Why You Should Try Urban Foraging
Something I became aware of and really interested in in 2020 was urban foraging. For those that may not know what it is, urban foraging is finding, collecting and eating food growing around your local area in public places. Well before supermarkets were invented, humans would forage for foods, collecting fruits, berries, leafy greens and nuts to not only eat but to use as medicine. Human beings lived like this for thousands of years. In recent months I have been doing a lot of research on being able to identify different types of plants and I have been trying my hand at urban foraging. I want to talk about why I have been foraging and some reasons why you should try urban foraging too and give some examples of what I have seen.I want to stress that I am no expert, I am just a beginner and I will never consume something I am unsure of and neither should you.
Why I am foraging
Urban foraging is a way for me to connect with nature and to get to know the plants living around me better. I believe that if we all know the plants that are living near us, we can learn from them, understand them and care for them. Most of the foods I have found foraging are foods that can't be found in supermarkets, I'm not able to grow due to size and space constraints and some of the plants are classified as weeds. Foraging has really helped me to identify different plants and I have learned a lot about plant identification through foraging. It's also a very sustainable way to add food into your diet, you're not driving to your local shop and you're not buying food from the industrial food system which is treated with chemical fertilisers and transported long distances. The food is also high in nutrition and is not packaged in any way whatsoever.
Why you should try urban foraging
Many trees, weeds and plants we walk by every day are edible or produce edible fruits and berries. learning about the foods that grow around us is a great way to get to know your local area. It is also amazing to realise how limited the range of fresh food products we find at our major supermarkets actually is. We can mix up our diets and add these incredible ingredients into our diets.Some plants are said to be healthier for us and contain more nutrients than many of the healthy foods found at our grocery stores. I want to stress the importance of being responsible, do not deplete an area, only take what you need.
There is food everywhere
As a species, humans have lost the ability to find and gather wild food and even grow our own food. We have become so reliant on supermarkets to provide us with our food and have been told that we shouldn't eat things grown in the wild because it is unsafe. Our ancestors survived without supermarkets, they not only grew their own foods but they hunted and foraged safely. Of course, there are a lot of things that are unsafe to eat but there are also a lot of things that are extremely safe and in some cases more nutritious than what we buy in the grocery store. There is food growing everywhere, we just need to be able to identify it correctly and be responsible about where we are foraging and how much we are taking.
Where I forage and don't forage
There are places that I will happily pick foods and eat them and those that I won't. Places I will forage are on the property in which I live where they appear by themselves. I know that no chemicals are used here so I know they are safe to eat. Public places like quiet streets where I know no harmful pesticides are being used are also places I will consume food. Public places I don't pick things are things like reserves, national parks and public parks. Picking food here is illegal and I don't want to disturb the natural eco-systems or steal food from local wildlife.Other foods I don't ingest include weeds growing alongside high traffic public footpaths and roads. I also choose not to eat things that may be contaminated from water runoff. I also don't venture onto other people's property without permission. However, I will take something if it is hanging over the fence and there is an abundance of it. Another rule is if I can't reach it because it is too high then I leave it. I'm not an expert in mycology so I just completely avoid fungi altogether. And lastly, I never ever take an entire plant or bucket loads of fruit, only what I need, which is usually just a small handful or small container.
What I have been foraging
Below is a list of some of the things I have been foraging. I am still a beginner so there are probably a lot of edibles around me I am just not fully aware of yet.
Oxalis
Oxalis is classified as a weed and I have found it growing naturally in my backyard. This is an edible weed that has a citrus taste. I usually just eat this weed straight out of the ground, but it would probably give a salad a nice lemony taste.
Figs
There are many large and well established Australian native fig trees around my suburb.I have identified Ficus Macrophylla (Moreton Bay Fig) and Ficus Rubiginosa (Port Jackson Fig). The figs are quite bland in flavour by themselves if I'm totally honest but I plan to collect a handful of them and use them in more creative ways, maybe a jam or preserve of some sort. This tree produces a ridiculous amount of figs which the birds also absolutely love.
Lilli Pilli
Vibrant pink Lilli Pilli berries are super easy to identify and I have been able to find them absolutely everywhere. Many people use Lilli Pillis trees as a screening hedge. Also, a lot of suburban streets are lined with small to medium-sized Lilli Pilli trees.I usually just pick a couple of Lilli Pilli fruits off the tree and eat them. They have a lemonade kind of taste. I have heard that Lilli Pilli jams taste really good, but I am yet to try this.
Some other things I have seen
Here is a list of a few plants I have seen but haven't tried or have used for a different purpose.
Pig Face
Another plant that I have seen frequently around my area is the Carpobrutus pig face. The species I have seen is probably the Carpobrotus Glaucescens, which is native to where I am. The pig face produces small fruits that are said to taste like a salty kiwi fruit. I am yet to taste the fruits because I haven't found any. However, I have used the sap on the inside of the leaves as an alternative to aloe vera on mosquito bites.I have also started growing this plant at home to eventually use as a sprawling ground cover. The plant produces beautiful purple flowers which bees, in particular, native Australian bees love.
Onion Weed
I have seen onion weed in so many places now, including my own yard. Onion weed is a common weed in many peoples lawns and gardens. The plant is edible, from the flowers down to the small bulb. Apparently, it has an oniony, garlic taste. I haven't tried this but it is on the list of things to try.
Dandelions and cats ears
I have seen both dandelions and cats ears pretty much everywhere. At first glance, they look almost identical and can be easily mixed up. Luckily, however, they are both edible from the flower right down to the leaves and even the root. I am still yet to taste these because most of the places I have seen them growing have been in other people's yards and gardens.
Wild Fennel
I only just recently learned that wild fennel was a thing and how to identify it. Since then I have seen it absolutely everywhere, along river banks, sides of the road and in empty paddocks. It seems to be growing as an intrusive weed in these places. The only reason I was able to identify it was from its beautiful yellow flowers. Like I mentioned earlier the reason I haven't consumed any is because of the places it is growing.
Urban Foraging resources
If you are interested in urban foraging then check out these great resources
Why You Should Try Urban Foraging
I am not an expert on identifying plants so there are probably hundreds of edibles I am unaware of. I'll keep on doing this and continue to learn about wild food and urban foraging. I hope this post has given you enough reasons about why you should try urban foraging. The examples of things I have seen and eaten are just a few of theIf you have any foraging resources you can recommend so I can add them here then I would love to hear them. Until next time, good luck on your foraging adventures.