Foraging Sunday - Weeks 5 and 6

Wow!  It has been six weeks.

I watched, with amusement, this evening as a chipmunk enjoyed some of the scrap I gave to the chickens.  The irony was not lost on me ... I am trying to learn to find food in the wild, while he was learning to find food away from his nature environment.  He lives, everyday, in the wild, eating, breathing, living.  I live, everyday, in an artificial, alien place, which attempts to convince me that the natural world is there to be exploited, reviled, and abhorred.  Silly really.  I guess we are both just looking to find a way to be at peace with out lots in life.

Wendy and I have been following along with the challenge.  Week 5 was a little sparse.  We have a decided lack of skill in the time between greens and berries.  I am sure there is plenty to eat, and we could have gone out for more periwinkles, but we did not.  Instead, we stretched out skills a bit and foraged flowers.  There were many options ... milkweed, clover, rose, etc.  We also took advantage of a gray area - abandoned plants, which took the form of a massive grapevine that has been feral for several years.  With these, Wendy whipped up a nice flower soup with a butter base and some stuffed grape leaves (stuffed with flowers).  And, thankfully, we were given an 18" pickerel, which I learned to clean (it was significantly less work than cleaning a rabbit).


There was only one meal, but it left us satisfied.

This week, I was concerned.  Wendy is away with the girls.  I was left to my own devices.  Saturday, I took a stroll with the dogs to an area I haven't visited for a few years.  I knew that I had learned a lot and wanted to see what I had missed in earlier visits.  All I can say is ... Yee Haw!

I took the dogs, who were a significant impediment, but I still succeeded.  We walked for a couple of hours.  In that time, I marked, with the GPS, several more Hazelnut bushes.  I also spied a fresh mushroom growing near some old one on a broken off tree (which I misidentified).  I was fairly certain that I knew what they were and so I picked them.

In "Browsing Nature's Aisles", we emphasize using at least sources for identification of things you do not know well.  I was able to search the internet and find pictures (resource 1), I looked through a mushroom book (resource 2), I posted a photo on a Facebook Mushroom group local to my area (resource 3), and I used an on-line identification key (resource 4 - BONUS) to verify that it was indeed an Oyster Mushroom (Pleutorus populinus)!

And, in addition, I found a new blueberry patch with newly ripening fruit.  Of course, the dogs were done and I didn't have a container for berries.  I returned on Sunday in the morning without the dogs, who seemed relieved to be able to stay home instead of accompanying me.  In a short time, I picked 1.5 pints of lovely blueberries. for my meals.  I was a little concerned that this would not be sufficient to squelch my hunger.

Sunday was a very busy day.  I am acting in a local production of "The Full Monty" and we were running the technical aspects of the show prior to the opening this week.  It meant that I would be out of the house for 9 hours or so ... no time to find more food.

It turned out that the mushrooms, sauteed in butter and garlic and a pint of blueberries were enough for the day.  I still have half a pint in the fridge.

Even in the face of everyday problems, like a roof that needs repairs and more bills than money, I am in awe of the abundance that the Universe offers - the gifts, the lessons, the love.  Oh, as is my custom, I asked for a message or lesson while I was out.  The response was a pair of hawks swooping into a nearby tree, calling to each other, playing in the branches.  They allowed me to see them before darting away again, leaving me grinning.

It is officially berry season.  Foraging Sundays have just gotten a lot easier.  I am still trying to learn to fish for myself, but I know now that I will eat.

With gratitude and love, I continue to learn and grow.

Memorial Day Give-Away ... And The Winners Are ....

We have chosen the winners in our Memorial Day Give-Away!  Winners, in order of those drawn, may choose the book of their choice.  Please, respond with your choice (if you are first or second place), and an address for shipping.  Comments moderation has been turned on.

1. This Self Sufficient Life
2. Sharon R
3. Unknown

Congratulations to all.  Winners will have one week to reply.  After this, new winners will be drawn as necessary.

For those who did not win this time, keep following along because we might just do another give-away soon. 

Or, purchase one or more of them.

• "Browsing Nature's Aisles" here, using the link on the left.  
• "Surviving The Apocalypse In The Suburbs" can be purchased from Wendy's blog, Surviving The Suburbs.
• "Botany In A Day" can be purchased from Tom Elpel's site, HopsPress.com.

Have a fantastic day.  Enjoy, and enhance, your independence.

Foraging Sundays - Week 4

This week might be more appropriately named Seafood Sunday.  People have been very supportive of our project.  Some have given us fish.  Some have taken us out to learn to fish ... or ... harvest periwinkles.  I am careful to tell everyone that one of the points of the exercise is to stretch our limits and expand our foraging ability.

The fact is that we live in Maine.  While writing "Browsing Nature's Aisles" (which can be purchased by clicking the link on the left side of this page), Wendy and I recognized the importance of this source of support.  We did make an effort to learn to dig clams ... read the book ... but that was pretty much the extent of it.  We do not know much about the various foods available ... seaweeds, shellfish, fish, etc.

This week, we focused much of the effort on the bounty of the sea.  It started early in the week, when we were given the fillet meat of a 21" Striped Bass.  We were also offered the opportunity to go an harvest periwinkles.  And, later in the week, we decided that we should try our hand at ocean fishing.

Saturday, in advance of Foraging Sunday, which the girls have nicknamed Starving Sunday, I planned to meet a friend at the beach to harvest Periwinkles.  We are getting better about planning ahead.  Maine law allows the collection of 2 quarts per day per person.  So, two girls in tow, I ventured forth to meet with someone who knew a little something and was willing to share (thanks, Mike).  After a brief introductory tutorial, I was off and a little over an hour later, I had gathered about 6 quarts of wrinkles.  The girls were off gathering their own treasures ... something about a saltwater fish tank.  I tossed in some seaweed, too - Wild Atlantic Nori, some Bladderwrack, and some Wild Atlantic Kombu.  Of course, we had to run off to pick up a clamming fork and basket (lesson learned).

Sunday, Big Little Sister (check out her fishing outfit) and I got up and left to go fishing.  In spite of the two hours we spent without a nibble, we were rewarded with some cool things, like the shrimp and the Lion's Mane Jellyfish we saw.

But, alas ... there was work to do.  We needed to dash off to pick up some firewood for the coming winter (yes, I know it is only just summer).  We ran home to eat a quick meal of Striped Bass, which was fabulous with blackberries laced with maple syrup.  And, we were off.

After a couple of trips for wood, we then decided late in the afternoon that we should eat again.  Wendy rushed off to cook, while the girls and I continued to unload the trailer.  She sauteed the periwinkles in Peach wine that we bottled just recently and garlic grown in our garden (spices don't count).  She is a Wiz in the kitchen.  Now, if you ask me, I will tell you that I do not like seafood, but ... all I could do was moan in delight as I devoured the tasty little snails.  Oh, the bonus ... Wendy found a bag of frozen Hen of The Woods mushrooms, that I had found while wandering the wood line a year ago, in the back of the freezer.  These, she sauteed in butter and spices.  Oh my!

Wendy pointed out that our fanciest meal in a long time was free.

The greens are now getting too big to eat as salad, but we are still gathering them to dry and use in soups over winter.  The seaweeds are drying to, for the same purpose.  I have been watching the brambles though, and if our black raspberry bushes are any indication ... we are in for a banner berry year!  Bring on the blueberries!

Once again, we thank the Earth for providing such an incredible abundance of foods all around us!

Please, if you are playing along, let us know how you are doing.  And, don't forget to enter our giveaway!