Wild plant forager blog

Winter Soup with Wild Edibles

13/1/2015

Clockwise: dandelion, sorrel, buck's horn plantain, woodland strawberry.
Center: angelica: the young leaves of an aromatic winter angel.

Winter often seems worse viewed from indoors. The grey skies, the cold that isn't quite cold enough to turn rain into snow, the baldness of the landscape. The fierce winds. My number one remedy to seasonal blues is to go outside and take a walk. And reconnect with the sleeping earth through eating her wild botanical treasures. It took me only a few minutes to gather the greens pictured above, while watching the birds moving along with the trees in the wind in a way that can only be described as a dance. When I came indoors, I decided these greens would be perfect for a winter soup.

Wild Winter Soup

1 onion
1 teaspooon sliced ginger
some (foraged or bought) seaweed (see my seaweed post here)
a handful of wild edible winter greens (see above)
a splash of olive oil
1 liter/4 cups water
1 tablespoon miso paste

Chop the onion and fry in some olive oil along with the ginger. Add the roughly chopped winter greens and seaweed. Add the water and let simmer for about 5 minutes. When slightly cooled, mix in the miso paste. Enjoy!

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Wood avens: wild cloves

1/12/2014

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The following article was first publised in HSF magazine. Do check them out, it's a great project if you are working with plants & herbs.

'A Modern Herbal' mentions
It was called 'the Blessed Herb' (Herba benedicta), of which a common name still extant - Herb Bennet - is a corruption, because in former times it was believed that it had the power to ward off evil spirits and venomous beasts. It was worn as an amulet.

The Ortus Sanitatis, printed in 1491, states: 'Where the root is in the house, Satan can do nothing and flies from it, wherefore it is blessed before all other herbs, and if a man carries the root about him no venomous beast can harm him.'

Dr. Prior (Popular Names of English Plants) considers the original name to have probably been ' St . Benedict's Herb,' that name being assigned to such as were supposed to be antidotes, in allusion to a legend respecting the saint. It is said that on one occasion a monk presented him with a goblet of poisoned wine, but when the saint blessed it, the poison, being a sort of devil, flew out of it with such force that the glass was shivered to atoms, the crime of the monk being thus exposed.

It's clear that we are dealing with a plant that was believed to have strong protective powers. Powers to ward off evil, demons, devils. If we look at this statement with today's eyes, it's not so far from the truth. Wood avens has indeed some powerful constituents that can ward off disease.

Wood avens is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, diaphoretic, and tonic. The powdered root has been used as a substitute for quinine in the treatment of intermittent fevers. I think adding it to a diaphoretic herbal tea mixture, with meadowsweet and elderflower and perhaps linden, could be beneficial to sweat out fevers. I will keep that in mind next time fever visits me.

The high tannin content make wood avens an astringent herb, used specifically to treat problems affecting the mouth, throat and gastro-intestinal tract. Wood avens root tightens up soft gums, heals mouth ulcers, makes a good gargle for infections of the mouth and throat, and reduces irritation of the stomach and gut.

In my mothertongue Dutch, the word for wood avens is nagelkruid, and the word for clove is kruidnagel. Wood avens root indeed has a similar scent and, just like cloves, it contains eugenol, that has antibacterial properties. It's this bacteria-killing eugenol that makes such a great combination with the tannins when it come to infections of the mouth.

Harvesting wood avens root is done best in early spring, as the fragrance is the strongest at that time of the year. You should smell cloves with a hint of cinnamon. If the particular clove-like scent is not present, just put the root back in the earth. Wood avens hybridises quite regularly with water avens (Geum rivale), which results in an inferior quality of the root.

Dry the underground parts of wood avens with care, as much of the volatile oils can get lost during the drying process. Always dry wood avens roots in their whole and store in a airtight container. Break up the roots in pieces when using them. Grind when needed: it can be used as a spice in the same way you'd use cloves. Historically, it was even used as a flavouring agent in ale.

