Why foraging is making a resurgence in towns..

[ënagualí~ᏉLAᗪἇ ኔጡ።]

Why foraging is making a resurgence in towns..

With the economy as it is and the standard of living rising by the hour,while living in the suburban streets means it's fair to say I don't dabble in a lot of foraging - unless searching through the broccoli at Countdown supermarket counts. I do however grow a few vege to support my visits there..

But as our food waste epidemic grows out of control and people seek a more sustainable option, foraging - searching for wild-growing herbs, fruit and vegetables - is becoming more popular. 

There's a Google maps-esque site which shows you where to find the best local edile flora and fauna, and this one is even attempting to eat only what he grows and forages in the year.

But far from a fad controlling how and when we eat, foraging actually is rooted in New Zealand history. 

Our ancestors had the necessary knowledge to identify and prepare wild plant foods. It was crucial to survival. And while some of this knowledge has been passed down through generations, much of it has gotten lost along the way.

These days, most of us would find it hard going to even identify each of the different herbs in our mum's garden.

Bringing foraged ingredients to the dining room table is a passion of mine as well as a experience. 

"Pretty much everywhere you look you'll find something you can pick and eat. 

"What I want to do is to educate the diner. And I want them to go out into the bush and forage," I'd love to see diners bring the practice into their own kitchens.

"Have a look and make sure you identify it and you know what it is. Take it home and taste the product, see what the characteristics are and see what it goes with."  Last night while weeding my garden before the huge deluge rains came crashing down, I found these furry balls under my sword ferns,and the plant said eat me, so of I went to google search just to be safe, and sure enough they are edible..I just have to get over the skin & fur in my teeth lol..

But its well known that during the deep depression people were making all kinds of foods they found around their streets and in fields part of their stable diet,why cant we all keep this thought going even if we are not in financial trouble..

I love my wild greens pesto. Dandelion greens, chickweed, purslane,etc. Most of the so called weeds on my 1/4 acre are totally superfoods to me.,but many people have no idea they can even be eaten,let alone to go foraging for others.. I’ve always kind of imagined foragers could specialize so that we all benefit. You may have the mushroom people, the acorn processors and foragers, fruit pickers and tenders, etc. we’d all come together with our skills to get the food we need. And of course to help sow native edible plants and carry on these traditions of gardening beneath the forests..

I watched a wonderful programme on Country Calendar TV this weekend on a couple who bought a section of land in Brooklyn, Nelson with an orchid 'Little Shaggery Farm' they called it and they are now making their own cider vinegar, natural fruit juices & selling their products & produce at farmers markets..its the way to go..

check out their facebook page & be inspired:-

https://www.facebook.com/people/Little-Shaggery-Farm/10006492897101...

I can see how this movement of thought can be beneficial for those who are struggling monetarily or people who may find things they enjoy substituted from nature.

"What if we all foraged?" It made me think if we all foraged, we would blow the dandelion puffs we see growing in yards and parks, encouraging growth so we could eat more dandelion greens! Then, we'd be excited about them and smile more because it's a fun way to connect with the Earth and our true selves... Food sovereignty is critical. ..If we found a abundance of fruit or vege just rotting, in the community why not pick it and share it on a stall for the community to harvest from, in a trade off system, take what you need but replace it with your own abundance produce..we could all be helping each other financially as no money changes hands its a green dollar system..

I'm also horrified at how much vege & fruit waste their is at supermarkets, a bruise,or odd fruit is just discarded, where it could be cut off and used in baking of pies or casseroles..this type of passion is truly inspiring to cut down on waste..

I personally havn't got the abundance of produce to start bottling,canning and or drying produce, but some people may just have that in their surroundings,& the time to do so...

I do randomly make a huge meal and then divide it up into smaller portions & freeze these meals though, as some nights I dont get home till way after 6.30pm, no time to cook or I'm tired, so then out comes a delicious pre-made meal I can reheat fast..

I also havnt gone as far or steep as to making my own medicines, but we can start small like we don’t need cough syrups or other medicines for sore throats when we have honey, turmeric, ginger root, & apple cider vinegar etc.

I also grow my own root Ginger as its a staple in my home for my stir fries..

I have even tried eating banana stem core? Its very good for health, high in fibre, great for people who suffer from kidney stones. You can make stir fry or stews of it..

weeds,dandelion etc I also have tried and this one below Purslane it has a slight peppery taste, so great in a salad..

I have fruit trees,Satuma mandarines, Feijoa, Lemons, Grapes & Black Doris plums to also bump up my produce supplies when in season,

I let Pumpkins self seed from the compost and got a huge one this season, I know not much compared with the 9 I got last year..but I let them do their things naturally..cut this off this morning before writing this..

I traded a abundance of Mandarines before the birds get to them for tree ripened Persimmons with a client,I've also traded green grapes for my red ones last summer..

There’s a real shift in town towards sustainable living... its part of our right to be able to enjoy nature and able to forage but there needs to be more of it..There are so many places in parks, in schools and universities, around hospitals, around ministries and churches, on rooftops and balconies, up the fassades of buildings... we can grow our food everywhere. We then would not need packages and transport and nasty chemicals anymore... I have been growing my own vegetables for the last ten years+ and will never go back to fully store bought, only in the winter of course but even then I like to bring somethings in doors in the winter eg a odd pumpkin or some slim leaf silverbeet...

So people time to start thinking about this foraging bug and get your gardens created,cos the cost of living isnt going to go back down or go away in any real  hurry..check out the videos and your community to see how to set up a food green dollar stall..

Raven Leads My Way Again..

Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ..aka Reɪvən ღ

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[ënagualí~ᏉLAᗪἇ ኔጡ።]

[Julie]

Loved the photos of the frogs! especially the little one peeping out of the bromeliad

Vlada, the little frog reminded me of a picture I took at The Palms 

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hadn't ever seen the beehives, they're awesome, thanks for sharing!