine? I am curious to know before i get out there and start chewing on pine sap. pm me your answers if you like. thanks!


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## RBM

Jlbankston said:


> I am new to foraging. actually im completely clueless to it, but I want to know more about it. With foraging for spruce gum would this not taste like pure pine sap? or is there ways of cooking it so to speak to prevent spruce gum from tasting like turpentine? I am curious to know before i get out there and start chewing on pine sap. pm me your answers if you like. thanks!



This article says,





> The taste is… well… sprucy but it does moderate over time, harsh at first, almost sweet after several hours of chewing.



http://www.eattheweeds.com/a-pitch-for-spruce-gum/


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## Grey Fox

Dean Green is a great teacher.  I am getting into foraging and herbal medicine.  Youtube is a great resouce. 


videos must be embedded in accordance to forum rules.


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## SELFBOW

Found this one interesting. http://eatingmymoccasinsnow.blogspot.com/2009/04/autrey-mill-nature-preserve.html?m=1


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## waddler

We are using Mullein for tea, and plan to use it more often. I harvested some seed stalks and killed off an area of the yard. When should I sow the seeds and what kind of site prep should I do? Experiences are helpful.

Also found about 15 plants in one spot on the place. What could I do to help them grow?


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## waddler

Last year I had a ton of Chanterelles, but I was too chicken to eat any. If anyone near Bogart knows about these mushrooms, I would be glad to share for the experience of knowing I am eating ONLY Chanterelles and not some look alike.


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## 7 point

Yeah im A little scared of mushrooms too I only eat or drink what I know.


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## willgreer

*mushrooms*



waddler said:


> Last year I had a ton of Chanterelles, but I was too chicken to eat any. If anyone near Bogart knows about these mushrooms, I would be glad to share for the experience of knowing I am eating ONLY Chanterelles and not some look alike.


You are most likley correct about the chanterelles.last year was a great year for mushrooms.i had 10s of pounds to eat and dry.alot of variety too.oysters, chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, black trumpet, multiple chantrelle varieties.
My advice to you is research the most common species.the chanterelles are fairly common summer mushrooms.yellow to orangee in color, gills not going the stem much past the cap with a distinct odor very similar to apricot.same with the black trumpet other than coloring, which is not really black more dark brown.i could go on for hours even go into taxonomy, but i ramble.a good start is, if allowed, direct you toward paul stammetts and fungiperfecti.com.expect it to be a little hippyish, but the wealth of fungus knowledge is immense.also have a large selection of field guides.
1 just for the southeast.if you like mushrooms that would be invaluable to someone just gettin started.


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## waddler

Thanks for the info. My problem is that I am a "Mushroom Coward" and do not trust myself even on the most basic of identifying characteristics. I have great access to old hardwood forest, but need to find someone to come and share the bounty while I get a hands on lesson.


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## waddler

Are there any folks on here interested in forming a "Foraging Group" centered around Athens? I have found a website that sponsors this type thing and think it would be fun to form a group to meet periodically to spend time in the field learning about, collecting and enjoying meals including the forage.

Shoot me a PM if you have interest.


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## RBM

*Florida Foraging 1*

Spring is here so I thought I would do some backwoods foraging videos. This is the first one on Saw Palmetto. Links are included in the video description. I will put it up in the forum also.


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## RBM

*Florida Foraging 2*

Another clip. This one is Pricklypear Cactus (Opuntia). The camera is a ways off so you might need to turn up the volume. As usual, links are included in the video description. The plant next to the Pricklypear is by common names of Florida Lilac or Golden Dewdrop (Duranta erecta). It is also thorny. I know it because it is a common landscaping ornamental plant for gardeners that like to xeriscape. But I see a lot of them just growing out in the wild because they are suppose to be native.



http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu/News columns/Duranta.Golden.Dewdrop.htm


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## RBM

*Florida Foraging 3*

This is the third one. On Greenbriar stem tips with Usnea thrown in. Greenbriar isn't hard for me to identify and I have eaten my fair share but I have a hard time sometimes figuring out just "which" Greenbriar it is so I was vacillating over whether it was Laurel or Bull Greenbriar. As I stated in the description I am not yet comfortable with or finished studying Usnea and the fact there is not much of it around to be eating it just yet.