When you are too late for harvesting the roots, do not despair, as you can use the greens as well, before the plant forms flowers. Baby leaves can be used in salads, older ones cooked in soups or dried for herbal tea. Wood avens leaves are medicinal as well, but not nearly as strong as the root.

Botanical name: Geum urbanum

Other names: Bennet's Root, Old man's whiskers, Herb Bennet, Colewort, Way Bennet, Goldy Star, Colewort, St. Benedict's herb -From the Latin Herba Benedicta, blessed herb.

Dutch: Geel Nagelkruid – French: Benoîte Commune – German: Echte Nelkenwurz

I love digging up roots. And I only do this barehand. There's something to be said about the physical contact between naked skin and bare earth. I use my hands as tools and use whatever else I have at hand. Sometimes it's a twig or a stick, sometimes it's a piece of rock. Digging up plant roots makes us humble. It makes us kneel down for the deep secrets the earth has to offer. And as we dig, the aromas of the soil talk to us. The rich humus, the wetness of the black earth.

It is more engaging than picking flowers or leaves or fruits, it takes more effort but it is so worth the energy. The occasional meeting with royal soil workers -like earth worms- is always magical to me. Roots unveil themselves slowly, gradually, they require time and patience.

While digging up roots is generally hard work (think burdock, or teasel), wood avens roots are quite easy to excavate. Its roots are not so long and deep (about 5 cm long), and as wood avens loves to grow in shady places, it has a preference for wood soil that exists out of loose humus. This makes it a good beginner's root, even toddlers can help.

But before we start digging, let's take a glance at the historical use of wood avens. Though still abundantly present, it seems to be one of these forgotten plants that is rarely used these days. Quite unjust I think.

As you see, there are a lot of options with this common, but a bit obscure herb. Below are two of my favourite wood avens recipes. I hope they inspire you to get to know this plant a bit better and appreciate it more.

Wood avens mouth wash

Fill a glass jar halfway with washed and chopped wood avens roots and then fill it completely with vodka or gin (the kind of alcohol you use doesn't matter but it should be about 40%). Make sure that all the plant material is covered with the alcohol. Let steep for 6 weeks and filter through a fine cloth. Pour in a dark glass bottle and label.

I use about a teaspoon of this in half a glass water as a mouthwash after I have brushed my teeth, to keep teeth and gums healthy. You can use up to a tablespoon in case of infections – it also supports in case of gum/mouth/throat infections when you garge with it. In acute cases, I've even used it undiluted and saw gum infections clear up un less than 24 hours.

Wood avens chai

One of my favourite winter drinks.

2 yellow dock roots (Rumex crispus, aka curly dock)
2 wood avens roots
a handful of dried white mulberries (Morus alba)
two sticks of cinnamon
a piece of fresh ginger root (quite large)
a tablespoon green tea or dried wood avens greens
optional: some black pepper
1 l water (that's 4 cups)

Bring the water with all the other ingredients to a boil. Then wrap your cooking pot (lid on) in a warm blanket and let simmer for a while. After 10 to 30 minutes (depending how strong you want this to be), take of the lid. You'll see the water become darker, and the aromas will hit your nose. Strain.

Drink as it is (if you love intense bitter) or preferably: serve with some honey and home made almond milk, and notice how this one cup in your hands has all the four elements of nature: earth (the roots), water, fire (used to heat the water) and air (see that damp swirl from your cup?). Enjoy.

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How to make elderberry ketchup

8/8/2014

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Yes, elderberry ketchup, I swear! Immune boosting deliciousness, what's not to like about that?

Here's the recipe:

500 g elderberries (that's 1lb or 18oz, depending on what part of the world you live in)
a pinch of sea salt
2 small onions (or 1 large)
250 ml (1 cup) herbal vinegar or apple cider vinegar
50g (6 tablespoons) coconut nectar (gula java)

Step 1: Enjoy picking the elderberries. Warning: your hands will be stained. Think of a combination between henna and beetroots. Don't worry, it will wear off. Eventually.

