Category Archives: wild foods
Exploring the ‘hood
I took a little exploring tour around my new neighborhood this afternoon. Here are some things I found. Wild strawberry plants Coltsfoot. I’ve heard it has medicinal uses, but I’ve never tried it. Blackberry canes (or raspberry). … Continue reading
Foraging Around the Edges
I took a walk around the edges of my neighborhood yesterday, in that zone where the manicured lawns meet the scruffy woods, looking to see what edibles the wood edge might offer. It was warm and sunny out in the … Continue reading
Hazelnuts
One thing I’m really going to miss about my old house when it finally sells is the hazelnut bushes. There are four of them, planted by the previous owner. I’ve been getting some pretty good harvests from them in the … Continue reading
Milkweed Buds
Milkweed Buds During a late summer hike a couple of years ago, I gathered a handful of milkweed pods while crossing a field. When I got home, I opened the pods and scattered the seeds around my property. I planted … Continue reading
Spruce Tip Shortbread
In my quest for interesting things to do with spruce tips, I’ve come across numerous recipes for spruce tip shortbread. This definitely appeals to my love of baking, not to mention eating, cookies. I decided to try the recipe here because … Continue reading
Spruce Tip Syrup
Spruce Tip Syrup I learned about pine tip syrup and spruce tip syrup on a wild foods walk a few years ago. Since then, I’ve made the spruce tip syrup several times because I have lots of spruce trees on … Continue reading
Wild Mustard Flower Buds
I’ve been eating the buds of the mustard plants that grow wild around here. When I have enough of them, I like to fry them up in a pan with a little olive oil and garlic. It’s kind of like … Continue reading
Garlic Mustard
May is the month when the woods and roadsides of North America are covered with the flowers of the invasive garlic mustard plant. Probably the right attitude to take towards it is to pull it out by its roots every … Continue reading
A Secret Revealed
Ramps (aka wild leeks) are a big deal around here. Everyone praises them and eats them enthusiastically when ramp season arrives. So of course I had a great curiosity to try this popular delicacy, but not knowing where to look … Continue reading
Fun and Games with Dandelions
I came across this recipe for dandelion chips the other day – kind of like kale chips but made with dandelion greens. I like kale chips, so I decided to try it. I pretty much followed the instructions as given, … Continue reading
My Edible Backyard 