Tag Archives: foraging

Arrow-leaved Balsamroot

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by Woodsbum

In my pursuit of learning more and more about wild edibles, I am continuing on with my occasional plant listing. This post is about the arrow-leaved balsamroot.

Arrow leaved balsamroot

Arrow leaved balsamroot

The arrow-leaved balsamroot is one of the few plants that all parts are edible. The roots, young stems and leaf stalks are best. Although the roots can be bitter, they tend to sweeten up with slow cooked for long periods of time. The roots can also be dried then reconstituted afterwards with an overnight soaking. Seeds can be dried, roasted and made into meal.

 

arrow leaved balsamroot

Arrow leaved balsamroot

This plant grows on dry, stoney slopes in the foothills. Be careful, though. It looks a lot like arnica which can cause internal blistering and severe stomach issues.

Arnica

Arnica

Arrow Leaved Balsamroot flower

Arrow Leaved Balsamroot flower

As you can see the flowers are VERY similar. Make sure you do your research and can accurately identify the two.

These plants can both be found here in the Pacific Northwest and since the arrow leaved balsamroot is completely edible, can be made into a meal as well as having great storage capabilities, it is a good plant to know.

Good luck and have fun!!!

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Miner’s Lettuce

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by Woodsbum

As a way to introduce more foraging subjects into my site, I give to you: Miner’s Lettuce. Miner’s lettuce is also known as claytonia perfoliata and is a single green leaf coming from a disproportionate stalk. It looks like this in summer:

claytonia-perfoliata

or this in spring or fall:

minerslettuce

It is best harvested in spring or fall, but if you need some nutrients it is perfectly fine to be eaten during the summer months as well. It does taste a bit “tinny” compared to spring or fall, however. This might just be my taste bud’s opinion because I have heard other people deny that they had the same experience.

This plant is actually quite nutritious and will supplement your diet quite nicely. From what I have been told, many people actually grow and harvest it at home in their own gardens. I will admit that it does go nicely with a “spring mix” salad and a few croûtons.

Here is a great video about miner’s lettuce that gives you about any info you could ever want on the subject.

Have some fun and see if you can find any on your next outing. It is always fun to reach over and start eating things as you walk by if for no other reason that to freak out your hiking partners.

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Another Foraging Resource – Eat the Weeds

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by Woodsbum

Although I am one heck of a hunter, fire builder, shelter constructor, decent at tracking (how I recover game due to color issues with red on green), fisherman, and all around outdoors guy I do have a problem with foraging. This has been one area of my training that I have really been lacking in and I know it. Unfortunately, I also have no one that I hang around with in real life that is capable of pulling me along and training me. It has really become a lost art and difficult to learn on your own. This is why I buy so many foraging references and am constantly on the lookout for good references. Since I found another place that I have been creeping around in hopes of learning a bit, I felt compelled to include it here for my own future reference…..  If you find it helpful then I am also happy about that.

Eat The Weeds is a blog by Green Deane that I stumbled across a few days ago. He also has a YouTube channel that you can head over to if you so desire. It is really very good and well put together. The only problem is that he assumes that you have a starting knowledge of botany and plant identification. It is actually getting to the point where I am thinking about taking a few plant identification classes at our local college to get me started. This would be an expensive way to overcome the knowledge deficit that I have regarding greenry, but it might be the most beneficial considering. I will keep you updated if I decide to take that path.

I am also waiting to get my “acceptance” email from his forums. I hope to be granted access to that section of his site fairly soon so that I can start hitting up those bubbas about plant identification resources for us “filet and release” types.

Green does offer classes at a reasonable price, but you have to be in Florida to attend. That really does not do me any good considering I am on the entirely opposite side of the continental United States. This also doesn’t take into account the fact that the plant life down there is going to be much different than what we see up here.

As I get more information or resources, I will post them here on AOD. If you have any suggestions or good places for me to check out, please add a comment.

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