I will be guiding a Forage and Birding walk at LongMeadow Farm in Lebanon, OH this coming weekend. Saturday July 7, at 10 am. If you can't make this one, we will be doing two more, one in August and finally in September. I'm excited about this - I love to talk about plants, bugs, birds, and whatever catches the eye while out walking through the woods. Also, the Queen of Tarts, the hostess and originator of this walk, will be providing refreshments before and after. Knowing her, they will be superlative baked goods. There's a small fee, but really, it's no more than seeing a movie in super HD, so...surround yourself with the most realistic possible outdoor experience, and here you don't have to buy the snacks, they're included! Plus you'll leave knowing more about the wild things you can eat and see every day around you. For more questions, or to make reservations (there will likely be room for walk-ins this first time), call 513-435-3002 and talk to Sydney.
We do recommend long pants and closed toe shoes, as well as bug spray and a water bottle. I'll guide you around poison ivy as much as possible, but there's always a chance. Queen of Tarts has generously allowed collection of samples (always be respectful!) so you may want snips and a bag. Binoculars are great for bird watching.
What can you expect to see? Well, the photos that follow were taken at her place, and a few at mine of things I saw there during our preliminary walk-through. For more about them, come walk with us!
Broad Plantain, clovers, and lawn grasses (the only thing not edible here). Who knew you could eat your yard?
Dandelion is delicious and nutritious.
Wild Carrot, Queen Anne's Lace, this common roadside wildflower is indeed edible. Young leaves, roots, and in the second year, flowers and seeds, can all be eaten.
Sassafras leaves are fragrant and used as soup thickener/spice for the origin of gumbo.
Unripe blackberries - good to know for later!
Black Raspberry are coming on now, if you can beat the birds to them. Taste is definitely raspberry, if anything more flavor than the traditional red raspberry.
Purslane can be eaten raw or in stir-fry
LongMeadow Farm, where the forage walk will be held in the surrounding woods and fields.
The underside of a Bolete. This is an old one, far past the point of eating, but they are good when very young.
Bullfrog. Also edible!
These big polypores are not an edible fungus
Garlic scapes, the little bulbils will grow into yet more delicious garlic... which is why they spread like a weed.
Micrathena spp have these neat spiny abdomens, and are a common forest denizen at this time of year.
Pileated Woodpecker nest
A juvenile bluebird, he will shed his spots and fledge out into beautiful blue next year.
Grape leaves, also edible, and not just as dolmade wrappers!
Happiness in a cup...
You can't buy happiness, but you sure can forage it while taking a relaxing walk through the woods.