Revelations in Foraging

By Contributors
Written By Hannah Fuller
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This article was written by staff writer Kahlea Williams. Read about Kahlea here.

Last weekend, I spent a lovely four days with my pod in Hocking HIlls, OH. Since spring had just begun to sprung, marking the beginning of foraging season, I wanted to take the time to reflect on mindful foraging. 

I am brand new to foraging. In fact, it wasn’t until I discovered the lovely Alexis Nikole Nelson (@blackforager) via Instagram that I took foraging seriously as a hobby. 

You see, like many others, I simply had no idea that there were so many edible plants growing in abundance just outside my door. I had always thought foraging required long trips to remote forests, and enduring long hours of manual labor, digging in the ground for something that might end up being poisonous anyways.

Boy was I wrong. 

Thanks to Alexis’s entertaining yet educational videos, I was able to see firsthand that a) foraging was not as much work as it seemed, and b) it wasn’t nearly as dangerous as I had previously thought (though newbies like myself should still proceed with caution). 

This revelation, paired with my love for trying new food and my passion for local sustainable food systems, inspired me to give this new hobby a try on my trip. 

As a newbie to foraging, I was only able to bring home a few green onions and a handful of violets (as you can see) from my first outing. Even though my yield was relatively low, the unparalleled satisfaction that comes from eating a meal you foraged, prepared and served yourself, far overshadowed any lingering feelings of imposter syndrome. I relished in the feeling of complete control over my meal preparation process. I loved knowing that if I needed more onions, I could easily find more within a short walk’s distance, and there was such an abundance of supply that I didn’t need to feel anxiety over taking a few more. 

The feeling of security that comes from knowing there is an abundant food supply is a powerful force, and one that many Americans (myself included) took for granted. The pandemic revealed weaknesses in our industrialized food chain, and many Americans experienced this firsthand when they were not able to obtain the ingredients or supplies they needed for their household, especially at the beginning of the ongoing crisis. 

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Indeed, the empty shelves at grocery stores all over the country last year served as proof that our current food supply chain is not as resilient as we may have thought. This reckoning with our food system’s inherent fragility is what led many people to foraging as a more sustainable way of supplying fresh food. As reported in the Fordham Urban Law Journal, some Americans do not trust the integrity of today’s food system and may turn to foraging in order to obtain food.

Coincidentally, a finding from the Journal of Landscape and Urban Planning confirms this sentiment, reporting that around 20% of Americans participate in foraging at the time of publication.

Foraging as a reaction, and, for some, a means for survival, may have some positive outcomes in the long-run. A study reported in the Fordham Urban Law Journal found that foraging “may make urban food systems more resilient through a combination of utilizing costfree local food sources and reducing food waste.” (Baylen, 2018)

Foraging may also help reduce a city’s carbon footprint by increasing local food sourcing and reducing food waste at the local level, and may help promote a more sustainable urban ecosystem. (Baylen, 2018).

There are even social benefits as well. Many studies have long recorded that human contact with nature leads to a deeper appreciation for it, and thus valuing its protection. The recent forage boom has allowed many city dwellers the rare opportunity to leave their homes and get outside, and whether intentionally or not, forge a connection with the natural world that they may not have had the opportunity to experience otherwise. 

Unfortunately, there are some downsides to a sudden spike in foraging activity as well. For example, the recent demand in foraged ramps from restaurants and markets has led to over-harvesting in many areas, threatening the species’ survival. This is likely due to the spike in new or inexperienced foragers harvesting unsustainably, pulling out the roots instead collecting only the leaves. Ramps require 7 years to grow from seed, so it is imperative to leave the roots and only harvest the leaves, a practice created by the Cherokee.

The guidelines around foraging will vary depending on the time of year, your geographical area and local regulatory policies, but there are some universal tenets that apply regardless of these variables:

  • Be a conservationist first, and forager second. 

  • In general, collect five percent of any individual patch of a given species within a maximum of 25 percent of an area.

  • Give yourself plenty of time to go slowly. 

  • With the exception of harvesting roots, do not remove an entire plant – this provides the plant with an opportunity to re-grow

Check out this resource from Wild Edible for specific guidelines.

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There are also socio-cultural implications as well. For example, there are several species of plants that are illegal to forage, but are sacred to many Indigenous tribes, who utilize sustainable harvesting techniques to ensure the species survival. There are 11 National Parks that list at least one specific wild food that visitors are prohibited from harvesting.

Historically, policies around foraging were designed to restrict freed Black peoples’ access to income. Freed Black people would sell their foraged or hunted goods, allowing them a sense of autonomy and source of income. Without access to lands to forage and hunt on, many were driven back to the plantation as indentured servants. This was achieved by enacting anti-trespassing laws, which severely restricted the area available for foraging and hunting. Prior to these laws passing, foraging was largely unrestricted and it was legal to forage on privately owned land. (Baylen, 2018)

All that being said, I think mindful, sustainable foraging makes for a pretty awesome hobby: you get to go outside, go exploring, learn about new plants, and (hopefully) take home something delicious. But even if you’re a lazy forager like me and only end up with a handful of onions, it’s the journey that counts not the outcome right? 





Green Ramp Sriracha

Yield: roughly 3 cups.

This recipe was sourced from and is credited to Forager Chef.

Equipment

  • Highspeed blender

  • Vacuum sealer or fermenting vessel

Ingredients

  • 3 lb jalapenos

  • ½ cup ramp bulbs chopped (optional)

  • 54 grams / 12 teaspoons salt

  • 3/4 lb ramp leaves

  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

  • ¼ cup flavorless oil (such as avocado or canola)

Instructions

  1. Wearing gloves, coarsely chop the jalapenos, then combine with the ramp leaves salt and sugar. Place the mixture in an airtight container, preferably vacuum sealed, or covered tightly with plastic wrap, pressing it down onto the surface to remove excess air in another container like a jar. Allow the mixture to ferment for at least five days and up to 14 in a cool, dry place away from light and heat. (the longer you let it ferment, the stronger the flavor will be). 

  2. After 5-14 days, remove the jalapeno mixture and all the accumulated juices and cook on medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally until very soft and most of the juice has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

  3. Puree the pepper mixture in a high speed blender until very smooth, drizzling in the oil to reduce friction in the blender blades, then pass through a chinois strainer and chill (optional).

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This article was written by staff writer Kahlea Williams. Read about Kahlea here.

Are you interested in contributing to Grounded Grub? Contact us anytime with proposals, we’d love to hear from you.

Hannah Fuller
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