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
You may remember meeting common plantain as a child, when you were both low to the ground. ( Heather Houskeeper) A humble heavy hitter Wild Food 19 Apr 2022 | 12:41
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
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
Chicory flowers in summer, but offers food (and a coffee-like brew) year-round. ( Heather Houskeeper) Dandelion's upbeat cousin Take a stroll down a country road, meander through a meadow or simply peer from your window on your next drive, and it’s... Wild Food 12 May 2020 | 02:11
Violets are festive, edible and medicinal too. They can turn a plate of cupcakes into a showstopper. ( Becca Tucker) The cupcake topper Each day, yet another flower unfolds. In numbers, festive violets appear in purple and white, even in yellow, dappling our... Wild Food 03 Mar 2020 | 12:36
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
What’s a tincture anyway? Winter is the time that we take inventory of all that we have harvested and grown throughout the year, what we can make from... Wild Food 02 Jan 2019 | 02:03
One of the softest plants alive Mullein grows throughout the world, and it’s almost unmistakable to the touch. The leaves are soft and delicate and... Wild Food 02 Jul 2018 | 03:39
A wayside weed with a thousand uses One of the first signs of life in spring is a magical, overlooked wild plant called mallow that grows in yards and waysides... Wild Food 02 May 2018 | 12:27
