Introduction to Outdoor Gathering

Hi.

If I had to describe my profession in one word, it would be ‘analyst.’  I find myself often working with data and figures.  I used to file and type, but I have moved on to reading repair claims to look for correlating factors.  Anyways.

I love to learn.  When a question arises, I like to find the answer.  It’s nice in this day and age that we can usually compute our way to the answer easily.  Before, you would just ask your parents.  When your parent’s ideals do not necessarily align with yours, you are stuck with many questions for a long time.  Some of those questions fall to the background, only to arise much later.   A few years ago a word came to my mind that I had long forgotten.

Foraging.

I still forget it sometimes because it is so foreign to me still.  Foraging is defined as, “to search widely for food and provisions.”  Based on those definitions, running to the store across town is foraging.  Foraging is the word in the ‘industry,’ but the more naturally known word is to ‘gather’.  Gathering is defined as, “to pick or harvest (any crop or natural yield).” 

So whether it is foraging or gathering you are looking for, so was I.  And still am.  If you look at something growing on a small plot of ground and wonder aloud, “What is that?” you may be a gatherer.  I have often wondered, and a few years ago the ability to find and define these items we so find on small plots of ground became a reality. 

For most people, these things may start in the field.  But then you have me.  I am the one who reads the directions.  So of course, it naturally started with a book. 

I love plants and I had recently started hunting as well.  I also have a strong will to make things and to create things of value.  I wanted to learn something, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.  I was between classes for school, so I was a little more ambitious than usual. 

I stumbled across Backyard Foraging by Ellen Zachos.  She is from California while I am from Michigan, but I am glad I started here.  The book opened my mind up to many simple things around me that I never noticed before.  It also showed me a lot of fruits I had never even heard of that I would be interested in possibly growing indoors later on.  The difference between this book and other foraging books is that she focuses on the edibility of plants that people grow for looks (whether it be wild or purchased).  I was consumed by the book, reading and looking at the pictures while sitting in a deer blind (don’t worry vegetarians—no deer made it to my dinner plate… that year at least :).  

Sometime that fall, walking in the woods, suddenly the pictures from the book clicked.  At least one picture in particular—WINTERGREEN.  It was… everywhere!  I had never noticed it, but it was there.  It covered the ground floor of the forest.  

Wintergreen (Teaberry) on a Forest Floor

When I said, “I think that’s wintergreen!” to my SO, who practically grew up in a forest, they replied with, “Yep, I know.”  

Wintergreen (Teaberry) Up Close

I picked a few leaves and berries and brought them home to investigate to ensure I wasn’t poisoning myself.  I quickly flipped through those glossy pages to confirm the edibility, and sure enough it was there.  So there it was: My first confirmed case of outdoor gathering. 

I suppose now that I brought up the subject, I should share a little bit :).

See next post for more information!  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Outdoor Gathering