Since doing this video and posting it I was given a link that I somehow missed on figuring out the differences of Greenbriars.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr375


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## waddler

Redbuds are setting pods. Should be ready 10 days or so.


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## RBM

*Anticipation*

Berry anticipation that is. I just checked again at the big patch today in hopes to shoot video. I see more new berries but none are ripe yet. Color change from green to red on the Huckleberries (both large leaf and small leaf high bush) and Blackberries but the Blueberries still have not changed from green yet. Some like the large leaf low bush Blueberries have not even put out blossoms yet. I did find some small leaf high bush Huckleberries. So bottom line is there seems to be a real good berry crop for this season but they just haven't gone ripe yet and I am still waiting so no video yet.

I am trying to keep a close eye on them so I can get to them "before" all the critters wipe them out. lol


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## waddler

Greenbriar shoots are out on existing vines, but no new spikes from the ground yet. Mullein is growing rapidly, should start harvesting leaves next week. No mushrooms yet.


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## NCHillbilly

Morels are popping here, and the ramps are getting good sized. Life is good.


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## waddler

Couple of handfuls of Greenbriar shoots chopped
half pound hamburger
cup of brown rice
two eggs
soy sauce
salt 
paprika

Cook meat in the skillet, drain, then saute shoots in meat juice, put two eggs beaten with soy sauce into drained meat, dust well with paprika and add back to shoots in the skillet, bog it all down in rice and let simmer for awhile.

Wash down with glass of red wine.


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## RBM

*Florida Foraging 4 Part 1*

Here is the first part of the berry video. The video was so large I had to split it into two parts. Links are included under the video description as usual. I will put it up in the forum also.


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## RBM

*Florida Foraging 4 Part 2*

Here is the second part of the berry video. I probably should add caution when working around the berries among other edibles as critters are drawn to the edibles like berries. That in turn draws snakes laying in wait for critters to come along. Snakes will hang out in Palmettos and berry patches waiting for critters to pass by. So watch out for snakes. Bears are not so much of problem here around the berries but not to say that the odd bear couldn't have a patch of berries staked out so its good to exercise caution.


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## RBM

I guess no wild edible discussion would be complete without mention of the avoidables. The avoidables are the poisonous and toxic plants we want to avoid and stay away from. So I am putting together some of the main backwoods avoidables that are in this area and get it into a video. It may take a while. We want to eat wild edibles without getting sick or worse. So we want to eat wild edibles safely. For example, it might be a good idea to know those leaves you are putting into your tea, salad, or stew that you picked do not have some others mixed in there that you might have accidently picked along with the edible ones. It would only take an avoidable growing next to an edible. We need to know avoidables for this reason if no other. Please examine your harvest and clean it to make sure that what you have does not have things you don't want. Toxic bugs, toxic fungus, and the wrong plant are not what you want. Discard the bad and keep the good. We can't really know wild edibles without knowing avoidables also. Ignorance can be deadly.


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## RBM

*Why Forage? By Deane Jordan*

Good article by Deane about foraging in the latest issue of Wildness.

http://issuu.com/wildnessmagazine/docs/wildnessjulaug_14_1_


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## RBM

*Grapes are on*

Wild grapes are on the vine here but still small and green. The tiny bunches are hard to spot right now behind leaves. Maybe later like the end of July or early August I am guessing before they are ripe. The animals will clean the lower vines and they probably won't wait until they are ripe just like the Hucks and Blues but the higher grape bunches that they can't reach might escape the animals. Birds are another matter.

When they are ripe I will try to do a video clip that may be by itself or go with other clips. But they are still a ways off yet before being ripe.


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## waddler

The recent rains missed my place and the ground is littered with green grapes and also a Pignut Hickory cast its fruit. I can only guess it was dry weather that caused it.


