Foraging with Children.

Sage, Lupine and I spent yesterday with their friend Irie in the woods, searching out wild edibles. Trout lily. Fiddle heads. Nettles. Ramps. Ramps, ramps, ramps. This has become one of my favorite ways to spend a day with my kids. As we left the forest with bags brimming with culinary treasures, we each (voluntarily) expressed our gratitude to the woods for the food provided to us.

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I've been seriously wordy here lately, so today will be a shorter post and I will leave you with lovely pictures from our day. I'll post some recipes next week for how we use the ramps and nettles we gathered. 

(Sidebar: do take a moment to appreciate Lupine's sense of fashion, won't you? The chartreuse dress is from the dance outfit section of our favorite thrift store. "Its an everyday dress, mama. Not a costume." Word.)

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18 thoughts on “Foraging with Children.”

  1. denise says:
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    One of our FAVORITE things to do! We take our book to identify, sketchbook, compass (or GPS) and a basket…LOVE IT! This April our allergies have been horrible with the lack of rain, but we still have been getting out in shorter spurts to look for goodies!

  2. renee @ FIMBY says:
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    What part of the trout lily do you eat? We identified a bunch backpacking this weekend but I was wondering if when they are flowering if it’s too late to eat the leaves? Do you know?

  4. Rachel Wolf says:
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    Renee,
    We eat the leaves and yes, after they flower it is too late. Lupine is trout lily crazed, but yesterdays leaves were very bitter and a few had begun to flower. So these are definitely an early spring green.

    Rachel

  6. Rachel Wolf says:
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    Oh, thanks so much, Abby. I miss tromping with you too. Plants bring up memories of the Ridge for sure… Wild Ginger, Solomans Seal, Meadow Rue… Sending love to you and your boys!
    xo
    Rachel

  8. denise says:
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    Rachel,

    Yes! There are a some parks in the surrounding area that specifically allow foraging (they have signs posted), so we visit when we can. 🙂

  10. Denise says:
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    How come I didn’t know you can eat trout lily?? : ) We have a whole patch of them in our woods! The other day Cedar and I were out there and the whole center of the patch was matted down – perhaps a deer has been snuggled up out there at night?? Do you eat them raw?

  11. debra says:
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    This is one of our favorite things, too, though we mostly have protected State park/forest land around here. So we mostly identify and then support the locals who forage on their own land and sell at the farmer’s market. Ramps and nettle quiches, nettle tea, nettle in everything…we do help ourselves to the redbuds, though, quite freely – they are a great trail snack!

  12. Rachel Wolf says:
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    Edible! Yes! We had Trout Lily Soup when we picked up our camper with the lovely folks who gave it to us. Here is a good link: http://www.writerbynature.com/2006/03/04/wild-foods-recipe-trout-lillies-raw-or-steamed/ but there are loads of resources out there. I looked in all of my wild edible books, though, and not a one lists it. I dont even know why I knew it was edible. Maybe the plants told me. 🙂

    As with any wild edible, start slow to be sure your body can digest the plant.

    xo
    Rachel

  17. Crystal @ Semi-Crunchy Mama says:
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    I’ve never gone foraging before, but grew up hearing stories of how my grandfather would gather dandelion greens, fiddlehead ferns, and wild asparagus. You’ve inspired me…I want to learn more! (Are there books or websites that you’d recommend to a complete foraging rookie?)

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