Hackberries (Celtis occidentalis) are native to eastern & central US and Canada, and they are commonly planted in parks, yards, boulevards, and other urban areas. They have a tasty fruit, which is easiest to harvest during the winter months. Learn how to enjoy them in this video!
Read MoreMany people approach foraging with a scarcity mindset, assuming that wild foods lack in quantity and that our surrounding landscape is largely devoid of nourishment. As a forager of nearly 20 years, I know that this is not the case. Even in a small urban environment, wild foods abound around us.
Imagine my surprise when I learned about new foraging restrictions proposed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for state parks. Under this new developing rule, each forager would be limited to harvesting one gallon of fruit and mushrooms combined. (The current law states that foraging is legal for personal, non-commercial use—i.e., you can't harvest fruits and mushrooms in order to sell them.)
Read MoreMaria (the founder of Four Season Foraging) here with a special announcement! I recently upgraded my membership model on Patreon! It now includes fun new benefits like access to the Four Season Foraging Discord server and a free copy of my ebook (once that is released), as well as old favorites like help with plant identification and monthly live webcasts.
This new model is more sustainable for me to maintain, but it also better reflects the interests of patrons. Most people join due to a desire to support me in my work of making foraging education as accessible as possible. Since you’re here, I trust you agree that foraging is a valuable resource. Four Season Foraging connects you to this vital skill by promoting trustworthy sources, creating informative videos and articles, and offering sliding scale classes and workshops. However, providing the quality content that you enjoy takes a lot of time and energy, and in order to make Four Season Foraging financially sustainable, I need additional assistance.
Read MoreSummer is here and the foraging season is in full swing! One of the great things about foraging is its relative accessibility and low input cost. That said, there are some tools, guides, and gadgets that will help you in your practice. Keep in mind that these things aren’t absolutely necessary. If cost is a problem, you can get some of these guides for free online or from your local library, and some of these tools can be found at thrift stores or online second-hand retailers. Also, this list ends with tip that’s completely free!
Read MoreSay the word “hemlock” and people’s faces immediately pale as they think of deadly poisonous species like poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and water hemlock (Cicuta maculata). But what about eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)? You might assume it’s poisonous because of the name, but it’s actually an edible evergreen tree that’s not even related to poisonous hemlocks! So read on to learn more about this beautiful tree, and then get ready to horrify friends and family when you tell them you eat hemlock!
Read MorePeople don’t often think of maple trees as wild edibles, but I beg to differ! Maple syrup and related goods are one of the most commercially available wild food products in North America, probably the most commercially available. But just because it’s readily found at a store doesn’t mean that its origins aren’t wild. While maple syrup from any source is delicious, learning to tap trees is a highly rewarding seasonal activity, and I encourage you to try it!
Read MoreIdentifying plants is typically easiest when the flowers are blooming, but with practice, you can identify plants any time of year—even in the winter! Truth be told, I really enjoy winter plant identification, and think there are lots of good reasons to start doing it. For starters, it’s a fun activity that helps you get outside during this chilly season. It’s also important to the practice of foraging: both for finding winter plants to forage and to locate plants that you can return to later in the year, when they’re ready to pick.
Read MoreIn northern regions, such as where I live in Minnesota, winter can be a difficult time of year for people. The temperature drops dramatically, sunlight becomes faint, and meanwhile the landscape seems dead with everything covered in snow and ice. Fortunately, there exist many wild herbs in this region that can be strong allies during this challenging season. Below is a list of my top five! All of them are easy to find growing wild throughout eastern North America, and some of them have a much wider range. They all have multiple uses, but for the purpose of this article, I will focus on one aspect of each herb. I encourage you to follow the links if you’d like to learn more!
Read MoreHello! This is Maria, founder of Four Season Foraging. I'm excited to share that my limited-time promotional event is now live! This special offer has two parts:
Read MoreHello! This is Maria, the founder of Four Season Foraging, writing from the wintry north. I'm reaching out to share an exciting development on my monthly sustainer page. Starting Wednesday, December 15th, I will start offering discounted annual memberships, PLUS will launch a limited-time special offer! Special offers will be available to new and existing supporters at the $10 Explorer Tier or higher.
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