Step 2: Remove the berries from the stems with a fork (don't be scrupulous about that). If you dread this step, simply place your bag with elderberries in the freezer for a couple of hours (or overnight) and they'll come off more easily. Remove any unripe berries. Seriously, have you already considered elderberries as paint bullets for an abstract painting project?

Step 3: Place elderberries and vinegar in a cooking pot and cook until the berries have released all of their juice. Use a cheese cloth to filter the berries out. Squeeze thoroughly.
By now, you will have found out about the fabric dye properties of elderberries.

Step 4: Add salt, coconut sugar (I want to experiment with maple syrup next time, I think it would work well) and chopped onions. Let simmer for at least 10 minutes. In my experience, the longer it simmers, the sweeter the mixture gets and the less sweetener you'll need.
Now may be a good time to tell you that elderberries were used as a hair dye in the past as well. But you may have already discovered that.

Step 5: Pour through a strainer to remove the onions and pour in clan jars or bottles.
By this time, you may enjoy the new elderberry stained pattern on your kitchen floor and wall tiles. For you and your family members, bath time may be necessary.

Enjoy your homemade ketchup! You can use the same recipe for rose hips or rowan berries.

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Hedgerow medicine: how to make privet salve

24/6/2014

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Wild Privet / European Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
Dutch: Wilde/Gewone Liguster - French: Troène Commun - German: Gewöhnlicher Liguster

A long time ago, someone mentioned to me the use of privet flowers for bed sores. I had never heard of such a thing, and became curious. I asked around and looked for more info, but never found out anything that could confirm the information. I never forgot about it though.

Recently, I moved into a house with a privet hedge. Though wild privet is pretty common here, the species most used for hedges is Ligustrum ovalifolium, the Japanese variety. They are pretty much interchangeable though. They are everywhere and no one seems to do anything with them other than pruning, as they are known to be toxic to ingest: the bark, the leaves and especially the berries. But the flowers, oh, the scent of the flowers. Few people seem to get close enough to notice the scent, but it even reminds me a bit of lilac flowers.

And then I found a chapter on privet in Culpeper's English Physician and Compelete Herbal:

(...) that the oil extracted from the flowers of privet by infusion, and set in the sun, is very serviceable in inflammatory wounds, and for the head-ach when arising from a hot cause."

Aha. Time for a wild medicine experiment.

Making a salve/herbal balm is fairly easy.

Step 1: First, you steep the herbs/flowers/roots/seeds/bark of choice in oil.
Use any oil you like. Generally I prefer extra virgin olive oil or jojoba oil, because their shelf life is longer than some other oils (like sunflower oil, that easily becomes rancid). For salves, you want to put a layer on the skin, so it's good to use heavier oils that take some time to be absorbed by the skin.

Take a glass jar, fill it with your plant material and cover with the oil. Make sure all plant parts are covered. Screw on the lid and put in a warm (not hot) place. If you have filled your jar right to the top, you might want to place a towel under your jar, as oil expands in volume under warm conditions.

Always, always label your jar, and add the date. Now you need to wait for 6 weeks.

Step 2: After 6 weeks, you strain the oil.
Cheesecloth is excellent for this, because it's very fine and you can wring it out. Make sure to get the last bit of oil out.

Step 3: Then, do the wizard thing, and transform a liquid into a solid.
In a double boiler, heat your oil gently (not too hot is the key here, by no means you want the oil to smoke or boil) and add some beeswax. For every 4 tablespoons of oil, I use 1 teaspoon of grated beeswax. Use more beeswax if you want a firmer product (like a massage bar), less if you want it to be more fluid.

Pour into smaller jars, let your salve cool off. Now is a good time to add a few drops of essential oil if you'd like to do so. As you are going to use this for inflammatory skin conditions, lavender oil would be fine, or geranium.

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Elder flower vinegar with a twist

4/6/2014

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I based this on an old French recipe that combines the sweetness of elder flowers with savoury garden herbs that can be freshly harvested now.

