When to find them?I usually find gooseberries around July here in South Dakota. But their season is short because the animals love them (including the hairless-two-legged animals) and a patch can be wiped clean very quickly. How to identify them?Gooseberries come from a plant with leaves shaped similar to a maple leaf. The stems areContinue reading “Forage Wild Gooseberries”
Author Archives: treefool
How to Eat Cicadas!
Entomophagy intrigues me so much. I will be honest, eating a cicada or any other bug is usually not something that I enjoy. I’ve had a long life of indoctrination about what we shouldn’t put in our mouths so even though I know it is safe and healthy (relatively speaking) I still have a hardContinue reading “How to Eat Cicadas!”
Tree Climbing for Mulberries!
When to Forage?Mulberries start falling off the tree in late June. This is the best time to locate mulberry trees because the ground beneath them is painted with the black juices of berries after they are squished by hikers and cyclists. We have a patch of 5 trees near our home where we pick allContinue reading “Tree Climbing for Mulberries!”
Can You Eat Cattails? ABSOLUTELY!
Where to find Cattails?Cattails sit on the edge of pretty much every single lake, pond, swamp, and wetland that exists in South Dakota and most of the Midwest. How to ID?Let’s use basic English for this one! When you find a large area filled with 1/4″ to 1.5″ green stems that stand about 6 feetContinue reading “Can You Eat Cattails? ABSOLUTELY!”
Edible Cleavers Plant
Where To Find Cleavers?I find this plant all over the edges of wet dark forests in South Dakota and Minnesota. When to Find It?Early spring. How to Identify?This plant has a unique look with a square stem and long length between the whorls of leaves. It also sticks to EVERYTHING. How to Eat Cleavers?High inContinue reading “Edible Cleavers Plant”
Foraging False Solomon’s-Seal
Do you learn most of your new wild edible plants from books? I do. But not in this case! I was biking to work when I saw a lady crouched with a plastic bag full of weeds. Being the socially awkward person that I am I slammed my brakes and stopped to ask what sheContinue reading “Foraging False Solomon’s-Seal”
Morel Hunting in South Dakota
Where to Find Morels?If you haven’t found your first morel DON’T GIVE UP! I wasn’t even mushroom hunting when I stumbled on my first one. I ran into the trees near a local park to take a pee and there it was sitting next to my foot. HAHA! There are two main species that areContinue reading “Morel Hunting in South Dakota”
Foraging Mica Cap Mushrooms
Where to find Coprinellus Micaceus Usually grows in large clusters on dead wood. If you find it on your lawn it is probably growing on old buried tree roots. In my neighborhood of Sioux Falls, SD the road-side ash trees are being cut down all over (emerald ash bore) so we have mica caps runningContinue reading “Foraging Mica Cap Mushrooms”
BEST way to Cook Chicken of the Woods (L. sulphureus)
Where to find Chicken of the Woods?Also known as sulfur shelf or Laetiporus sulphureus, this mushroom grows on dead stumps, logs, or buried wood. It can also grow parasitically so don’t be blowing the spores all over the trees in your backyard, haha. This mushroom can return multiple years in a row on the sameContinue reading “BEST way to Cook Chicken of the Woods (L. sulphureus)”
Find & Eat Wild Snails
Where to Find?In South Dakota I’ve found dark damp forests to be the best place. The more mulch on the ground the more hiding spots and food the snails have access to. Pick up small sticks in the shade or sort through the leaves next to features that help retain the soil’s moisture (logs, boulders,Continue reading “Find & Eat Wild Snails”
BEST Ways To Eat Dryad’s Saddle (C. Squamosus)
When to find Cerioporus squamosuss? Known commonly as Dryad’s Saddle, C.squamosus was formerly named Polyporus squamosus. This mushroom can be found as early as April in South Dakota and up until the snow falls. I usually find it sprouting in every single forest during mid-May and then again in late fall. It prefers cold weatherContinue reading “BEST Ways To Eat Dryad’s Saddle (C. Squamosus)”
How to Find and Eat Wood Ear Mushrooms
When to Forage Wood Ear Mushrooms?I have found Auricularia auricula (wood ear) just 5 days after temps rose above freezing here in South Dakota. That is wild! I’m still trying to figure out if they fruited in those temps or if the mushroom just dehydrates and freezes all winter then rehydrates when the temps warmContinue reading “How to Find and Eat Wood Ear Mushrooms”
How to Eat Stinging Nettle
When to Forage Stinging Nettle?This is a great plant to know even if you aren’t going to eat it simply so you can avoid it while hiking. Just one light touch has my legs itching for 5-10 minutes. It is usually one of the first edible plants to arrive in South Dakota forests after winterContinue reading “How to Eat Stinging Nettle”
How to Eat Acorns
Where to Find Acorns?Acorns grow on all varieties of oak trees. Here in Eastern South Dakota I find the Bur Oak tree the easiest to identify because it has wide reaching tangled limbs that make it look like a tree out of a spooky movie. As an example, Good Earth State Park is going throughContinue reading “How to Eat Acorns”
Gill-Over-The-Ground
When & Where to FindGill-Over-The-Ground, also known as Ground Ivy, starts growing in May (or earlier!) in South Dakota and the Upper Midwest. It is a creeping weed with round, scalloped toothed, and sometimes purple-tinged leaves. This is one of the very first wild edible plants of the season to forage. My kids and IContinue reading “Gill-Over-The-Ground”
Foraging Wild Columbine
When & Where to Find:Here in South Dakota the first flowers started to show up in Late May. Originally I learned about this plant while hiking the Northshore of Minnesota and have since randomly found it here and there. I still have yet to properly ID the name but based on my experience it likesContinue reading “Foraging Wild Columbine”
Foraging Garlic Mustard
Where & When to FindMustard Garlic (or garlic mustard!?) is one of the first plants to pop up after our cold winters here in South Dakota. By early May the young plant has multiple tender leaves that are perfect for eating. After only a week or two they grow into large patches such as inContinue reading “Foraging Garlic Mustard”
Eating Purple Wood Sorrel
Where & When to Find?Wood sorrel grows everywhere. Forests, lawns, gardens, parks, everywhere! This is often called “clover” by many people as it is probably the most well known edible plant in South Dakota. I remember learning about it when I was in elementary school LONG before I fell in love with foraging. It startsContinue reading “Eating Purple Wood Sorrel”
Eating Sheperd’s Purse
When & How to Find Sheperd’s PurseSheperd’s Purse usually starts growing when you see the dandelions popping up in your lawn. When this plant is young the leaves stay low to the ground and other plants quickly camouflage it. BUT! You can easily find the plant as soon as the flower stem with white petalsContinue reading “Eating Sheperd’s Purse”
How to Eat Dandelions!
How & When to Find DandelionsIn South Dakota and Minnesota the first dandelions start to pop up in mid-April. Dandelions are one of the very first greens to arrive every spring and they make me sooo happy to see on my lawn!!! They begin to flower in early May and are found EVERYWHERE but don’tContinue reading “How to Eat Dandelions!”
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