Sergei Boutenko.com

Disclaimer:

Identification and use of wild plants requires particular care and attention. Never eat any plant unless you are absolutely sure that it is edible! It is a good idea to cross-reference your knowledge with a book written by an expert. The information in this program is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The author, publisher, and any of their counter parts, assume no responsibility whatsoever for any adverse effects encountered by the individual. Please harvest wild edibles at your own risk!

Harvesting Safety Tips!

While there are countless benefits associated with eating wild foods such as, breathing fresh air, exercise, premium nutrition, and more food diversity, there are also some inherent risks. When you harvest wild plants for food, there is a high guarantee that edible plants will be sharing their living space with non-edibles. These non-edibles may range in toxicity from mild to extreme. If you are anything like me, then you too prefer to avoid any form of poisoning whether it is mild or severe. For this reason it is a good idea to first learn how to positively identify wild plants and then exercise caution when gathering them for food.

Over the last five years that I have traveled around the globe giving presentations about edible plants, I learned two things: first, people are eagerly seeking knowledge about wild edibles and secondly, there is a lot of confusion about which plants are safe to harvest. I found that the term “poisonous” is very loosely defined and is easily swayed by ones personal bias and educational background. For example, experts coming from backgrounds of toxicology, botany, and medicine claim exponentially larger amounts of poisonous plants, whereas, experts coming from Native American teachings observe the opposite. Unfortunately, these inconsistencies of professional opinion mixed with ill-fated Hollywood movies such as, “Into The Wild,” breed unnecessary fear, preventing the mass populous from venturing into the world of free food. (more…)

What a life! Over the course of the last few days, Jacob (a friend of mine) and I took part in a wild edible workshop near Hood River, Oregon. Our mission was simple, “Learn as much about wild edible as we can from John Kallas,” the class instructor. The operation was a success, and for the next three days we were out in the field (literally) from 6:00 AM until the sun set at 9:30 PM studying, picking, digging, preparing, and eating every type of wild edible offered in the Pacific Northwest.

While I considered myself somewhat of a wild edible expert, I was humbled by the plethora of new plants that I had yet to discover. Among some of my favorite new delicacies were: (more…)

Common Name: Miner’s Lettuce

Latin Name: Claytonia perfoliata

Description: Miner’s lettuce is an annual plant that usually pops its head out in early spring. It is light green in color, and has round, disk-like leaves, which surround its smooth, tender stem. This stem, which passes directly through the round leaf, is a key identifier of Miner’s Lettuce. After the plant has bloomed, one can observe a small white or pinkish color flower growing on top of its rounded leaves. Miner’s Lettuce ranges in height from 1 to 12 inches and may have anywhere from 1 to 25+ stems growing out of a single root. (more…)

Common Name: Dandelion

Latin Name: Taraxacum officinale

Description: Dandelions typically have sharply serrated, green leaves that resemble teeth. These leaves grow in clusters called basil rosettes. Dandelions have one yellow flower per stem. When mature, flowers turn into white, puffballs that many of us blew with the wind in our childhood. (more…)

Common Name: Purslane

Latin Name: Portulaca oleracea

Description: Purslane leaves are green, paddle shaped,  and have a reddish stem. The plant stem is smooth and succulent and will emit a slimy, okra-like juice when bent or broken. Hidden amidst the leaves of the plant are tiny, yellow flowers with five petals. (more…)