Step outside and take a look around you, odds are there is something wild and edible within sight. For those in urban areas, you may be rolling your eyes, but even dandy lion greens are edible!
Which is why we thought a book on foraging needed to make its way into the shop. We chose The Peterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern/Central North America. Now I know this doesn't cover all the states, but we are starting here (don't worry, we are looking for a guide for the rest of the states to add soon).
Before the advent of hunting and later, farming, humans relied heavily on foraging for the majority of their dietary needs. These days it's less relevant for survival purposes, but oh-so-important for so many others. Foraging teaches us to be aware of our surroundings. Every element of the landscape conveys a message, like a clue or a puzzle piece, forming connections we never considered. Not to mention an amazing sense of freedom and self reliance.
Whether you forage for hobby, or supplement what you can find at the grocery store, Edible Wild Plants is a great primer and resource to get you started. The book starts with the basics, like how to use the book. Next up are poisonous plants and how to avoid them. From there, the guide walks you through conservation, provides a great glossary and system for recognizing plant types, how to find wild edible plants, and finally, how to eat them.
In all the guide identifies over 350 edible plants, including 37 poisonous look-alikes. To add to it, there are 400 beautifully drawn illustrations, 78 color photographs, and 22 preparation ideas for what to do with the plants after you find them. As the green shoots begin to sprout up, we couldn't think of a better book to get you excited about the season to come. Which is why we want you to have a copy!
To enter to win a copy of Edible Wild Plants: Eastern/Central North America, simply leave a comment on this post by Thursday March 19th at 8am MST. The winner will be chosen by the lovely Random Number Generator and announced later that day.
And the winner is Amanda who wrote...
"This looks like a beautiful and very useful book!"
Thank you to everyone who participated!
~ Jordan
P.S. check back after noon today to see the winner of the Tooth Fairy and Pillow Giveaway!
*Last time in Books and Stories: The Story of the Orchestra + a Giveaway!
