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Does anyone have any foraging tips or resources for the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.?

• ravenstine 4y ago
  I don't have any advice that's specific to your region other than that the most effective way to learn foraging, in my experience, is to find a teacher in your area. As much as I don't like Facebook, there are lots of regional foraging communities on that site that can provide references to teachers. Second to that is simply going out into the wilderness, taking pictures of interesting looking plants, and then figuring out what they are online. There's even apps that help identify things, but I haven't used them. I think iNaturalist might have some kind of computer-vision feature. Dunno. But remember to always get a second opinion before attempting to eat something. Again, that's something that being a part of a foraging group can help you with. If you keep it up and you get a sense of how to forage safely, then you can be more self reliant and refer to books if you come across unknowns. One last thing about foraging that even many foragers often forget is that the smell of a plant is a key identifier. It's often overlooked because people focus on what the plants look like, where they grow, the time of year, etc., and don't think to pick off a leaf, roll it around, and smell it.
  • addled 4y ago
    If you can't find a foraging community in your area, try your county Extension office. They've got a lot of resources on local plants and animals. My wife's aunt works at one, and it always makes her day when someone shows up with a weird bug or plant they need help identifying.
    • ravenstine 4y ago
      Oh yeah, good idea. Nature centers are also a good place for this as well.