As a child I often accompanied my maternal grandmother on her foraging trips -an activity also known as "scrounging". In the spring we gathered "poke" and"dock"; in August sand plums and currants and after a hard freeze the persimmons would be bletted enough that they were no longer astringent. And of course pecans and black walnuts in the fall. On rare occasions we might find the "haws"- red ones and less often the black ones - very scarce even then. What stirred my memory about this is the recent discovery that the beans produced by the mesquite trees in my backyard can be ground into flour for breadmaking - both the seeds and hulls are used.Here is an extensive reference on the many treasures we may still be able to gather. http://www.ssrsi.org/ods/food.htm
Foraging
Ahh... very interesting memories. You were not likely in San Antonio when you foraged.
In east TX, we have most of what you mentioned. Except mesquite of course but there are other edibles to forage in springtime like Maypops, dewberries and Mayapples.
You're right - the area we searched was in southern Oklahoma - in and south of the Arbuckle mountains. We also gathered water cress from the mountain streams.
I have water cress in my small spring overflow basin; it used to also grow in the creek my spring empties into, but now the creek is too polluted. I've learned (from my neighbor) how to eat lots of 'weeds' since I moved here but I'd like to do more foraging in the woods.
This year I have resurrected the old-fashioned method of 'pickling' which uses only salt rather than vinegar (and they don't get canned), and I'm making lots of fermented vegetables. Recipes are hard to find, but one old recipe for kraut has shredded burdock root along with the cabbage, and several others use wild greens like purslane to keep whatever vegetables you are using crispier.
It's part of the knowledge good to know in a future that might include scarcity; unfortunately we have lost so much of it, and even my generation (pre- baby-boomers) knows very little and our grandchildren would starve to death.
Darius ~ I suspect you have a copy of Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning? It has some of the older preservation methods. The only one I've done was brining cherry peppers but that was with salt, vinegar and oil. I have some vintage cookbooks, I will have to peruse them looking for other information using foraged foods with the preserved.
Pod, yes, I have that book.... and a few others. It's tough finding recipes, so most folks make their own. I wrote posts all this past week for my blog on lacto-ferments, but mostly on techniques rather than recipes.
Years ago there was a member here, Roger, who made his living in Sweden selling lacto-ferments at 4 farmer's markets. He made over a hundred varieties, many with various hot peppers.
That is very interesting stuff.
I'm surprised this topic has not sparked more interest. Our oldest and next are active primitive campers and foragers. One guy and one gal. We sent them, in their early teens, to train in primitive earth skills. They can make acorn flour, hunt ground nuts, bamboo shoots and ramps, identify 'shrooms and gather greens. They can also field dress, butcher and brain tan. We think this is terrific considering DH is from Boston and I'm from Miami Beach. lol We have none of these skills but think they were important enough to find folks who could instruct them. DD conducted a workshop in tanning goat hides just a few weeks ago in ex-urban Maryland. If you are interested, DM for a link.
Laurel
What lucky kids! I bet you could have foraged on Miami Beach, mostly tropical fruits, blossom nectars, coconuts...
I just read a thread recently where someone was looking for sources for acorn flour, ground nut flour, etc. and I suggested she may have to make her own, and search for some blogs on eating wild.
Yeah, this thread should have found more attention...
Here's something which may be of interest:
Nature’s Garden and The Forager’s Harvest
http://heavytable.com/natures-garden-and-the-foragers-harvest/
Thanks, darius - very interesting reference!
I've been reading a bit further and just learned that the seeds of the native persimmon can be used as a coffee substitute. I've often wondered why grandmother didn't harvest the elderberries that were so plentiful in the area. Perhaps she was only drawing on the training she had as a youngster before her family moved from Georgia.
I've been doing some baking with mesquite flour. Intriguing flavor! I've tried it in bread and next I plan to do cookies and pie crust.
Funny you should mention elderberries. I just finished a post for my blog for next week on making elderberry syrup for colds and flu (including H1N1), but there are far more medicinal benefits as well. For example, I didn't know it helps lower cholesterol...
Mesquite is merely a word for us on the East Coast, LOL. Now, Kudzu flour is a different story!
Can you make a Kudzu flour? We have small but smothering clumps of Kudzu in east TX.
Yes, the root can be dried and ground for a flour or powder. I don't know any details of exactly how, but it is described as being used like arrowroot.
http://tiny.cc/8fcr0
They are also making ethanol out of kudzu.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/kudzu-for-ethanol-interview.php
It's great forage. Dairy farmers use it for haylage and some farmers get many cuttings from it as it grows and put it up like regular hay. My horses LOVE the stuff. Goats are the only thing I know that can kill it.
