Edible Wilds

My Dad is a very wise man. When I was a little girl, my parents used to take our family on annual camping trips. We lived in the city, so they wanted to expose us to nature and just spend some quality time with us kids. We used to camp in Gatineau, Algonquin, New Brunswick, and even Virginia Beach!

My brothers were far more interested in fishing and catching frogs and snakes than they were in identifying the different flora and fauna. Dad taught the boys how to fish, but he took me on a walking tour through the woods and showed me all sorts of wonderful edible plants! My Dad once told me "if you're out in the wilderness you will never starve". He's right! If you are stuck in the wild and you know what to look for, you will not go hungry.

When I was in the bush moving the cattle with Hubby yesterday, I thought of my childhood camping trips and my walks with Dad. I am really thankful for the times that Dad took me on those walks and taught me about edible wilds. On our property, Hubby's got a few hundred acres of forest.

In our forest, I've seen:
*Fiddle heads
*Mushrooms
*Mint
*Raspberries
*Strawberries
*Hawberries
*Leeks
*ASA from poplar bark (medicinal)
*Chamomile
*Blackberry
*Elderberry
*Dandelion
*Mustard
*Chives
*Crabapple

I know there are many more edible wilds on our property, but these are the ones I can identify. The number one rule for edibility is KNOW BEFORE YOU EAT!

Looking for edible wilds is such a fun activity. When Hubby and I have kids of our own, I'd really like to take them for walks through the bush to identify and sample some of the wonderful treasures Mother Nature has to offer us. The hiking part is fun, but finding wild raspberries is the part that is the most fun!!!

If you're ever over for a visit, we'll take a walk in the woods and look for edible wilds :)

(Cross-posted at Random Thoughts and Musings on the Island)