The Wild Foodies of Philly
   In search of the food beneath our feet!

WELCOME! COMMENTS, CAUTIONS, & TIPS!

“Re-wilding” is about learning to live with nature, again.

Our wild world contains fantastic natural resources for food, fiber, medicine and crafts that have been cherished by many cultures for thousands of years. It is our aim to educate ourselves about the uses of wild plants, both native and non-native, in our region. During this process, it is important to keep an open mind because there are always new things to learn. It is also a good habit to refer to multiple sources of information and to keep a notebook. No one source contains all the information on wild edibles, and some information can be incorrect. Certain plants have been called 'poisonous' when only specific parts are, or they need special preparation in order to become edible, or they are for medicinal use only. Rather than rely solely on foraging, we also encourage you to grow wild plants yourself so they can be close at hand. Many wild edibles can grow anywhere - in yards, planters, and pots!  So, welcome to our community and enjoy learning about our WILD WORLD OF PLANTS!

WHY WILD FOODS?
 

• Truly Sustainable – Wild foods can survive and multiply without human assistance, unlike crops that are hybridized, selectively bred, or genetically modified.
• Real Food Security – Although “food security” is often portrayed as a sufficient number of grocery stores within a given area, 'real' food security is available through the careful planting and mindful harvesting of local wild resources.
• Nutritional Diversity - Plants that grow in a wild and diverse environment makes them more nutritious than similar plants grown using conventional farming practices.
• Connects People to Nature - The mind-stomach-nature connection is a powerful one, particularly as people learn that many of the plants they routinely ‘walk on’ are important sources of food, fiber, medicine and much more!

BEST PRACTICES:

• Respect - All wild plants have a 'purpose' in the ecosystem and it is our job to understand what it is.

• Consideration - The 1/3 Rule is common practice by most foragers to refrain from harvesting more than 1/3 of any one plant or patch. Make an effort to learn about what plants are endangered and do your part to restore stands of threatened or endangered plants.  United Plant Savers does important work on these issues:  https://unitedplantsavers.org 

• Common Names vs Latin - As we work to identify and share knowledge about wild foods, using Latin names can really confuse people and create a barrier to learning.  That said, we recognize that plants can be called by several names, so use Latin if there is confusion.

• Public Parks & Private Lands - It is illegal to forage on property that is not your own.  We use public parks to learn to identify wild edibles (and nibble a bit). Plus, many parks still use toxic chemicals, which we should work to put a stop to. That said, discretion is key when in public parks. No one is going to bother you if you nibble on some berries and greens, such as dandelions, garlic mustard, onion grass etc. However, park staff will get upset if you go after the milkweed which they use to attract and feed Monarch butterflies. The best thing to do is to obtain or purchase wild edible plants for your own yard or container garden. Also, you can volunteer in many parks' weed removal programs, which can be a great opportunity to forage for wild edibles.

"KNOW AND GO SLOW!"  GENERAL TIPS ON FORAGING, PRESERVATION, PREPARATION, ETC:

