by Katherine Huether

Created on: June 27, 2009   Last Updated: June 28, 2009

Learning how to forage for herbs is a great way to contribute to your household's food supply. It is also a great way to utilize the power of these plants for medicine. Even in the darkest, coldest days of winter there are still fresh plants available for foraging. Yes, nature has a lot to offer but there are also ethics to consider because over harvesting can be a problem. The goal is to take what you need and leave the rest.

Common Edible Plants

As you study foraging, keep in mind that there are some plants that are common to most areas and even grow in lawns. This is a great place to begin your experimenting, as long as you are sure of the plant's identity and that the area was not treated with chemicals or is too close to the road.

Some common plants include Chickweed (Stellaria media), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Nettle (Urtica dioica), Plantain (Plantago major and Plantago lanceolate), and Purslane (Portulaca oleracea). I have provided the Latin names because knowing them helps insure proper identification. This is a great tip because some plants share common folk names.

Take 5% of What's There

Before we get into the nuts and bolts, let's talk about ethics. When foraging for wild plants in the woods, a good rule of thumb is to take 5% of what's there. The plant needs to remain in the woods to contribute to the eco-system. Take too much and you'll harm the plant and eventually the surrounding forest.

This does not apply to plants in your garden, especially if you're weeding them anyway. I often find chickweed, purslane, lambs quarters, and dandelion in my garden and they're all delicious. Instead of tossing them in the compost pile, I make a salad!

Learn Proper Identification

Now that you now the ethics, it's time to get down to it. It is very important to learn how to identify a wild plant properly. There are several ways you can do this - and I suggest employing all of these methods at some point so you can continually increase your skills. The very first thing you should do is get a good field guide for your area. Peterson Field Guides has a Wild Edible Plants series. That's the one I have and I highly recommend it. Make sure it covers your area.

You can also go on what are often dubbed "weed walks". This is where an expert takes you out into the woods or in your surrounding area and points out all the edible, medicinal, and even poisonous plants. However, it is very important to make sure they really are an expert - otherwise you could get into trouble if you choose the wrong plant.

Picking the Plant

When it comes time to actually pick the plant, it is very important to make sure you are harvesting the correct part and at the right time. This is where a good field guide comes in handy. Once you've determined that you have the right plant, the correct part, and it's the best time to pick it, just pluck it carefully from the plant. You may need a pair of scissors. In the case of roots, you may need to dig.

Wash all plants to remove dirt. If you decide to dry them for medicinal use, make sure the plant is completely free of water. You may want to forego washing it if it's just the leaf portion and just brush it to make sure you get any dirt and bugs off.

Where to Go From Here

Now that you have the basics, spend some time in the woods with your field guide. Before you start picking plants, give yourself an overview of your surrounding area. Observe the plants in your neighborhood that grow wild. Eventually you'll start to see patterns emerging. Start with the easy plants, like dandelion, and branch out from there. With practice it will become second nature.

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