You'll need

a glass jar (if you use a metal lid, place a piece of parchment paper between jar and lid - vinegar acts corrosive)

elder flowers
garlic
thyme
summer savory
spring onions
black peppercorns
enough apple cider vinegar to cover

Here's what you do: place all the plant material in the jar and cover with the vinegar. Let steep for 6 weeks and it's ready to use. Yes, it's that easy!

I have never measured the amounts, so every year again I make an unique blend. I just make sure that the main ingredients of the herb mixture are the elder flowers. Some years I add more elder flower, some years more garlic or tyme. It really doesn't matter. I just pick my elderflowers and then go into the herb garden to see what I can pick. Last year I added some hyssop to the blend. This year I added a small amount of foraged tansy leaves. Chive blossoms would make a colourful addition as well I guess.

Looking for more elder flower inspiration? Take a look here for 5 delicious elder flower recipes. And read about my year with elder here.

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Wild edibles in Spring: Dandelion capers

22/4/2014

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Another super easy wild edibles recipe that works great with kids: dandelion capers.

You need to pick the closed flower buds. These are the buds before they bloom. After blooming, dandelion forms similar looking 'buds' where the puff seeds are formed, so make sure you are dealing with unopened flower buds rather than seed buds. If you are in doubt, squeeze the bud gently between your index finger and thumb. You should see the yellow petals.

Fill a glass jar with the dandelion buds. Cover with vinegar. If you want to create a fuller flavour, use a home made vinegar. You can use any wild green vinegar, a wild flower vinegar, and even spruce vinegar.
Next, add some herbal salt. For one cup I used 1,5 tablespoon of herbal salt.

Close the jar and let stand for 6 to 8 weeks. I know I mention this over and over again, but if the lid of your jar is metal, don't forget that vinegar acts corrosive. Avoid the vinegar eating your lid (and spoiling your capers) by placing a piece of parchment paper between the lid and the contents of the jar.

This tastes great in salads, on wild pizzas, dips or spreads.

The picture above shows exactly what you're after: firmly closed dandelion buds. Expectations of a yellow festival.

This one's too far for dandelion capers, but still good in salads or an infused vinegar.

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Foraging is not just about taking. It's about giving back as well. #foragersgivingback

1/4/2014

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It all started a few years ago, when I was working in Amsterdam for a project where we made an installation with wild edibles we found on the street, and served the audience wild street foods. While we were chopping some chickweed, the cook I was working with asked if I ever foraged caraway, "a wonderful native wild edible plant". The only thing I could think about since then is how I never found caraway in the wild.

Never. Not once. And even though I would be thrilled to find it, I already know I would never pick it and use it. It's become so rare that it's protected by law here. That made me ponder.

So, I have a cunning plan (yes, I am a Blackadder fan. And yes, I was actually waiting or an opportunity to use that phrase). But seriously, I have a plan. One you can all help me with.
Nature provides us with so many wonderful wild foods and medicines. How about giving back a little?

Here's the action plan:

Get yourself a big bag of caraway seeds. Want to know a secret? If you buy them in seed packages to plant in the garden, they'll be a *lot* more expensive than when you buy them as a kitchen spice. In my experience, as long a you buy good quality, organic seeds, they will sprout. If caraway is not native where you live, you can use another plant species. Just think about what rare wild native plant you think of as useful and would like to see more in your area.
Divide the seeds in smaller portions. You can make seed envelopes or reuse old spice jars with holes in the lid. It's also ridiculously easy to make one yourself, just pierce the metal lid of a small glass jar with a knife or screwdriver and you're ready to sprinkle seeds!
Choose a nice sunny spot. Yes, this even works in urban micro climates. The best way to do this is while walking or biking (though I know of some people who have been doing this on the highway in their cars). It's nice if you take a place where you pass frequently. This way you can see the landscape evolve, give some extra water if needed, and see the fruits of your action.
Make small seed envelopes and hand them out as gifts. Seed and plant catalogues, old maps, children's drawings, they all make great seed packages. Give them as birthday gifts, thank you gifts, 'no reason' gifts. A present like this is always appreciated. Tell your friends about what you are doing and why. Involve kids.
Post your action online #foragersgivingback. You can also use the comments below. The more people are sharing this, the more people will get inspired to participate.

