Video:How to Forage in the Spring

Transcript:How to Forage in the Spring

Hi, I'm Lea Elleseff, co-founder of the Dacha Project, an educational homestead in upstate New York. Today on About.com we're going on a journey to learn how to forage for wild edibles in the spring.

For our excursion we will need few things: a basket, pruners, a hand spade and a guidebook. And waterproof boots couldn't hurt.

Leafy Greens Make for Great Salads When You Forage in the Spring

Talk about local, this plantain plant is growing not five feet from the house. Plantain, a common weed spread from coast to coast, grows in sidewalks and woods alike. The edible leaves grow basally, directly from the root. The leaves are ribbed and spade-shaped. They come in broad and narrow leaf varieties.

A unique identifier is the stringiness of the plantain, which can be seen by pulling apart the stem. Best harvested young, plantain grows anew not only in spring, but throughout the summer. Gather them by hand or in bunches with pruners. The leaves of the plant can be eaten steamed or raw in salad. Once the flower stalk appears on a plant, the leaves are too tough to enjoy.

Other leafy greens of similar distribution and edibility are dandelion greens, garlic mustard, lamb's quarters and bedstraw to name a few. Harvest and prepare them like you would plantain. Together they make a delightful salad.

Use a Field Guide When You Forage in the Spring

Before you learn exactly what specific plants look like, carry a field guide. A good guide will include detailed identifying features, a list of possible poisonous lookalikes, and wise instruction on how to prepare.

To add some color to your wild salad, collect clover, a plant that is common in meadows and gardens. The red variety is especially sweet. Of this plant, both the stems, leaves and flowers are good to eat.

Edible Shoots Are a Great Find When You Forage in the Spring

Besides leafy greens, with spring come edible young shoots, like that of the cattail. Before the recognizable brown spikes appear, the shoots of cattails emerge in areas that are very moist or directly in standing water.

To harvest, get a handle on the shoot down low, rock back and forth to loosen, and yank. Peel a few layers off to reveal the tender and white area, which can be cooked or eaten raw. It's taste greatly resembles that of cucumber. In this case, there is a poisonous look alike to watch out for, the wild iris.

A favorite treat of mid-spring are wild leeks, commonly known as ramps. Ramps grow in clusters in rich, moist woods, often under hardwood trees, and in disturbed areas. The entire plant is edible, from the leaf to the underground bulb. To harvest, pluck either just the leaves, or with the bulb intact. If its close to the surface, rock the bulb back and forth and pluck. Voila, what a beaut.

Deeper bulbs require a hand spade. Ramps are delicious good raw or cooked. No more onion shopping for me, I've hit the jackpot.

Although summer is primetime for edible berries, the wild strawberry does usher in the season in late spring. These berries grow in meadows and open fields. The strawberry itself is preceded by a snowy five-petal flower that is accompanied by three jagged leaves. Tastier, but much smaller than the cultivated variety, the berry shines at the close observer like a jewel. Seriously good to eat.

Concoct Teas With Roots Found While You Forage in the Spring

A fine meal needs a good drink to accompany it. In the spring there are many teas that a forager can concoct. The roots of the dandelion, the flowers of clover, and the spearmint-tasting twigs of black birch for a start -- these can all be made into vitamin and mineral rich teas. Each requires a different preparation, and a good herbal medicine book is the best resource for this.

Before you learn exactly what specific plants look like, carry a field guide. A good guide will include detailed identifying features, a list of possible poisonous lookalikes, and wise instructions on how to prepare.

This brings us to the end of our foraging journey. So go out there, be careful, identify things closely, and most of all, enjoy yourself. Thanks for joining us. To learn more, visit us again on About.com.