Key Takeaways
- Foraging for wild mushrooms and plants can be a rewarding experience, but it requires caution and proper knowledge to avoid poisonous species.
- The risk of misidentifying toxic varieties can lead to serious health consequences or even death.
- With the right information and preparation, foraging can be a safe and enjoyable way to connect with nature and expand one’s diet.
- It is essential to learn about the proper identification, harvesting, and preparation of wild plants and mushrooms to avoid mistakes.
- Foraging can have a positive impact on the ecosystem, especially when targeting invasive species.
Introduction to Foraging
In the quiet hills of Gippsland, Victoria, a family lunch turned fatal when a homemade Beef Wellington left three people dead and one clinging to life. This tragic incident highlights the dangers of foraging for wild mushrooms and plants without proper knowledge. There is a saying among mushroom hunters: "There are old mushroom hunters, there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old, bold mushroom hunters." This phrase emphasizes the importance of caution and expertise when foraging for wild mushrooms. Edible mushrooms can look and taste like lethal ones, and the consequences of misidentification can be devastating.
The Risks of Foraging
Foraging has grown in popularity since the pandemic as a way to connect more with nature, said Dr. Matthew Nelsen, senior research scientist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. However, this increased interest also means that more people need to learn about the risks associated with harvesting food from the wild. Wild carrots and poison hemlock, for example, are often considered lookalikes, and mushrooms can be particularly hard to tell apart. A white mushroom growing in your yard could be the wild version of ones you would buy in the store, or a variety that can cause stomach problems, or the infamous death cap. Dr. Greg Mueller, chief scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden, emphasizes that if you’re armed with the right knowledge and preparation, you can stay out of trouble while expanding your diet to take advantage of nature’s offerings.
The Benefits of Foraging
So, why bother foraging, especially for mushrooms? Dr. Shan Yin, medical director of the drug and poison information center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, would not take the risk. However, foragers say they find real benefits in foraging. "One of the beauties of foraging is it’s really an amazing way for people to experience nature and have … a really tactile relationship with nature," said Mueller. A fresh mushroom can have incredible flavor, and foraging can be a way to connect with nature and find delicious food. Robin Greenfield, a sustainable living activist in Wisconsin, is currently undergoing a year of foraging all his food – no shopping, not even gardening, just gathering what he can find in the natural environment. "Food and medicine really is growing freely and abundantly all around us," he said.
Getting Started with Foraging
Making that kind of connection begins with having the proper information. "The number one rule of foraging is you only eat any plant if you’re 100% sure that you’ve identified it correctly, and you know how to eat it," Greenfield said. Your foraging adventure can start in your own backyard – or that of a loved one who gives you permission. You can begin with easy-to-identify edible plants that don’t have a scary lookalike, like dandelion, beebalms, and fruits. While there are books and online resources to help you identify more complex plants, there is room for error, Mueller said. Instead, consider going out with an experienced forager who can teach you what to look for and how to properly harvest the plant.
Safety Considerations and Best Practices
Even once you have learned how to properly identify what is edible around you, there are still some concerns to keep in mind. Where to look for food, for example, is an important consideration. The problem isn’t availability, as Greenfield has found food in Central Park in New York and Griffith Park in Los Angeles. However, there are legal issues to consider, such as who the landowners or managers are for the land you’re foraging on. City parks, county nature preserves, and national parks may all have their own restrictions when it comes to the right to forage or how much is acceptable. Additionally, where you forage can be a safety consideration, as gathering food near a busy roadway or a place with a history of pollution could impact the plant you are eating. Lastly, it is essential to learn how to forage without having a negative impact on the ecosystem. Overharvesting or uprooting the whole plant when you don’t need to can cause problems, Nelsen said. Looking for plants that are considered invasive can be a way to forage with a positive impact, Greenfield said.