As for me, I've introduced them in the garden and in the public area here I live. Can't wait for them to sprout. I am even waiting for rain... I've handed them out to some of my students, friends, relatives. I'm giving a seed bomb workshop in Belgium on May 1st that will involve caraway seeds.

But you probably want to hear some more on caraway as a plant. It's an interesting plant. I thought I knew it. Bit I didn't. Let's see:

Carum Carvi
English: Caraway, Meridian Fennel, Persian Cumin
Dutch: (Echte) Karwij
French: Carvi, Cumin des Pres
German: (Echter) Kümmel, Wiesen-Kümmel, Gemeiner Kümmel

Caraway is an exceptional plant. We know the seeds as spice, in sauerkraut, with potatoes, even in desserts. I've combined caraway seeds on quite a few occasions with wild roses, which is a devine flavour combination.
The seed is a carminative spice, that means it helps digestion, which can be helpful to people dealing with flatulence and bloating.

But it doesn't stop there. It's a biennial plant, meaning that caraway only forms leaves during the first year of its life. Leaves that can be eaten like parley. Am I the only one whose curiosity gets tickled by reading that? There's even more. At the end of that first year, the roots can be eaten like parsnips.

Oh, the joy of new discoveries. It does sound like something we want to try out, right?

The second (and last) year, the plant starts to bloom and form seeds. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could spot these in the wild the way our ancestors did?

It can happen. All it needs is a little action from your side.
And don't think one simple act from you won't make a difference. When I was working on a foraging project in Brussels, we found quite some wild leeks (Allium ampeloprasum). Later I met a man who said he just felt like it should be reintroduced in Brussels and so he started planting. One man.

Or if you really want some inspiration, watch the video below.

And now, turn off your computer and get yourself some caraway seeds. I'm serious.

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Wildcrafted Rosemary from France: a recipe, a remembrance

26/3/2014

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I love my students. They never stop to inspire me, and seeing their enthusiasm fills my heart with joy and hope. And sometimes they even bring herbal gifts. Some weeks ago, one of my students came with bags full of rosemary he harvested in France.

I just happened to have recently developed a closer relationship (*) with rosemary. Moving into my new house, it was the first herb that I planted in the garden. I love to just pass by and rub it to enjoy the scent. I love the simplicity of rosemary tea, bursting with flavour and stories. I love how in winter, when everything else in the garden is fast asleep, rosemary plants looks like miniature Christmas trees. But not only that.

(*) By the way, if you are interested in deepening your relationship with rosemary (and other plants), I strongly recommend working with Darcey Blue of Shamana Flora. She has some great stuff on rosemary.

I've used rosemary on many of my foraging projects, which may surprise some of you, as it is not a native local here in Belgium. Nevertheless, it thrives in urban micro climates, where it is often planted and later abandoned, becoming a long time expatriate. On a foraging trip in Amsterdam, we found it in huge amounts, more than we could ever use. Rosemary makes a great kitchen herb, not only flavour wise, but also because it is highly antibacterial, which makes food preserve for a longer time. Interesting when you're on the road without refrigerator. Besides that, it's a plant that aids digestion. And that makes me love rosemary. But not only that.

It acts as a stimulant for the blood circulation. It will make you feel warm and is loved in massage oil by sportsmen to warm up their muscles. It often gives relief to people with rheumatic complaints.

Hungary water, an alcohol-based rosemary extract, was even the first perfume in Europe. It remained popular for many centuries. And because its main ingredient was rosemary, it wasn't just used as a fancy scent. It is often referred to as a life saver of the sickly Queen in those times. And not only her.

Rosemary makes you awake and it stimulates the memory, and don't we all need a reminder sometimes? I love rosemary for that. But not only that.