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## RBM

You Florida folks might find a couple of books useful. Fairly cheap also. A starter handbook and a more comprehensive one we have never had before now.

_Florida's Incredible Wild Edibles_ by Richard J. Deuerling and Peggy S. Lantz.

_Florida's Edible Wild Plants: A Guide to Collecting and Cooking_ by Peggy Sias Lantz.

Both books are worth the money. By no means a complete list but many major common plants. Peggy is a contemporary, friend, and fellow expert of Deane Jordan. They differ on a few plants as to be expected but for the most part agree with each other. Deane has given a good review of Peggy's book. Since Deane has no book, now there is a foraging handbook for Florida folks.



			
				Deane Jordan said:
			
		

> Later Dick and Peggy teamed up to produce “Florida’s Incredible Edibles” which has a lot of Dick’s traipsing through the woods in it. More comprehensive than that, Florida’s Wild Edible Plants provides a colorful foraging handbook for a state that really did not have one. Peggy’s book is a solid, botanically-based foundation for anyone interested in wild edibles in Florida. I have already used it for a reference several times. There can be no higher compliment.



Deane's Newsletter 20 May 2014.
http://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-20-may-2014/


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## elmer_fudd

Here are a few I have not seen mentioned, and I have tried myself:
kudzu
hog peanut
maypop (passion fruit)
pine (inner bark)
bear corn (aka squaw root)
cattail
maple seeds
snails
groundnut tubers


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## RBM

*FloridaForaging5*

Another foraging clip and the wild grapes here are now ripe. This one was difficult for me to describe the shape of the grape seed and I just called it round but its really tear-drop shaped. Also I have never seen a Canada Moonseed other than pictures and what I have read. We don't have Moonseed here so I have to rely on references. Those were my two biggest problems with this video. I will put it up in the forum also.


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## SELFBOW

Found this today. Consensus says its Lions mane and a highly sought after edible.


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## SELFBOW

I took the Lion's Mane today. Grilled it w butter and garlic salt and put it atop a vension burger.


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## waddler

How was it?


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## waddler

My "Oyster" logs flushed for the third time. Found them Tuesday afternoon. This after all the freezing weather.


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## justknight

RBM said:


> Spring is here so I thought I would do some backwoods foraging videos. This is the first one on Saw Palmetto. Links are included in the video description. I will put it up in the forum also.



Quick question for you Robert, I came across some Saw Palmetto Berries scouting for hogs, looked like these were being eaten by the local wildlife. There were lots of em scattered around. I did research and it appears the indians used to eat them, but they say the taste is pretty awful. Have you ever tried them?


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## RBM

justknight said:


> Quick question for you Robert, I came across some Saw Palmetto Berries scouting for hogs, looked like these were being eaten by the local wildlife. There were lots of em scattered around. I did research and it appears the indians used to eat them, but they say the taste is pretty awful. Have you ever tried them?



Yes but they are pretty nasty to me. Don't mess with the berries unless you can stomach them. The berries would fall into that edible but not so palatable category. Also be careful about picking them because they now have laws in place as folks are getting them for the prostate pharmaceutical industry. The laws are meant to control the collection and sale of the berries. So no berry pilfering. And watch out for rattlers.



> Quakers described the flavor of the saw palmetto berries in 1692, “rotten cheese steeped in tobacco juice.”





> In a modern day twist the saw palmetto berries have several medical application so this “irksome” weed is a $70 million or more business in Florida. They’ve even had to pass laws to prevent unauthorized saw palmetto berry pilfering.  Has a $500 fine. We now know saw palmetto berries have a positive effect on the male reproductive system, though the studies are mixed.



Deane Jordan article below.

http://www.eattheweeds.com/saw-palmetto-saga-3/


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## Fletch_W

On Saturday I identified the following in abundance in my 2 acre yard:

In order of abundance- _and note, these are not my pics_

Henbit







Dandelion










Violet [leaf tastes alot like spinach, low astringency)






Plantain (Narrow leaf) [tastes like arugula]







Wild Garlic
Strawberry
Persimmon (large adult tree)


There is also a ton of what I always thought was chickweed, but several websites have told me it is not. 

