| Introduction There are many schools of thought regarding the
harvesting, preparation and consuming of plants
found outdoors. This article is not meant to
discredit wild plants as a viable food source -which
they definitely are- but to help the reader
understand some inherent risks and help them gather
safely. Wild plants are definitely of great value to
the outdoors person, as a food staple, a tea, an
herbal remedy or as a functional piece of their
tools. But unsafe practices could jeopardize an
otherwise enjoyable pastime or even the safety of
the survivor. So to make our outdoor skills more
enjoyable, some realistic outlook must be involved.
Flora versus Fauna
There are very few animals in the forests that
cannot be eaten. The majority of mammals, reptiles
and birds are safe to consume, as are most fish and
some amphibians and insects. On the other hand,
there are many plants that have to either be
prepared to make them safe to eat, or are not safe
to eat at all. Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema
triphyllum) is a good example, where the root is a
good meal if dried thoroughly or cooked for a long
period. Otherwise the painful burning sensation
caused by the oxalic acid can lead to more serious
complications (due to the poisoning).
Even animals that are suspect of disease can in most
circumstances be cooked well enough to kill any
parasites or pathogens (this is not always the case,
so please research and use educated judgement).
Whereas an unripe Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum
)could cause an excruciatingly painful experience,
cooked or uncooked.
It is believed the Inuit had (past tense due to
modern diet) one of the healthiest lifestyles when
it came down to diet. Their diet consisted of very
little plant-life except during the summer months.
Being mostly carnivorous, they consumed great
quantities of protein, fat, vitamin C, vitamin D,
calcium (via marrow and bones), and many fatty acids
and other important nutrients. On the other hand
there is great argument now that grains and other
plants have such cellulose that the digestive tract
of the human being is not made to break them down
enough to gain full nutritional value. This explains
how a raw vegetable diet helps the dieter lose so
much weight!
Does this mean plants are useless as food? Of course
not, but be aware that you must have very good
identification of the plant before harvesting it. In
summer the amount of blueberries (Vaccinum
myrtilloides) that can be harvested from a single
field is astounding. On the other hand anyone that
has tried hunting moose (Alces alces) can attest
that it is rare to find a large enough population to
take your pick as to which one you will take home
for dinner. Obviously the argument could be held
that a moose feeds more people then a basket of
blueberries, but the point is that the berries were
much easier to find and harvest.
Dangerous Lookalikes
As previously stated, several plants are dangerous
to consume. What is more dangerous is the fact that
several look like very safe to eat plants. Some call
these “Good Twin” and “Evil Twin” plants. If Cattail
(Typha) is the good twin, with all of its’ useful
and edible values, then Blue Flag (Iris versicolor)
would have to be the evil twin, due to iridin and
glycoside toxins in it . Such toxins would quickly
leave the consumer in severe pain. As evidence; a
case of confusion between Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)
and Blue flag lead to several poisonings of First
Nations powwow singers, who use the root of Sweet
Flag to soothe their throats after long periods of
singing.
Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) has often been
confused with Sarsaparilla (Smilax regelii) due to
similarly shaped leaves (though Sarsaparilla usually
has five leaves, unlike Poison ivy which has three).
While Wild rhubarb (Rumex hymenosepalus) has been
often confused with Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa)
due to similar growing habitats and leaves. What
causes even greater confusion is many people
referring to the greater burdock as “wild rhubarb”,
which it is not even related to.
The only means of lessening the dangers of such
misidentifications is to thoroughly learn the
differences. Wild plant classes are better than
books or videos, because the instructor/teacher can
answer questions the student may have. As well,
hands on practice beats words written by another
person any day of the week when it comes to memory
retention.
What lies beneath
Not all of the readers of this article reside in
wild or rural regions. Most likely a good many will
be from urban environments like Toronto or Buffalo.
Due to this, any wild plant harvesting may only
happen in town parks or when weeding the garden of
dandelions (Taraxacum) and plantain (Plantago
major). In the past few years, many types of
pesticides and herbicides have been banned. One
reason is due to the toxic chemicals found in them,
such as DDT.
However, such chemicals can reside in an area for
years, sometimes decades. Many urban plant gatherers
will not harvest from an area that has been sprayed
in the past thirty years. When I was younger and not
as wise, I once became extremely ill due to
harvesting cattail roots from a ditch near a town
park. All chemicals ever sprayed on the fields and
flowers in the park eventually washed off and
leached into the ditch. Cattails being a filter
plant absorbed and stored the chemicals. I had a
concentrated dose of chemicals that could have
potentially killed me.
So research the history of where you are harvesting,
and avoid any wild plants near roads (no matter how
temptingly large they may be). Petroleum by-products
can contaminate a plant and not ever be known until
when they are treating you in the hospital. This
being said, research all wilderness areas that you
may be harvesting from as well, seeing as how many
mines exist in the north country, who knows how many
plants may be contaminated.
Famine
Many people boast that they know plants so well that
they could survive indefinitely on them. This may be
true to an extent, but do such people ever take into
consideration the fact that famine is not that
unheard of in the wilds? Consider the early springs
of 2008 and 2010 in Ontario. Both were very poor
years for harvesting maple sap. 2008 was just too
cold, and 2010 was too warm. Add the invasive
species (insects, fungi, plants, etc) that may
arrive and wipe out the native plants. Or a sudden
frost, an early winter, a long summer drought, or
simply the plants dying off in a certain area for
untold of reasons, and suddenly the ability to
thrive off of nothing but the wild plants becomes
more difficult.
Think logically and research. Study how the wild
plants respond to different stresses. Understanding
the climates and terrain each plant requires to
survive will help in the near future as much as it
will in the long run.
Moral Issues
The wild plants we love to harvest seem to be
endless. So much that I know several people that
proudly announce that they picked over twenty pounds
of blueberries in a single weekend. I also notice
many signs stating Wild Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum)
for sale when driving through Central Ontario. Such
harvesting can cause many issues.
Firstly is the fact that throughout history, the
over-harvesting of any species has almost always
lead to the demise and/or extinction of that
species. Ask the beaver, and I’m sure they will
argue that their pelts weren’t worth their almost
complete destruction.
Secondly, many animals depend heavily on these
plants, and taking more then we need at one time is
dangerous for them. What may seem like a nice
addition to a few meals to us is the only choice for
survival to others.
Thirdly is the fact that what you eat now may not be
there tomorrow. If we eat all the plants around our
shelter, then what will we depend upon when after
two weeks in the wilderness we are too weak to do
more than crawl out of the debris hut?
Harvest conservatively, and only harvest large
quantities when you have no choice, and can
guarantee preserving whatever you harvest. Leave at
least one out of five things that you harvest. That
means if you find thirty leeks, leave at least six
leeks. If you could harvest five hundred
blueberries, leave one hundred still on the stem.
This means the animals, the plants and you have a
chance to survive another year.
Conclusion
There are many reasons to be full of caution now
when gathering plants. However, this article was not
written to scare the reader away from harvesting
Nature’s bounty! Wild plants are rated by many
nutritionists as being better for you than farmed
fruits and vegetables. It is also a great way to
enjoy the wilderness, or even your own backyard of
“weeds”. But the better you know the plants around
you, the better off you will be. Always try to use
three of more different references when identifying
plants, and if possible, contact local nature clubs
to see if they know any people nearby that would be
offering plant walks. Such an education can increase
the safety and therefore enjoyment of any plant
gathering. |