I love her because she is Ros Marinus: Dew of the Sea. The salt, the wind, the sun. Spending an afternoon with rosemary, I felt as if I had been at the sea. My nostrils were filled with that salty aroma only the ocean can give. Maybe that's a remembrance too: the salty fluids where we float in before we are born, the sea where all life came from. The salty water where tears are made of.

So I wanted to pour that into a drink. I experimented a little bit, and found that this recipe really brings out the salty flavour.

Rosemary tisane

Rosemary and lemon are an exquisite flavour combination. I love to cook with preserved lemons and rosemary, I sometimes steep a sprig of rosemary in home made lemonade, and another favourite recipe is this rosemary tea/tisane. I love how it lifts me up on days when there is a lot of work waiting to be done. And how it warms me on chilly spring mornings.

zest of 1 lemon
3 to 5 black peppercorns, crushed
a sprig of rosemary, crushed
1 cup hot water
lemon juice to taste

Combine lemon zest, pepper, rosemary in a cup. Pour over hot water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice to taste and drink. Now close your eyes.

Do you hear the seagulls?

There’s rosemary and rue. These keep
Seeming and savor all the winter long.
Grace and remembrance be to you.
- William Shakespeare (Winter’s Tale)

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Fire Cider with a wild touch #freefirecider

13/2/2014

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Washing horseradish root

If you are a bit herb-minded and on any of the social media, you may have noticed it's a bit stormy in herb world these days. What happened?

Fire cider is a traditional folk remedy that has been made for a long time. There are many variations of the recipe, but usually it involves horseradish, ginger, garlic and onion, apple cider vinegar and honey. This hot, spicy and sweet medicine has been used for ages to support the body in times of colds and flu. Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar was the first to use the name 'fire cider' for this remedy, about 30 years ago. Since then, people continued to call it that way, make it and use it.
But recently, a company has trademarked the term.

Will this open the door to trademarking other traditional home remedies for profit? What's next? A trademark on elderberry syrup? Stinging nettle soup? Dandelion pesto? Plantain poultices? Personally, I strongly believe that herbal medicine is the people's medicine and it should remain that way. Everybody should be free to make & use it. Fire cider should remain in the public domain, where it belongs.

Horseradish root, being taken out of the soil.

So, time for some herbal activism. February 2, 2014, was the first world wide #freefirecider making day. Literally hundreds, thousands of people around the world simultaneously made fire cider. Of course I participated wholeheartedly and joined the magic. But unlike many others, I didn't go to the store for my horseradish. I wildcrafted my own, along with some hairy bittercress that happened to be around and so I added it to my batch.

Here's my recipe:

1/2 cup grated ginger (use fresh ginger)
1/2 cup grated horseradish (use fresh horse radish only) -
1/2 preserved lemon, chopped (it's fine to use unfermented, fresh lemon, I just happened to have some at hand)
a few sprigs of rosemary
10 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 piece of fresh turmeric, chopped (you can use dried, about 1 tablespoon)
a bunch of hairy bittercress, chopped
apple cider vinegar
local raw honey

Place all plant material in a glass jar and cover with the apple cider vinegar. All herbs and spices should be totally immersed. Let steep for 2 weeks. Strain. Add honey to taste. Use as a dressing or in a shot glass (I usually dilute it with water a bit).

Caution: if you are making this in a jar with metal lid, the vinegar will corrode the metal. You can prevent this by placing some parchment paper between under the lid.

Left to right: Horseradish, my steeping fire cider from global fire cider day, hairy bittercress

There's a lot to be said about every one of these ingredients, but I'll just stick to the two wild ones, horseradish and hairy bittercress:

Horseradish Armoracia rusticana
Dutch: Mierikswortel
French: Raifort
German: Meerrettich

You can dig it up and bring it to your nose and maybe you won't be impressed. But wait , just wait, until you grate it! Some people even have to wear gloves to make this bearable. You might cry. Don't rub your eyes (it contains mustard oil, folks!). You won't easily forget the powers of horseradish, that's for sure. It will clear up your sinuses and works as an overall natural antibiotic. You want to use this fresh and raw, to get maximum power. It's in the same family as mustard and wasabi, just to get an idea of what you are dealing with. In fact, when you are using the Japanese condiment wasabi in your kitchen, it may be made with horseradish because the wasabi plant has become rather scarce.

