Apples, pawpaws, chestnuts and hen of the woods ( Heather Houskeeper) The post-season bonanza Cooler days and longer nights may herald the close of harvest season, but on your next woods walk be sure to take a gander... Wild Food 23 Jul 2024 | 02:13
Blueberries bear a five-pointed crown, a scar from where the flower once was. Huckleberries bear an imprint of a five-pointed scar. ( Heather Houskeeper) You say blueberry, I say huckleberry Ramble rocky peaks, grassy marshes or woods and you’re sure to find ‘em in all their juicy glory. Nothing compares to fresh-picked... Wild Food 24 Jun 2024 | 11:24
Walking barefoot, you don’t just see the tiny plants. You feel and smell them too. ( Heather Houskeeper) Barefoot foraging This spring, I invite you to take a walk on the wild side. Grab your foraging basket and kitchen shears but leave your shoes... Wild Food 13 Feb 2024 | 03:59
Black birch is easily recognizable by its bark’s prominent lenticels. ( Heather Houskeeper) Nature’s aspirin freshens breath too Black birch, cherry birch, sweet birch. Call this tree what you want, Betula lenta is prevalent throughout our northeastern... Wild Food 27 Dec 2023 | 12:55
Closely related to the pecan, the shagbark hickory nut is equally delicious ( Heather Houskeeper) An easy-to-crack bonanza Autumn, the season for nuts and ripe fruits, provides a fair exchange for the flowery days of summer. The forests are drenched... Wild Food 01 Aug 2023 | 01:40
Use purple dead nettle to make pesto, pizza or as a salve for bug bites. ( Heather Houskeeper) The name doesn’t do it justice Countless botanicals have received unfortunate names: bastard toadflax, creeping Charlie, beggars’ ticks, lousewort. But... Home 17 Jan 2023 | 01:32
Sweet fern in its winter state. ( Heather Houskeeper) Stalking your next wild edible Winter can seem like a tricky time to forage, especially when greens and roots alike are buried under a blanket of snow.... Wild Food 31 Oct 2022 | 10:25
Burdock’s spikey, thistle-like flowers transform into the burs that we find in our sweaters and pup’s fur. ( Heather Houskeeper) Beneath the burs, a sustaining taproot The shortening days and cooling temperatures signal to plants that it’s time to store up, direct energy to their rootstock... Wild Food 01 Sep 2022 | 03:57
You may remember meeting common plantain as a child, when you were both low to the ground. ( Heather Houskeeper) A humble heavy hitter Wild Food 19 Apr 2022 | 12:41
A bounty of morels under a dying apple tree on the author’s property. ( Heather Houskeeper) The forager’s top prize This time of year, when temps hover around 60 and dip to no less than 40 degrees, you may just find one very special mushroom.... Wild Food 24 Jan 2022 | 10:31
The lawn wrecker’s abundant upside Winter’s earth safekeeps an abundance of nutrient rich roots, some of which still sprout forth hearty greens and brave flowers.... Wild Food 19 Jan 2022 | 01:26
The all-American stress reducer Air is turning crisp and leaves are transforming to the colors of rich earth and sunset. For some of us autumn can feel bittersweet.... Wild Food 03 Aug 2021 | 12:51
Sweet fern is not actually a fern, but a shrub with a strong resemblance. Pluck a few leaves for a local version of chai. ( Heather Houskeeper) The tastiest wild tea in all the land Few drinks rival a cold glass of sweet tea on a hot summer’s day, but there is one: sweet fern tea. Sweet fern is the most... Wild Food 19 Apr 2021 | 12:05
Beauty and a touch of bitter Spring heralds the return of so many precious wild edibles, among them one mighty special dame: dame’s rocket. A native to... Wild Food 17 Feb 2021 | 12:35
The three different leaf shapes found on each sassafras tree. ( Heather Houskeeper) The ‘root’ of root beer The wind may be chill and the ground may be snowy, but amidst our wintery landscape is a tree steeped in sunshine. Break... Wild Food 23 Dec 2020 | 01:14
