As we embrace the long winter nights, finding wild food becomes tricky at best. Most of the plants have retreated deep underground and are patiently waiting for the warmer longer days.
This is the time to get out into the woods and challenge yourself to find wild food now while it is difficult. Anyone can eat well in the woods in August while berries run amok. Go out now and enjoy some wild edibles.
Catkins are my first choice for finding nourishment. I look for the smaller male catkins found on Alders, Birch and Hazel trees. The larger female catkins look like small woody cones and aren’t as nice. The male catkins are round sausage shaped and full of protein filled pollen. They range in size from 1 to 5 centimeters and can be found on trees for most of the year.
After a small meal of catkins I like to enjoy a hot cup of tea. My first choice is tea from Spruce needles. Break off 3 or 4 sprigs and put them in a mug. Cover them with hot water and let it steep for ten minutes. The lovely tea is full of vitamin C and quite lovely in taste.
Scurvy is not a problem as long as you can find evergreen trees. You can make tea from all of them except Cedar and Yew. Go out and start tasting the abundance of flavors available in your nearest forest.
More information can be found at www.ipna.ie.
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