Foraging & Cooking with Wild Food
One of my favorite parts of living on the farm is noticing what’s growing all around us. Some things we plant on purpose, others just show up on their own, and little by little, we’re learning that God has given us more than we realize. Many of these plants can be turned into teas, jellies, or even salves if we just take the time to look a little closer.
This post includes affiliate links. Some products were received to facilitate this post.
Our first summer here, we stumbled on wineberries. At first, we weren’t sure what they were, but once we figured it out, they quickly became a family favorite. Now every summer we look forward to picking them and turning them into jelly. There’s nothing quite like opening a jar in January and spreading wineberry jelly on hot biscuits or muffins. I shared more about our wineberry discovery here.
We also have mint in one of our rock garden beds. It started from a small planting and now it’s grown pretty well on its own. I like to cut and dry it for tea, so even in the middle of winter we can brew a cup of mint tea that tastes fresh from the garden. Here’s how I dry mint for winter.
It amazes me how much grows around us that we often ignore — sometimes because we don’t know what it is, other times because we’re a little nervous to try. That’s one reason I’m always looking for good books and resources that help me figure out what’s safe to eat and how to use it.
This past week, we have been foraging for spicebush berries. These small red berries are apparently a great natural flavor substitute for allspice. We identified them clearly and went out to pick a small bowl.
Once we brought them in, we dried them in the dehydrator and then ground them into a fine powder.
Now I’m excited to try some of the recipes from my new cookbook called The Forager’s Pantry.
If you’d like to experiment with wild foods and explore new flavors, but don’t know where to start—The Forager’s Pantry was written for you. This comprehensive and accessible book by Ellen Zachos takes readers through spices and herbs, flowers, fruit, greens, nuts and seeds, tubers and roots, and mushrooms, showing how some of the best ingredients come from nature itself.
A Few Simple Farm Rules
As we keep learning, we’ve come up with a few simple rules on our farm. I’m even thinking about painting them on a sign for visitors:
- Ask before you eat.
There are plenty of good things to try, but there are also some that can make you sick. Don’t just pop a berry or leaf in your mouth until you know what it is. - Wave before you go.
Whenever someone heads off to do chores or explore, they give a wave so the rest of us know where they’re headed. It’s just a simple way to keep everyone safe and accounted for. - Leave things better than you found them.
If you take a water bottle, bring it back. If you see a wrapper, pick it up. We all share the space, so it’s our job to take care of it.
Learning with Foraging Books
Right now, I’m especially interested in plants like elderberries, dandelion, goldenrod, and mullein. There’s so much I still want to learn, and these books are helping me continue my learning journey.
Edible Wild Plants: (Volumes 1 & 2)
Discover the flavors hidden in everyday landscapes with John Kallas’s Edible Wild Plants. Across these two beautifully illustrated volumes, you’ll learn to identify, harvest, and enjoy more than thirty-five wild greens — from purslane and chickweed to cattail, nettles, and daylilies.
Organized by flavor profiles, the books make it easy to mix and match foundation, tart, pungent, bitter, and sweet plants for salads, sides, and creative dishes. Clear photos, nutrient tables, recipes, and tips on avoiding look-alikes give you the confidence to forage safely and cook with ease.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced forager, Volumes 1 and 2 are your essential guides to turning common “weeds” into fresh, nutritious meals.
What About You?
Every year on the farm, we’re surprised by something new — from berries and herbs to wildflowers we didn’t even know we had. I’d love to hear what you are discovering.
Do you have a favorite plant you forage, a patch of berries you look forward to, or a recipe you’ve tried with wild herbs?
Share your story in the comments so we can all keep learning together.
