Wild foods growing on the homestead
#6942697
07/25/20 06:53 PM
07/25/20 06:53 PM
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,109 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,109
Northern Michigan
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Jurassic Park's thread reminded me how decent my spread is for wild food foraging. Below is a quick list of the various non-animal edibles we have to glean. We have the usual blueberries I just spoke of on JP's thread, as well as, most years, a very few wild strawberries, wild cherries (pin and choke), serviceberries/saskatoons, wild raisins, wintergreen, blackberries (gobs), wild cranberries in our marshy ground, beaked hazelnuts, wild grapes, cattails for various edible parts, acorns galore, numerous wild greens like lamb's quarters & common milkweed (my two favorite wild greens), and autumn olive. We also have semi-wild asparagus, plums of two types, and apple trees, one of which is an ancient northern spy that has wonderful apples that usually keep very well through the winter and beyond. Some of these items are very dependable, and others are spotty and go years between good crops. I won't even list the various mushrooms I gather. I've been eyeing my Brides hosta plants lately too! Some of these things we seldom even bother with because they are a pile of work (hazelnuts for instance). How are some of you folks's land for gathering plant-based edibles?
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Re: Wild foods growing on the homestead
[Re: J.Morse]
#6942763
07/25/20 07:49 PM
07/25/20 07:49 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,916 Pa
Art S
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,916
Pa
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Got about a half acre of garlic that went feral years ago , we cut the scapes and started planting them in the garden , got a bushel and a half this year . Not sure what kind , but it was free .
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Re: Wild foods growing on the homestead
[Re: J.Morse]
#6943330
07/26/20 11:34 AM
07/26/20 11:34 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,514 Kanabec Cty, MN
Drakej
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,514
Kanabec Cty, MN
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We have just about every thing that is in most edible books for our area. But their is a very big subjective difference between edible and palatable for most. Also time needed to harvest and process is a consideration. We do maple syrup, ramps, fiddleheads, wild asparagus, most wild berries(when their is a harvestable crop), minimal honey, assorted mushrooms(which we are cautiously learning to ID) and crab apples from a couple of feral homestead trees(50+ yrs old). The only value nut we have is hazel and the local bear eats them all just as they ripen every year. Our wild fruit/berry crops have become VERY sporadic lately I think for declining pollinators or pollinating weather(springs are colder/wetter). We are trying to keep a couple of honeybee hives and boost native pollinator habitat which seems to be helping. Our average is all recreational and mostly chemical free(we use limitedherbicides/insecticides in working to restore prairie habitat and a few hobby orchard trees. Most of our wild plant foraging is hobby, going out and seeing what we can gather to supplement a self harvested fish,venison or small game main dish. I personally am very glad we have grocery stores and farmers markets and not have to be a complete hunter/gatherer everyday, lol.
I've learned enough thru the years to now know that I don't know enough. KNOWLEDGE IS FREEDOM.
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Re: Wild foods growing on the homestead
[Re: J.Morse]
#6943337
07/26/20 11:39 AM
07/26/20 11:39 AM
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1,221 WISCONSIN
Wild_WI
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1,221
WISCONSIN
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Anybody in wisconsin know of a wild edibles class id like to learn more about it
Last edited by Wild_WI; 07/26/20 11:39 AM.
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Re: Wild foods growing on the homestead
[Re: J.Morse]
#6943341
07/26/20 11:42 AM
07/26/20 11:42 AM
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,368 W NY
Turtledale
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,368
W NY
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My favorite that grows on my land is horseradish. Dig up any month with an "R"
NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
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Re: Wild foods growing on the homestead
[Re: J.Morse]
#6943374
07/26/20 12:14 PM
07/26/20 12:14 PM
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,337 The Hill Country of Texas
Leftlane
"HOSS"
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"HOSS"
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,337
The Hill Country of Texas
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I have a few raspberries and as many wild onions as I can use. Thankfully they go with everything
“What’s good for me may not be good for the weak minded.” Captain Gus McCrae- Texas Rangers
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Re: Wild foods growing on the homestead
[Re: J.Morse]
#6943394
07/26/20 12:30 PM
07/26/20 12:30 PM
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,109 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,109
Northern Michigan
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I have to agree with Drakej. Some of the stuff we have growing isn't worth the effort......hazelnuts being the one that comes quickly to mind. These tiny little nuts are barely big enough to bother with. I no longer do. I would MUCH rather wait til the big nut filled pallet boxes show up in the grocery store during the holiday season....and just make a big ole scoop with the scooper!
I forgot about maple syrup! We used to make it about every spring, but haven't the last few. Our serviceberry crop is erratic as heck. Some years hardly a single berry to be found, another year they are so thick I use tarps under the trees(bushes) to gather them. Cranberries can be fairly abundant most years, but I'm the only one in the house that will eat them, so I don't pick many any more. I made dehydrated "craisins" a time or three, and they were delicious once, and so-so the other times. Horseradish is here, but it won't spread....one anemic plant for years. Other folks talk of it taking over their whole property. I'm jinxed with it I guess. Same with rhubarb. I am the only person in the history of the world that killed off a big ole patch of it by accident! My efforts to transplant more have failed.
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Re: Wild foods growing on the homestead
[Re: J.Morse]
#6944565
07/27/20 04:54 PM
07/27/20 04:54 PM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,042 SE Iowa USA
AKAjust
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,042
SE Iowa USA
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I have to agree with Drakej. Some of the stuff we have growing isn't worth the effort......hazelnuts being the one that comes quickly to mind. These tiny little nuts are barely big enough to bother with. I no longer do. I would MUCH rather wait til the big nut filled pallet boxes show up in the grocery store during the holiday season....and just make a big ole scoop with the scooper!
I forgot about maple syrup! We used to make it about every spring, but haven't the last few. Our serviceberry crop is erratic as heck. Some years hardly a single berry to be found, another year they are so thick I use tarps under the trees(bushes) to gather them. Cranberries can be fairly abundant most years, but I'm the only one in the house that will eat them, so I don't pick many any more. I made dehydrated "craisins" a time or three, and they were delicious once, and so-so the other times. Horseradish is here, but it won't spread....one anemic plant for years. Other folks talk of it taking over their whole property. I'm jinxed with it I guess. Same with rhubarb. I am the only person in the history of the world that killed off a big ole patch of it by accident! My efforts to transplant more have failed.
Grandma's rhubarb was right next to the out house. lol Had a good patch every year. lol , just
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