Foraging guide?

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I just started watching Alone and am very impressed with the knowledge of the constants to identify edible plants and mushrooms.

Other than Morels I don't have any idea where to start. Can any of you recommend a foraging guide broken down by region. I'm from PA so that is where I am likely to focus.

Figure it's give me something to do with the kids between trapping season ending and fall seasons.

 

[dutch_henry]

I really enjoy foraging and NOT just in seasons when I get blanked Take a look at The Forager's Harvest by Samuel Thayer. His Nature's Garden is also good. For mushrooms, Mushrooms Demystified by David Aroca is probably the authoritative guide.

None are Pennsylvania-specific, but I've found them handy here in northern New England, Oregon and Washington, and when visiting my folks in PA. I've also seen some northeast guides but have not used them. Interested to see if others chime in with region-specific guides

 

[akcabin]

Books. A good pocket guide is nice to have. When you're out just stop and identify the plants around you. Their medical n practical purposes.
Folks lived on foraging for their needs for a lot of years. Books generally go by region. Here in ak I have one that is based on how the local cultures used the local plants n trees to live for thousands of years.
I also enjoy just having them around. I enjoy the outdoors so learning more is always cool. Books are great for kids too when out n can keep them busy for hours.

 

[Oregonboy]

You can read books until your blue in the face but i'd recommending joining a group. There's mushroom foraging groups in nearly every state. A quick google search showed me several in PA. Folks in those groups will help you learn other outdoor edibles, such as wild onions, oxalis, miners lettuce, etc.

I think other humans showing you the ropes is the best way to learn. I wouldn't be confident eating something that I only identified in a book. It only takes one mistake to become very sick.

 

[dutch_henry]

@Oregonboy, finding a group is awesome advice--especially with mushrooms but will accelerate your learning in other areas as well. ID aside, one of the things that can be challenging is seasonality--ex sassafras roots are best in the winter, cattail rhizomes/tubers are best in the fall while cattail stems are best in the spring.

@akcabin, sounds like a really cool book. Do you have the title/author handy?

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

You can read books until your blue in the face but i'd recommending joining a group. There's mushroom foraging groups in nearly every state. A quick google search showed me several in PA. Folks in those groups will help you learn other outdoor edibles, such as wild onions, oxalis, miners lettuce, etc.

I think other humans showing you the ropes is the best way to learn. I wouldn't be confident eating something that I only identified in a book. It only takes one mistake to become very sick.

That's really great advice. My time is very limited so being able to schedule around someone's plans might not happen much but learning from someone who knows is always easier than going it alone.

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I really enjoy foraging and NOT just in seasons when I get blanked Take a look at The Forager's Harvest by Samuel Thayer. His Nature's Garden is also good. For mushrooms, Mushrooms Demystified by David Aroca is probably the authoritative guide.

None are Pennsylvania-specific, but I've found them handy here in northern New England, Oregon and Washington, and when visiting my folks in PA. I've also seen some northeast guides but have not used them. Interested to see if others chime in with region-specific guides

I'm going to see if the library has either of those books. Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

The Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide is pretty good for species ID and general habitat. Mushrooms Demystified by David Aurora is the gold standard and one of the best taxonomy guides ever written, but it's no field book. I've never seen a good resource for actually getting out and finding things, mushroom people are even more fanatical than hunters about protecting their spots.

 

[akcabin]

@Oregonboy, finding a group is awesome advice--especially with mushrooms but will accelerate your learning in other areas as well. ID aside, one of the things that can be challenging is seasonality--ex sassafras roots are best in the winter, cattail rhizomes/tubers are best in the fall while cattail stems are best in the spring.

@akcabin, sounds like a really cool book. Do you have the title/author handy?

No it's at the cabin. And agree with the mushroom thing and having guidance. But rooms are just one food category.

 

[akcabin]

@Oregonboy, finding a group is awesome advice--especially with mushrooms but will accelerate your learning in other areas as well. ID aside, one of the things that can be challenging is seasonality--ex sassafras roots are best in the winter, cattail rhizomes/tubers are best in the fall while cattail stems are best in the spring.

@akcabin, sounds like a really cool book. Do you have the title/author handy?

No it's at the cabin. And agree with the mushroom thing and having guidance. But rooms are just one food category

 

[displacedtexan]

To be fair... All plants are edible, once.

I'll be picking up a book though.

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

To be fair... All plants are edible, once.

I'll be picking up a book though.

It's amazing how many things fall into that catergory.

 

[UncleBone]

I think I remember hearing PA is a GOLD MINE for chanterelles. Pun intended.

 

[UncleBone]

Also, should be able to find chicken of the woods there, and coral mushrooms.

 

[Brielle]

There is a two week foraging & botany intensive coming up this September in Idaho. For two weeks, a group of people will travel together, visiting a diversity of eco regions to learn the skills of foraging and identifying plants using a very easy and efficient patterns method. We will harvest and learn to process and cook various plants, as well as learn other uses of plants such as medicine, fiber for clothing and baskets, tools, friction fire, and so on.
This intensive happens at a new location every year. I attended for the first time last year and we travelled throughout Oregon. I learned a lot, and continue to practice the skills of wild foraging and creating things with wild plants. I’ll be going again this year, and I’m just trying to help get the word out since this is such an amazing opportunity that I think a lot of people would be interested in but don’t necessarily know about it!
Here’s the flyer for the trip this year:

 

[Yoder]

I heard there are some apps for your phone. I haven't looked into them yet. I'm sure AI wouldn't steer you wrong.

 

[dtrkyman]

Have not tried it on mushrooms or other edible plants but when you take a pic on your Iphone you can look up the pant, really cool feature!

Just tap the info button at the bottom of the photo.