Foraging & Edibles Event
This event had 3 leaders: Sarah Robinson, who is an experienced Biologist and forager. Brendon Smith, who taught us all about fungi foraging. Amber Dawn who taught us about using plants and herbs for medicinal purposes and cooked up a delicious medicinal oxymel with berries and plants. It was a great medley of knowledge, a hike and a demonstration, lively conversation, tons of natural specimens to check out, and a dinner in Wreck Cove after!
SNACKS & PRIZES
Everyone at this event got their own custom pottery cup for trying fun drinks throughout the day. Locally made by Rivers & Fields Pottery in Middle River.
We had Chaga Chai Lattes while we hiked, and snacked on Juniper Deer Jerky and Yarrow Shortbread cookies. We also had Chamomile Scones and a fresh berry and lime jam that was made with Bunchberries for its jam packed pectin. Rose & rose hip popscicles were also a refreshing snack on this hot day. I had a couple milk crates full of harvested chaga for participants to take home, too.
As per usual, I was serving up Bread n Butter. Plain focaccia and garlic scape focaccia, along with with Chanterelle Butter, Garlic Scape Butter, a mock peanut butter that I make with common plantain seeds, and even a lobster fungus butter!
The prizes were great this year. Handmade local pottery, foraging books, dehydrated meals for the outdoors, dehydrated garlic scapes and powders, dehydrated chanterelles and a beautiful yarrow vinegar. I also drew names for 4 mushroom grow kits (Shiitake, Lion’s Mane and Oyster Shrooms). Thank you to Happy Caps for providing the grow kits! They are a favorite at every event I do.
FORAGERS DINNER
We didn’t just learn about plants and fungi, we also ate plenty. On the beet burgers we had a Knotweed Relish and Chokecherry Catsup. Knotweed is a super invasive but edible plant that is actually pretty tasty when you pick them young. Chokecherries are not very tasty off the bush, but when cooked well, made the most delicious ketchup. We had Lemongrass, Pineappleweed and ginger iced tea, we also had some Rose lemonade and Bunchberry tea. Our salad dressing was made with Rose Hip vinegar. The dessert was fun because when served, people totally thought we served them berries and cream with a dirty mushroom on top, but it was actually meringue. We sat by the fire, ate a ton, and drew for the prizes. After dessert, I served up some Chicory Root “Coffee”.
What plants & fungi did we eat during this event?
We tried 20 different specimens! Chanterelles, Lobster Fungus, Juniper, Pineappleweed, Lemongrass, Juniper, Japanese Knotweed, Yarrow, Rose petals, Rose Hips, Plantain seeds, Snowberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Bunchberries, Serviceberries, Chokecherries, Chicory Root, Beach Peas, Chamomile.
