Wild Edibles ABCs

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

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

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

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