• KNOW - Identify it!  We use our five senses to identify plants: sight, touch, taste, smell, and even hearing.  Often we need to scratch and sniff at stems and roots, tear a leaf in half, or roll a leaf between your fingers in order to squeeze out the juices & capture the scent. Never trust what a tour guide tells you! Always look up the information for yourself, which is why we have our Resource Page and Master List of Plant Profiles with information from some excellent sources, such as www.PFAF.org and EatTheWeeds.com. Even those information sources can contain errors, so that's why you should always "so slow".  If you can't ID a plant, but need to try it anyway because you're in a survival situation, check out different versions of the Universal Edibility Test --
  • http://www.wikihow.com/Test-if-a-Plant-Is-Edible
  • http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/MILITARY/united_states_army_fm_21-76%20-%205_june_1992%20-%20part05.pdf
• GO SLOW - You could be allergic or sensitive to any new food, let alone a wild plant. Wait to see how your system processes the food. Eat in moderation. Some wild greens pack a punch, unlike many waterlogged greens that are sold in stores. Many wild edibles are an herb, and can only be used as in small amounts as a flavoring, condiment, or garnish, but not as a vegetable or main course.
• “Juicing” wild plants - We recommend against juicing.  A very diluted 'green smoothie' or light 'green drink' is a better alternative.
• Tastes, Smells, & Textures: Wild edibles come in a wide variety of flavors based on their phyto-constituents and compounds. They might be: bland, bitter, sweet, sour, spicy (pepper), savory (bayberry leaf, goutweed, mugwort), salty, sulfurous (mustard, garlic, onion, pepper), minty, mushroomy, etc..  The same plant can taste differently depending on soil conditions, time of year, time of day, and each person's unique taste buds. See Wild Menu Ideas
• Preparation - In order to be safely consumed, many plants must be processed, such as: boiled, cooked, dried, soaked, or fermented. Please avoid the use of plastics, aluminum, and stickless pans, as they can contaminate your food with toxins.
• Proper Plant Part - Many plants have parts that are safe to eat, but other parts that are not.  Be sure to know which is which.
• Forage in the AM - Generally, you want to forage in the morning just after the dew dries and when the plants are at their crispy best.
• Clothing - If walking in tall grass, cover the areas of your skin that might be exposed to ticks. Hats are also a good idea.
• Sun Block - The safest thing is to wear a hat and clothes that cover your skin, thus avoiding the use of scented sprays and ointments that others around you might be allergic or sensitive to.
• Bug Repellent -  Some wild herbs, particularly any mint, can be used safely. Just crush the leaves and rub the fresh-pressed juice onto your skin, or make an infusion to spray on your skin when you are out in the field. See http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Mint-As-an-Insect-Repellent.

ADDITIONAL CAUTIONS:

CHILDREN - Take particular care with young children and teach them not to consume any plant without a knowledgeable adult present, as children are far less likely to understand which plants or plant parts may be toxic.

CONTAMINATED AREAS - Avoid certain areas, such as next to roads, train tracks, former industrial areas, vacant lots, etc.. Lead contamination from cars and house paint (used in houses built prior to 1970) can make plants taste sweeter. If you want to grow plants for food, have the soil tested.  Visit: http://www.wildfoodies.org/MISC.htm.  If soil is contaminated, there are plants that can remediate the soil over time. Otherwise, purchase organic soil with as few additives as possible.

NATURAL LATEX - If a plant (dandelions, milkweed, wild lettuce, sow thistle, etc.) leeches a milky substance, latex, then take additional precautions because some people are highly allergic to latex and this can result in anaphylactic shock. 

FINE STINGING HAIRS – Wear gloves for plants that have fine stinging hairs, such as stinging nettle and prickly pear, and prepare properly.

OXALIC ACID - Too much oxalic acid, such as in cultivated spinach, is said to interfere with the processing of calcium in the body and can contribute to kidney stones for those that are prone.  However, the U.S. National Institutes of Health have determined that the negative effects of oxalic acid are generally of little or no nutritional consequence in persons who eat a variety of foods.

GASSY ROOTS - Any root plant that contains inulin (Jerusalem artichoke/sunchoke, sunflower, burdock root, dandelion root, chicory root, and thistle root) can give you flatulence. Therefore, it is strongly advised to soak the roots for 24 hours, replacing the water after the first 12 hours.

MOLD - Avoid plants whose green parts have turned color -- dark or white, particularly if conditions have turned very humid or wet.

POISONOUS PLANTS - There is a difference between non-edible and poisonous.  Non-edible usually means that a food or plant is too bitter, tart, etc. to be used for food. Poisonous means that the plant could make a person ill, sometimes fatally. Many poisonous plants still have edible parts, or some of the poisonous parts can be used medicinally. Learn about poisonous plants on the following page or at http://www.wildfoodies.org/PoisonousPlants.docx

These Comments, Cautions, and Tips are to assist you in learning about our Wild World of Plants. Forage On, With Care!