Bordering the property is a large undeveloped expanse of hardwood bottoms with a large creek. I haven't trespassed back there, but in the event of needing to trespass, I bet I could find mushrooms in season and a white oak somewhere.


I could probably survive indefinitely by foraging in my back yard. Only problem is I rent. In the apocalypse, will my landlord let me stay?




Edit.... Add Wood Sorrel to the list. A good bit of this out there too.


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## Fletch_W

What is this? This picture is supposedly Chicory, and I have this in the yard, but another site says Chicory has no hairs on the leaves. Mine have hairs. 










UPDATE  Edit--- According to Ohio State, chicory DOES have hairs---



> Leaves - Rosette leaves are 2 to 6 inches long, oblong or lance-shaped, and *covered with rough hairs on both the upper and lower surfaces*. Margins of basal leaves are either deeply dissected with pointed lobes or they may be shallowly toothed. Stem leaves are small, sparse, alternate (1 leaf per node), lance-shaped, and clasping. Stem leaves have smooth or slightly toothed edges.


http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/singlerecord.asp?id=920



Is Wildman Steve Brill wrong????

http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Chicory.html



> With white, milky sap, it looks like its edible relatives. However, the dandelionís larger, sharper teeth point to the leaf base; and wild lettuceís finely hairy leaves contrast with *chicoryís hairless leaves*. Without poisonous look-alikes, chicory is a good target for beginners.


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## RBM

Just make sure there aren't any pesticides or herbicides on your yard.

My problem is I live where sodded yards are required and they get sprayed. I would not want to eat anything from the yards around here or anywhere that there may be pollutants. I go the woodlands for wild edibles and "most" (not all) of those urban and suburban "household" wild edibles just are not out in the wild woodland.

I am not familiar with Chicory so I would not know. That would be a good question for Deane.

http://www.eattheweeds.com/cichorium-intybus-burned-to-a-crisp-2/


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## afssgt

Anybody know of a good spot to go mushroom huntin around Valdosta or anywhere around that area. Adel, Cecil, etc.


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## waddler

I have decided this Morel thing is a cruel hoax by Nature to punish the foolhardy souls gullible enough to trek miles thru the woods with their eyes glued to the ground. Furthermore, I would like to go on record that I am certain the reports online about finding these critters are simply disinformation put out by Leprechauns protecting their "Gold Stash" at the end of the rainbow.

Finally, this guy puts up a pic on Facebook, and the "choice edible" is the size of a copper penny. How in the world can you see such in leaf litter from six feet up in the air? I have searched Bogart woods for two solid days and have yet to find anything resembling a "Morel". I did however find a couple of Agrocybe praecox. 






Supposedly this is edible, but with my current run of luck I decided to pass. If there is a kind soul out there that has really found one of these mythical creations anywhere near Bogart, please share with me your experience. Especially as to how and where to look for the bugger.

Leprechauns need not apply.


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## Fletch_W

The Wood Sorrel came up/bloomed this week, tons of it, I tasted it while doing some yard work this morning and it was nasty. Very bitter compared with the other wild edibles in the back yard mentioned above. 












I also found  a large patch of white violet. 

Google says they are a local rock band, and also a type of Violet. I assume they are edible too? Just like the violet Violet?

Update- Yes, they are edible and taste great.


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## Fletch_W

Are water oak acorns edible? I think most acorns are edible in the strictest sense of the word, but are they desirable like white oak acorns?

I have found it impossible to google because of the word "water" in the search term. Hundreds of results of prepping acorns in water, but nothing on water oaks specifically being edible. 

Any info yall can provide is appreciated.


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## waddler

Google Quercus nigra.

Water Oaks are in the Red Oak group and are very bitter, probably from high tannin. 

In your yard you should find Chickweed and Purple Deadnettle based on the other plants you have shown. Both edible.

Wood Sorrel makes a nice pleasant tea.


