Black birch is easily recognizable by its bark’s prominent lenticels. ( Heather Houskeeper) Nature’s aspirin freshens breath too Black birch, cherry birch, sweet birch. Call this tree what you want, Betula lenta is prevalent throughout our northeastern... Wild Food 08 Nov 2023 | 01:25
Closely related to the pecan, the shagbark hickory nut is equally delicious ( Heather Houskeeper) An easy-to-crack bonanza Autumn, the season for nuts and ripe fruits, provides a fair exchange for the flowery days of summer. The forests are drenched... Wild Food 01 Aug 2023 | 01:40
Use purple dead nettle to make pesto, pizza or as a salve for bug bites. ( Heather Houskeeper) The name doesn’t do it justice Countless botanicals have received unfortunate names: bastard toadflax, creeping Charlie, beggars’ ticks, lousewort. But... Home 17 Jan 2023 | 01:32
Sweet fern in its winter state. ( Heather Houskeeper) Stalking your next wild edible Winter can seem like a tricky time to forage, especially when greens and roots alike are buried under a blanket of snow.... Wild Food 31 Oct 2022 | 10:25
Burdock’s spikey, thistle-like flowers transform into the burs that we find in our sweaters and pup’s fur. ( Heather Houskeeper) Beneath the burs, a sustaining taproot The shortening days and cooling temperatures signal to plants that it’s time to store up, direct energy to their rootstock... Wild Food 01 Sep 2022 | 03:57
A bounty of morels under a dying apple tree on the author’s property. ( Heather Houskeeper) The forager’s top prize This time of year, when temps hover around 60 and dip to no less than 40 degrees, you may just find one very special mushroom.... Wild Food 24 Jan 2022 | 10:31
The lawn wrecker’s abundant upside Winter’s earth safekeeps an abundance of nutrient rich roots, some of which still sprout forth hearty greens and brave flowers.... Wild Food 19 Jan 2022 | 01:26
The all-American stress reducer Air is turning crisp and leaves are transforming to the colors of rich earth and sunset. For some of us autumn can feel bittersweet.... Wild Food 03 Aug 2021 | 12:51
Sweet fern is not actually a fern, but a shrub with a strong resemblance. Pluck a few leaves for a local version of chai. ( Heather Houskeeper) The tastiest wild tea in all the land Few drinks rival a cold glass of sweet tea on a hot summer’s day, but there is one: sweet fern tea. Sweet fern is the most... Wild Food 19 Apr 2021 | 12:05
Houskeeper and Scott Weis on their 358-mile trek from Manhattan to Albany ( Heather Houskeeper) Love in the time of ant-bite pustules Birdsong trickled through the stillness — a sure sign that the rains had passed. Unzipping the door revealed clear blue skies... Yonder 08 Apr 2021 | 11:08
Beauty and a touch of bitter Spring heralds the return of so many precious wild edibles, among them one mighty special dame: dame’s rocket. A native to... Wild Food 17 Feb 2021 | 12:35
The three different leaf shapes found on each sassafras tree. ( Heather Houskeeper) The ‘root’ of root beer The wind may be chill and the ground may be snowy, but amidst our wintery landscape is a tree steeped in sunshine. Break... Wild Food 23 Dec 2020 | 01:14
Fruits are small, no more than a ¼-inch in diameter, but eye-popping red when ripe and shaped liked little apples. ( Heather Houskeeper) Your cliffside multivitamin While hiking through the woods in autumn, keep a keen lookout for the luminous mountain ash. Clusters of edible fruits droop... Wild Food 14 Jul 2020 | 04:05
Mint’s regal cousin Summer is flowers’ reign and there are few as regal as bee balm. Plants bear crowns of colorful flowers atop slender square... Wild Food 07 Aug 2019 | 05:40
