I am just back from the Midwest Wild Harvest Festival, where a big bowl of black nightshade berries (Solanum nigrum complex) dressed the banquet table at Friday’s annual wild potluck. Foragers there are well-versed in the edibility of these diminutive wild treats, which are in the same family as tomatoes, eggplants, and chilies, not to mention a cultivated vegetable called “wonderberry” or “sunberry” that was brought to the prairie states by Volga German immigrants.

Eating nodding thistle stalks
On Saturday I stopped by my sister-in-law’s house, where I was persuaded to help weed her hillside … [Read More...]

Japanese knotweed season
I’m breaking my fast this morning with stewed Japanese knotweed and peaches over Greek yogurt, … [Read More...]

Best dandelion soup ever
Two years ago I was harvesting great quantities of dandelions greens from my back yard—which is … [Read More...]

Three pennycress mustard recipes
We are just back from the Midwest Wild Harvest Festival in Wisconsin, where I had the honor of … [Read More...]

Forgotten rhubarb of the Old West
I love my Old West town for many reasons, and one of them is rhubarb (Rheum spp.). It is one of the few food … [Read More...]

Narrow dock in mushroom sauce
There are many species of edible dock (Rumex spp.), all of which are related to buckwheat and rhubarb. As a … [Read More...]

Eating chicory greens
The other day, after years frequenting the same rushing creek in southeast Denver, I finally figured out a way … [Read More...]

Elm samaras are edible, gourmet
It took a funny long while for me to try elm samaras for the first time. They are the papery, light green, … [Read More...]

Wild tarragon in the weeds
I am in love. Wild tarragon. It is the same species as the cultivated herb, but grows wild as a native species … [Read More...]

A tale of four daisies
My class and I were invited to forage some edible noxious weeds on a public trail in Breckenridge, Colorado a … [Read More...]

You’re my candytuft
I am occasionally guilty of paging through plant books to find humorous epithets for my better half. For … [Read More...]

Spring into wintercress
Wintercress is a lovely spring vegetable, ready in late April to early May on the plains, and mid to late May … [Read More...]

Fun with wild waterleaf
Waterleaf is an interesting edible wild plant that does not get a lot of attention in the wild food media. The … [Read More...]

Don’t forget the tumblemustard
If you’re looking to make use of local wild greens, why not give tumblemustard a try? Tumblemustard … [Read More...]