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## RBM

Fletch_W said:


> Are water oak acorns edible? I think most acorns are edible in the strictest sense of the word, but are they desirable like white oak acorns?
> 
> I have found it impossible to google because of the word "water" in the search term. Hundreds of results of prepping acorns in water, but nothing on water oaks specifically being edible.
> 
> Any info yall can provide is appreciated.



I have a Laurel Oak in the backyard and its a member of the Red Oak family. It is the only one I know of that has little to no tannin in the acorns. I can eat them off-hand but I am sure it still has "some" tannin in them. Even so they should be leached. Most Red Oak acorns are full of tannin and bitter. One way to tell the amount of tannin in an acorn is to look at the acorn cap size. The rule is the bigger the cap the more tannin. This rule seems about right to me given all the acorns I have run across.

http://www.eattheweeds.com/acorns-the-inside-story/

I have read that the tannin in some Black and Red Oak acorns may not ever leach out no matter how much leaching is done.


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## waddler

Laurel Oaks are difficult to distinguish from Live Oaks. Live Oaks have a very mild acorn.


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## Fletch_W

waddler said:


> In your yard you should find Chickweed and Purple Deadnettle based on the other plants you have shown. Both edible.
> 
> Wood Sorrel makes a nice pleasant tea.



Regarding chickweed, I was convinced I had a ton, but a closer botanical examination with the help of some reputable extension services online, it's actually a close relative of chickweed. Mine doesn't have the single line of hairs on the stem. The hairs are randomly distributed. But otherwise, looks just like chickweed. 

Regarding purple deadnettle, I had first mis-identified henbit as purple deadnettle. It wouldn't surprise me if there was alot more edible out there, yet to be identified. 


Regarding Wood Sorrel tea, the oxalic acid content raises blood pressure, which would be bad for me. I'm making a tea of it today just for fun, but it's not something I need to be consuming very often, I don't think. However, my wife has low blood pressure, so maybe she'll partake more often. 

Thanks for all the info yall.


Update- The Wood Sorrel tea was excellent, and not bitter in the least. Stems, leaves, flowers. Made a little over a cup. With a little sugar, it had an almost rhubarb jelly type of flavor. Wife liked it too. She was skeptical.


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## waddler

Fletch_W said:


> Regarding chickweed, I was convinced I had a ton, but a closer botanical examination with the help of some reputable extension services online, it's actually a close relative of chickweed. Mine doesn't have the single line of hairs on the stem. The hairs are randomly distributed. But otherwise, looks just like chickweed.
> 
> Regarding purple deadnettle, I had first mis-identified henbit as purple deadnettle. It wouldn't surprise me if there was alot more edible out there, yet to be identified.
> 
> 
> Regarding Wood Sorrel tea, the oxalic acid content raises blood pressure, which would be bad for me. I'm making a tea of it today just for fun, but it's not something I need to be consuming very often, I don't think. However, my wife has low blood pressure, so maybe she'll partake more often.
> 
> Thanks for all the info yall.



There are several species of Chickweed. I have a good bit of Shepherd's purse, wild lettuce and some dock mixed in. Also Creeping Charlie, Mallow, dandelion, white clover, and lots of wild garlic/onions.

Herehttp://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/ancient/wild-food-guide.php is a good website:


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## RBM

*Florida Foraging 6*

Yellow Pine. Cambium or inner bark and needle tea. Link included in the video description. Will post this in the forum also.


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## RBM

waddler said:


> Laurel Oaks are difficult to distinguish from Live Oaks. Live Oaks have a very mild acorn.



Plenty of Live Oaks around also. But I do know the difference. Laurel Oaks have a very mild acorn also. As I said, I have one in my backyard.


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## waddler

Harvested the first Greenbrier shoots today, and the chip bed that I innoculated last year has Winecaps poking thru all over it. Waiting on the Lambsquarter seedlings to appear so I can put in my Lambsquarter garden. We ate at least ten times last year off of about 12 plants or so that I transplanted. The rain is coming, the temp is rising, I got a Meadow Mushroom this week, everything is looking up.