Horseradish is also very high in vitamin C, and it was widely used as an anti-scurvy food in the past, ususally in vinegar, to preserve the characteristics of the raw and fresh root.

Dig horseradish root up in late fall/winter, but don't hesitate to pick some of the greens in spring and flowers in summer. I use these in small amounts in green salads and infused vinegars.
(By the way: did you see in the pictures how mine was a twin root? As a twin mom, I love it when that happens. You don't get them like that in the store.)

Hairy bittercress Cardamine hirsuta
Dutch: Kleine veldkers
French: Cardamine hirsute
German: Behaarte Schaumkraut

This is one of the earliest spring plants and has a similar flavour to garden cress or water cress. Again, the key here is fresh and raw, to get the best nutrients out. It's in the same family as horseradish, has roughly the same characteristics, but acts more gently. You can eat it in a salad without your eyeballs wanting to pop out. You can chop it without wanting to call the fire brigade.

Other than adding it to fire cider or eating it in a salad, I like to infuse it in apple cider vinegar or add it to one of my home made herbal salts. Do try it, it's a lovely wild green to work with in the kitchen. Don't let the name put you off, it is hardly hairy, nor very bitter.

Do you think fire cider should remain in the public domain?

Sign the petition here.
Make your own and post your pictures on instagram & twitter #freefirecider
Get hundreds of fire cider recipe ideas on pinterest.
You may want to join this facebook group and like this facebook page.
HerbalRootsZine made a special edition on Fire Cider that you can download for free here (at the bottom of the linked post)

Thank you for participating! May your kitchen smell spicy and your kisses like garlic ;)

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Wild Plant Forager Q&A session: the answers!

10/2/2014

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So, here it is: the wild plant & foraging Q&A session! As you can tell, I'm still working on my camera confidence. As in: I didn't even watch the video myself after making it, so any imperfections you'll just have to put up with. But then on the other hand I'm too passionate to get the word out. :)

Some of the plants mentioned in the video or in your questions:

Cramp bark
Viburnum opulus
Other names: Guelder rose, water elder, cramp bark, snowball tree and European cranberry bush (not related though)
Dutch: Gelderse roos
French: viorne obier, rose de Gueldre, obier, viorne aubier -
German: Gewöhnliche Schneeball, Gemeiner Schneeball, Herzbeer, Blutbeer, Dampfbeere, Drosselbeerstrauch, Geißenball, Glasbeere, Schlangenbeere, Wasserholder, Wasser-Schneeball

Parts used: bark, harvested before the leaf buds open. I usually use the tinctured bark for menstrual cramps, muscle cramps, bowel cramps & spasmodic coughing. I explain how to make tincture in the video above.

Willow
Salix sp. (Salix alba -white willow- is preferred, but I've used others too, and they work)
Dutch: Wilg
French: Saule
German: Weide

There is a lot to be said about willow, but for now I'll just mention the bark. Willow bark is harvested in early spring, preferably before the catkins appear or leaf buds open. But there is enough power in willow bark to harvest it at other times as well. Due to its high acetylsalicylic acid content, it serves as a pain killer without all the side effects aspirin comes with. I usually tincture it.
Sevensong has a great video on harvesting willow bark.

Lesser celandine
Ranunculus ficaria
Other names: Pilewort
Dutch: Gewoon speenkruid
French: Ficaire fausse-renoncule, Herbe aux hémorroïdes
German: (Frühlings-)Scharbockskraut, Feigwurz

It's the messenger of spring! The leaves are edible and high in vitamin C (look at the German name, 'scurvyherb'. Always harvested before the first flower buds appear (in this case, quite important because toxins starts to form and the flowering plant may really irritate your stomach).

