Natural Resources Trust Of Easton
  • Home
    • About >
      • Sheep Pasture Property Use Information
      • Publications & Brochures
      • NRT's Elise Ames Parker Award >
        • Elise Ames Parker Award 2018
        • Elise Ames Parker Award 2019
        • Elise Ames Parker Award 2020
      • A Life Well Lived: Lyn White
      • A Champion of Conservation: Ginny Reusch
      • NRT's Sheep Pasture >
        • Seasonal Visitor Updates and Information
        • Sheep Pasture Trail Map
      • NRT Land Stewardship
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Directions
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Education
    • NRT School Programs >
      • On-Site Programs
      • In-School Programs
      • Programs for Young Children
      • Virtual School Programs
    • Private Group Programs >
      • Adult Programs
      • Pre-K Programs
    • Summer Camp & Leadership Youth Programs
    • Sheep Pasture Vacation Programs
  • Events
    • Harvest & Craft Fair
    • Sheep Pasture SPOOKTACULAR
    • Spring Farm Festival
    • Family Science Outings
  • Resources
    • Current Weather at Sheep Pasture
    • Photographer Info
    • Partners & Community Contacts
    • Animal Resources
    • Conservation Resources
    • Gold Award Scavenger Hunts
  • Giving to NRT
  • NRT Store
    • Sheep Pasture Nature Camp
    • Leadership Youth
    • NRT Memberships
    • Specialty Donations to NRT: Simba Memorial
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Community Gardens
    • Property Rentals
    • Sheep Pasture Eggs
    • Support NRT >
      • Membership
      • Volunteer/Internships
      • Wish List
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Website Inquiries

NATURETALK

NRT'S FUN BLOG ABOUT ALL THINGS NATURE.
READ ON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NATURE IN YOUR WORLD.

Wild Edibles ABCs

4/16/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
One of my favorite feelings is going outside and knowing that in the absolute worst case scenario, I could find something to eat. A few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about all the different things you can do with some of our local plants! A lot of edible plants can be found right in your backyard! If you are inspired to head outside and start looking for your own wild edibles, I want to remind everybody that not all plants are safe to eat. If you are unsure, it is best not to eat it. As with any food, there is also the risk of allergies associated with eating new things, so please use caution!
 
Here are some local plants that you can prepare as food, and as an added bonus, they are great sources of our vitamins A, B, and C!

​Vitamin A
Picture
Our first wild edible, which is found in most gardens, is the pesky Dandelion! Little do people know, these weeds can be eaten in a variety of ways – both raw and cooked! The greens of Dandelions provide a substantial source of Vitamin A and can be added to salads to provide some variety! When the leaves are younger, they have a slightly bitter taste and add a zesty addition to a green salad. You can also eat them cooked, but some of the flavor will be lost.
In addition to being able to eat the greens, Dandelion flowers are also edible! They, too, can be eaten raw but you can also cook them, and even fry them. The Dandelion flowers have a sweeter flavor and some people make syrup with them! If you are really wanting to make the most of your Dandelion infestation, the roots of these flowers can be dried, roasted and used as a coffee substitute! Crazy! As you’re at home weeding over the next few weeks, consider saving some of those dandelions for yourself!

Vitamin B
Picture
Another wild edible you may have heard of if you’re at all familiar with The Hunger Games is the acorn (acorn paste for the HG fans)! DISCLAIMER – DO NOT EAT ACORNS RAW, THEY NEED TO BE PROCESSED FIRST.
 
Here is a wikihow article on how to leach acorns to get rid of harmful tannins:
 
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Acorns-for-Food
 I have also included a link to a recipe to make Acorn paste. This is something I have never done, but am definitely intrigued by the idea. As long as they are processed properly, all acorns are OK to eat, but some may be nicer tasting than others.
 
Here is the recipe:
 
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/desperate-travelers-acorn-paste-395290

Vitamin C

Picture
If you are looking for something simple, yet flavorful, you might interested in brewing up some pine-needle tea. This is also something that is fairly easy to find ingredients for! You can use our native Eastern White Pine needles to make this delicious tea. The younger needles produce a milder, softer flavor and the older needles produce a stronger, more pine-tasting drink. Many types of pines can be used for pine-needle tea, but white pine seems to be a favorite because of how flavorful it is.
​Lucky for us, white pines are one of the more common pines around! White pines are identifiable by a number of traits, but one that always sticks with me is that their needles are in bundles of 5, one for each letter of W-H-I-T-E.
 
Here is some information on how to identify white pines:
https://www.ediblewildfood.com/eastern-white-pine.aspx
 
And here is a detailed outline and brief history of using pine needles for tea:
https://www.wildedible.com/pine-needle-tea-natural-vitamin-c

 


1 Comment
Dustin Leclair link
12/15/2022 05:12:13 am

Excellent article! Thank you for your excellent post, and I look forward to the next one. If you're seeking for discount codes and offers, go to couponplusdeals.com.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    NRT's dedicated staff are responsible for the content of the NatureTalk blog. Questions? For more information on any blog post, please contact us at any time.

    Archives

    December 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018

    Categories

    All
    Budget
    Carbon
    Christmas
    Christmas Trees
    Dogs
    Earth Day
    Emissions
    Energy
    Family Science Outing
    Holiday
    Household
    Kilowatts
    Nature
    Nature Activity
    Nature Journaling
    Pets
    Recycling
    Trees
    Winter
    Wintertime

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2021-2022 NRT of Easton
All Rights Reserved


Natural Resources Trust of Easton 
PO Box 188
307 Main Street
 N.Easton, MA 02356
Info@nrtofeaston.org
508-238-6049

Picture
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday by appointment
Closed weekends & holidays

Sheep Pasture Property Hours:
Monday-Sunday 
Dawn to dusk
Gates are closed at dusk.
​Times vary seasonally.
  • Home
    • About >
      • Sheep Pasture Property Use Information
      • Publications & Brochures
      • NRT's Elise Ames Parker Award >
        • Elise Ames Parker Award 2018
        • Elise Ames Parker Award 2019
        • Elise Ames Parker Award 2020
      • A Life Well Lived: Lyn White
      • A Champion of Conservation: Ginny Reusch
      • NRT's Sheep Pasture >
        • Seasonal Visitor Updates and Information
        • Sheep Pasture Trail Map
      • NRT Land Stewardship
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Directions
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Education
    • NRT School Programs >
      • On-Site Programs
      • In-School Programs
      • Programs for Young Children
      • Virtual School Programs
    • Private Group Programs >
      • Adult Programs
      • Pre-K Programs
    • Summer Camp & Leadership Youth Programs
    • Sheep Pasture Vacation Programs
  • Events
    • Harvest & Craft Fair
    • Sheep Pasture SPOOKTACULAR
    • Spring Farm Festival
    • Family Science Outings
  • Resources
    • Current Weather at Sheep Pasture
    • Photographer Info
    • Partners & Community Contacts
    • Animal Resources
    • Conservation Resources
    • Gold Award Scavenger Hunts
  • Giving to NRT
  • NRT Store
    • Sheep Pasture Nature Camp
    • Leadership Youth
    • NRT Memberships
    • Specialty Donations to NRT: Simba Memorial
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Community Gardens
    • Property Rentals
    • Sheep Pasture Eggs
    • Support NRT >
      • Membership
      • Volunteer/Internships
      • Wish List
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Website Inquiries