Weeds and Mushrooms

I want to pick your weeds!

A delightful lady walked into IL Fiorello’s visitor center asking if her mother could pick our weeds. My first response was, sure-we have lots! My more rational approach was “does she know what weeds are what” and will she be safe. Turns out she really knew her weeds.

Foragers are individuals who know and understand what grows, what is safe, and how to use the “weeds” that grow in the forest, in the groves, and on the side of the road. As Connie Green in her book The Wild Table, says “ the flavor of wild is sneaking back into our modern world”. What a shame, it should never have left.

When I was growing up in the Adirondack Mountains of really far upstate New York, my father’s friend would go

out mushroom hunting. He would bring back 50 lbs of beautiful chanterelles. We would sauté them in butter, heap them on toasted fresh bread, eat like there was no tomorrow. All the rest we packed in containers for the freezer. He knew what he was doing both to find the mushrooms and only pick the safe one to eat. This was a truly memorable food experience. Mushrooms on toast are still my very favorite meal.

Not everyone can forage for mushrooms. Not everyone should forage for mushrooms. That is why we have a class on mushrooms, hosted with Mycopia mushrooms of Petaluma. We will all learn a lot from this class.

Maybe we should all learn about foraging for weeds also. Good weeds, tasty weeds, healthy weeds.

Be careful what you forage. Our organic garden will safely supply us with great vegetables and I am sure some good weeds.
Come visit

Ciao