Common hogweed
Heracleum sphondylium
Dutch: Gewone berenklauw
French: Berce sphondyle ou Berce commune
German: Wiesen-Bärenklau, Gemeine Bärenklau

I did a blog post about common hogweed here, and a video here. I've used the seeds in this recipe.

Common knotgrass
Polygonum aviculare
Other names: Birdweed, pigweed, lowgrass
Dutch: Gewoon varkensgras
French: Renouée des oiseaux
German: Vogelknöterich

Yes, common knotgrass is edible, raw or cooked. It's quite rich in zinc and mostly the young plants and leaves are interesting as a wild food. I mainly use the young leaves in salads and soups, removed from the stem. The seeds can be used as a substitute for buckwheat, raw, cooked, roasted or ground into a flour. The seeds are quite small though, and it's a lot of work to harvest them. I've never done it, I prefer the seeds to grow into a new supply of wild greens.

The leaves make a herbal tea that resembles green tea.

Redshank
Persicaria maculosa
Ther names: lady's thumb,spotted lady's thumb, Jesusplant
Dutch: Perzikkruid
French: Renouée persicaire, Persicaire douce, Pied-rouge, Pilingre, Fer à cheval
German: Floh-Knöterich, Pfirsichblättriger Knöterich

I talk about redshank in detail here. I've also used it in some recipes: a summer smoothie, a wildflower ice tea, and a green juice.

Lamb's Quarters
Chenopodium album
Other names: melde, (white) goosefoot, fat-hen
Dutch: Melganzenvoet, witte ganzenvoet
French: Chénopode blanc, ansérine blanche, poule grasse, drageline, senousse, blé-blanc, herbe aux vendangeurs, chou gras
German: Weiße Gänsefuß, Weiß-Gänsefuß

I've used the leaves in a summer smoothie and the seeds in wildfood power balls. You can use the leaves as a substitute for spinach. Keep posted for more recipes!

Herb Robert
Geranium robertianum
Other names: Herb Robert, Red Robin, Death come quickly, Storksbill, Dove's Foot, Crow's Foot, Robert Geranium
Dutch: Robertskruid
French: Géranium Herbe à Robert
German: Ruprechtskraut, Stinkstorchschnabel, Stinkender Storchschnabel

I've already mentioned the flowers in a wildflower vinegar recipe. Browsing through the blog, I can't believe I never wrote a more detailed post about it, as this is one of my favourite plants. More to come :) (Will post the link here when ready)

Cat's ear
Hypochaeris radicata
Other names: Flatweed, False dandelion
Dutch: Gewoon biggenkruid
French: Hypochaeris radicata
German: Gewöhnliche Ferkelkraut
Italian: Cosci Vecchi

I did a video about cat's ear that you can view here. There is a video on wildflower lemonade with cat's ear flowers as well. The leaves I used in green juices, here's a recipe. And we also like this in a backyard salad, view the recipe here.

Comfrey
Symphytum officinale (Symphytum uplandicum is also used)
Other names: Comphrey
Dutch: Gewone smeerwortel
French: Consoude officinale
German: Beinwell, Wallwurz, Beinwurz

There is quite some controversy when it comes to using comfrey internally, due to the pyrrxolizidine alkaloids. As there are so many other delicious wild edibles that are harmless, I do not encourage experimenting with ingesting it. On the other hand, I think it's a fabulous medicinal plant for external use (both leaf & root, on bruises, fractures, and more), but I think that's also worth a blog post in detail. Stay tuned!

Red clover
Trifolium pratense
Dutch: Rode klave
French: Trèfle des prés, Trèfle violet
German: Wiesen-Klee, Rot-Klee

I've been doing a lot of experimenting lately with red clover (including sprouting the seeds). I've introduced them in my garden because the bees love them so much and so do I.

I'm definitely going to post some more red clover adventures soon, for now you can already read about red clover in Wildly Nourished.

And don't forget:

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