In my experience Kudzu grows faster than anything can eat it. Neglect it, and Kudzu will eat your whole farm!
LOL, I just wrote a post on my blog a few days ago about kudzu eating the south! Used the kudzu angel photo from Ret.Sgt.Yates here on DG
That is a great picture!
Darius ~ I stumbled across this link while reading a gardening newsletter. I suspect you may have encountered it but in case you hadn't... http://www.wildfermentation.com/
Oh, yeah... even have his book! Thanks for thinking of me... :)
I figured you had it but stranger things have happened... lol
LOL...
I'm in a slow process of collecting edible "weed" photos from my yard and surrounding area, and recipes on ways to prepare them. I'm sure I will only get about a tenth, given that knowledge of so many edibles is long gone.
My old-timer neighbor Buster was telling me yesterday that this time of year you can eat the lower stalks of poke weed if they are really large (more than an inch). Cut them in short lengths, butter them, wrap in foil and roast. He says they taste like fish! I need to ask him for exact details to be sure I have it right... I'd hate to poison myself or anyone else!
Something else from the wild I've wanted to try but don't currently have a source for: cattails (bull rush).
http://houstonwildedibles.blogspot.com/2008/08/bullrushcattail.html
Cool! I see them around here but never have my waders in the truck!
If that reference doesn't open try this one -
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/duffyk43.html
Oh neat! We almost lost ours in the drought we had for multiple years but they are recovering. They are growing on the opposite end of the pond from where they used to be, in much deeper water. I think I'd like the shoots.
We used to harvest bamboo shoots every spring. Friends grew multiple varieties and needed them harvested annually. I pickled bunches, steamed and froze some and stir fried the other. There is a bamboo-like grass that is not invasive along our creek. I've never ID it but maybe I should check it out for spring. We used to grow ramps. I'd like to find and plant some again. We are harvesting scuppernogs now. I used to harvest water cress along the creek that spills from our spring cistern (I bought it and tossed it along the creek edge) along with the crawdaddies.
This thread reminded me that I'm more of a forager than I recalled. I did grow up eating sea grapes and Suriname cherries on Miami Beach. :)
This message was edited Aug 19, 2010 6:49 PM
I'm thinking about foraging in my neighbor's yard but I'd like to first be sure what I'm getting for my thievery. Looks like an apple tree of some sort but a specific ID would be appreciated:
Here's a close up of the fruit - looks ripe and ready. Tasty or not?
They look small? And favor a crabapple from my youth...
They average about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Perhaps a bit bigger than a crab. Have you sampled one yet?
I feel certain they are edible but may be better suited to a jelly or preserve?
They do look like crab apples. However, the size you mention reminds me of the "haws" (hawthorn) that my grandmother and I gathered. Definitely edible. Flavor resembled an apple with a rather mealy texture.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/100-199/nb161.htm
This message was edited Aug 25, 2010 6:17 PM
Haven't ventured a bite yet. Waiting for someone to persuade me to do that. Too late now, anyways, as it is now dark outside.
Yuska, we cross posted. I'll got on your link.
Here's an unusually thoroughly Wiki reference on the "Haws"...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus
Hmmm...
I can't wait to see what I do next. Regardless of that, however, I guess this does make the point that we urban dwellers can also have fun foraging.
Thanks for the thread, Yuska.
Rose hips can be used in several ways. If you are fortunate to find the wild plants you will have access to large crops. An article from TipNut -
http://tipnut.com/rose-hips/
Golden Domer ... They look like jujubes. If so, they are edible.
I'm still not certain of the ID but they taste like a miniature Red Delicious apple tho not as juicy!
Also, they are not at all "mealy" in texture. If I had the time and talent to do so I would put them up in a jelly or jam as they are free for the taking. Neighbor told me to help myself.
Glad you found a natural food treasure. The "haws" Grandmother and I found may have had a softened texture because we harvested them late in the season. Apples and similar fruits tend to be crisp when just ripening.
Such a nice neighbor and you have been handed a golden goose. It takes only a little time and no talent to make apples into preserves. You can pick and store the apples for a time until you are ready. I'd be happy to help guide you as would those on the canning and preserving forum. The neat thing about apples is they are naturally high in pectin and require nothing other than some sugar, water and maybe lemon juice if desired. You can make apple butter too. If you have access to these free fruits and spend a small bit of time you will have gifts from you labors that could last for several years and be enjoyed by many.
Laurel
This message was edited Aug 30, 2010 7:49 PM