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## Fletch_W

Have yall ever prepped the Greenbrier roots?


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## waddler

Nope. Too much work.


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## RBM

Ditto to waddler. Kind of on par with processing Cattail roots for flour. Too much work.


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## waddler

Winecaps from the garden. Seeded these in last fall.


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## waddler

Chanterelles in Bogart. Finally!


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## woodsmith

I love going and picking wild edibles with my nephew and niece, it's so much fun teaching kids about these things. They love the outdoors just as much as their uncle!


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## HossBog

Wow, thanks Robert! A few years ago, a young painter, helping paint our house, was also a mushroom expert. He and his son found a lot of the orange mushrooms (morel?) on our wooded land. He told me they are about $35 (?) a pound. So, I figured on our whole 9 acres, we might have about $7 worth! They are light. I've never picked them, just let them grow and do whatever they do. But it's interesting. I reckon in a real mess hitting old fan situation, I better study up on this stuff.


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## rosiesdad

What is this guys..


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## blood on the ground

Are Elderberries and poke sallat berries the same thing?


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## NCHillbilly

blood on the ground said:


> Are Elderberries and poke sallat berries the same thing?



No, not by a long shot. Elderberry (_Sambucus canadensis,_) is a woody shrub. All parts of the plant except for the ripe berries are toxic. The ripe berries make excellent jelly and wine, and have antiviral properties. Very good for colds and flu and such. You can rub the leaves on you for an insect repellant. The pithy stems make good blowguns.

Poke sallet/pokeweed (_Phytolacca americana_,) is a herbaceous perennial plant. All parts of the plant are very toxic to humans, except that the young shoots can be eaten after being boiled in two-three changes of water. They still don't taste good, IMO. Pokeweed is so toxic that contact with your skin can cause mutation of your DNA. The roots contain cardiac glycosides.


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## blood on the ground

NCHillbilly said:


> No, not by a long shot. Elderberry (_Sambucus canadensis,_) is a woody shrub. All parts of the plant except for the ripe berries are toxic. The ripe berries make excellent jelly and wine, and have antiviral properties. Very good for colds and flu and such. You can rub the leaves on you for an insect repellant. The pithy stems make good blowguns.
> 
> Poke sallet/pokeweed (_Phytolacca americana_,) is a herbaceous perennial plant. All parts of the plant are very toxic to humans, except that the young shoots can be eaten after being boiled in two-three changes of water. They still don't taste good, IMO. Pokeweed is so toxic that contact with your skin can cause mutation of your DNA. The roots contain cardiac glycosides.



Thanks, I never been around any elderberry before... Just noticed how similar they look to poke berries.


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## Capt Quirk

I have a lot of things growing in our woods, and have only scratched the surface. 
Wild Muscadines are everywhere... but only high up and out of reache. 

Lots of Sassafras, I have made tea and root beer from the roots, the leaves are good to munch on when walking through the woods. The leaves are also dried, and powdered for a thickening agent in stews. 

Blueberries, hard to find when ripe, the early birds get them.

Blackberries EVERYWHERE! I make wine out of them, the wife makes jam. Good in and on pancakes or waffles. Never tried making tea with the leaves though.

Winged Sumac, has red seed clusters, NOT WHITE. The Indians used the seeds to make a lemon ade-ish drink, or they can be dried and ground into a spice. Great on fish and chicken. Looking forward to getting enough seeds to try a wine.

Mueline leaves need to be strained when used in teas, because the hairs can be a problem. Good for lung issues, been told it can also be smoked. The leaves also make an ok compress for sprains and other boo boos. They are slow growing, so be careful not to kill it off over harvesting it.

Wild Bay plants, the leaves are awesome in stews as a spice, as well as Low Country Boils.

Wild Lettuce, used as a pain reliever and sedative, but I have not found a reliable source for how to use it. It was used as a substitute for opium. The sap can be made into latex, but no source on that either.

I also just planted a Juniper bush. The berries are used to make Gin. I don't care for Gin, so I won't tempt the Revenuers by distilling any.


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