Comments on: Safety Guidelines For Edible Wild Food Plants

By: Down By The River « Frequently Found Growing On Disturbed Ground

Down By The River « Frequently Found Growing On Disturbed Ground — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:10:16 +0000

[...] taste-buds (generally I spit after a couple of front-tooth nibbles; one piece of advice I took from this page). After a few seconds I got hit with a powerful taste like really strong mustard. It was kindof a [...]

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:52:03 +0000

Sara: I do not answer questions regarding the identification of plants anymore. It is simply too difficult and dangerous to ID via an e-mail message. Please visit your local library and get out some good ID books, so you can develop your own identification skills). If you’d like to learn about wild edible plants in a small group, please visit my foraging courses page… thanks.

By: Sara Golden

Sara Golden — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:51:01 +0000

I think i have found a wild plum tree (Bullace – Prunus Domestica) in the hedgrow at the bottom of my garden. i was checking the wild blackberry bushes to see how the fruit was developing when i spotted a tree with an abundance of dark pinky purple fruit reminiscent of Plums. the fruit is small that the commercial plums you purchase ( approx 3 to 4 cm long) and has a cloudy purple skin. i have cut one of them open and there is a stone inside. How can i found out if they are edible? i would like to make some jams and chutneys and not let them go to waste.

By: Robin

Robin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:07:11 +0000

Can you please give me the Latin/Botanical name of the species you are referring to? Rocket is too generic.

Also in future please do make sure that you are ALWAYS 100% certain of the identification of any plant BEFORE you put it in your mouth and eat it.

By: Mrs B.M.Hawker

Mrs B.M.Hawker — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:19:28 +0000

Please can you tell me if there is a poisness plant that looks like Rocket
because I am very afraid that I may have eaten some . I have a serious problem with my ankles . I need proof ! please help .

By: Robin

Robin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:25:58 +0000

A lot of foraging has to do with common-sense when it comes to the problem of pollution. You need to be asking yourself, “how is this bit of land farmed?”, “what pesticides, if any, are being used?”.

I also need to point out that if you are foraging on private farmland that you don’t own, you’re going to need to get the permission from the land owner.

When it comes to watercress on farmland, personally I will always cook it to kill any potential liver fluke threat. I think your friends advise is well intentioned but misguided.

As to roadside foraging, again, use common-sense. Not all roads are the same. A motorway is different to a deeply rural country lane.

By: toni

toni — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:39:18 +0000

Hi,

I’m trying to find out more about foraging safety issues in terms of land / water contamination. For example – eating Reedmace shoots from water within farmland – what are the risks in terms of chemicals or livestock? Ditto for watercress (someone told me recently that if you rinse it really well and inspect it thoroughly, the liverfluke isn’t an issue). Also interested in other location based toxin issues such as roadside foraging…
Many thanks!!
Toni

By: Lesser Celandine Stroganoff | Wild Food Recipe

Lesser Celandine Stroganoff | Wild Food Recipe — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:44:23 +0000

[...] it flowers as during and after flowering it becomes slightly toxic. Make certain that you do a Tolerance Test if this is the first time you have tried this [...]