This is the second in a series that I am writing on herbs . You can find the first one here: Tea from Fresh Herbs. This Bucket deals with collecting material from the wild and the responsibilities and hazards that go along with it.
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge where we amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to share in the comments what you see in your own part of the world.
There is nothing like a nice wander through the woods and fields, along the streams and rivers, to thoroughly relax mind and body. It re-establishes our connection to nature and the larger world. It reminds us that, yeah, that traffic jam this morning was awful and, yeah, your boss really is as big a jerk as you think, but look at this sweet little mushroom. It looks like an alien life form and how cool is that??
As most of you know, and the rest can guess from my name, I am a dedicated gardener and one of my specialties is herbs. I grow them in pots and the ground and I also collect them from the fields and forests I visit. Collecting from the wild is called wildcrafting and can include picking berries and fruit, gathering wild herbs, even collecting mushrooms.
There are many reasons one would collect herbs in the wild. Most important, for me, is availability. Some herbs simply can’t be gotten any other way. One herb I have become fond of is New England Aster, a lovely dark purple, yellow centered flower that blooms in the fall. No one carries this as a dried herb even though it is helpful for treating coughs and asthma. The only way to get it is to harvest my own. Bee balm is another one you can’t purchase but the wild version is not common in my area so I grow it in my garden.
Other reasons can include the cost being prohibitive or that the herb is best used fresh rather than dried or the quality of the purchased herb is poor. St. John’s wort is an herb that is most effective fresh, when it is in flower. Red clover flowers are not only expensive but can be of low quality. As it is a very common herb in my region, I prefer to harvest my own and make sure it is dried properly.
So, whatever your reasons, whether cost or quality or simply the joy of getting it yourself, once you have decided to gather your own plants, you will need certain equipment. At the very least, you will need something to cut the plants with and a container to put them in. I use a small pair of pruners and a camping knife to harvest leaves and flowers and occasionally a small spade or trowel to dig up roots.
The container can be whatever is most convenient for you, but I recommend against plastic bags. They don’t “breathe” and will ruin your harvest if you leave things in them too long. My favorite collection bags are the cloth bags for groceries that are all the rage now. I got one for free when I subscribed to a magazine last year and it is perfect — light weight, breathable and big enough to hold as much as I am likely to collect. If I don’t find anything, it folds up and can be stuffed in a pocket.
If you’re going to collect berries or fruit, bring plastic containers with lids, like Tupperware. Your fruit won’t get crushed and you don’t need to worry about a glass container shattering when you drop your collection bag on a rock while trying to jump across a creek. Yeah, that was fun.
One other item that is absolutely necessary for me but may be optional for you, is a walking stick. This goes with me everywhere. Not only is it a boon for my back and ankles, it also makes a great measuring device. My stick is five feet tall and, below, it is planted next to a Great Solomon’s Seal. I hadn’t seen one before at that location and I’m still amazed at the height.
You should also bring whatever you would normally carry for any hike — field guides, a notebook and pen, water, bug spray, a snack, etc. — like the stuff in the title photo. I even have a little first aide kit for longer outings. I admit that my “extras” pack rarely goes with me, mostly from laziness, and I almost always regret it.
Another pair of extras that I often take along are my Darling Spouse and Gracie the Wonder Pug. Hubby is mildly interested in my plant hobby and is always good company and Gracie . . . well, Gracie provides comic relief more often than not. It’s a good idea not to let your dog run ahead of you when you’re walking in a new area, especially if it’s a hot day and she’s been walking for a while. You might round the corner and see this:
Now we come to the important topics of what to wildcraft and where to do it. There are two key principals here:
- NEVER collect a plant unless you are absolutely, 100% sure of its identity
- NEVER collect on private property unless you have permission
Let’s start with where first. My favorite place to find herbs would be open fields away from development, not the easiest thing to find these days. I am blessed with a 100 acre field adjacent to my property which is, sadly, slated for development in the next few years. I know the owner and he has no problem with me wandering about and collecting plants. Always get permission from the land owner before entering or collecting on their property.
Open fields are great places to find herbs like yarrow, blue vervain, red clover, goldenrod and St. John’s wort. The wetter parts of the field have boneset, plantain, agrimony and horsetail. Wooded areas, in my experience are thin on foliage plants — too much shade. You might find edible or medicinal mushrooms but I can’t offer any advice here except, even more than plants, make absolutely certain you have a positive identification before you gather any. Mushrooms have more lookalikes than Elvis and many of them are quite poisonous.
Check the laws before collecting in federal, state or local parks. I, personally, would not collect at these sites — they are called “preserves” for a reason.
Be careful of collecting on contaminated land, such as brown sites — they look inviting, as the plants reclaim the wasted ground, but some plants are bio-accumulators that absorb poisons and heavy metals from the earth. See this study: Common plants as alternative analytical tools to monitor heavy metals in soil. All 4 plants listed are herbs commonly used in herbal medicine — plantain, dandelion, nettle and red clover. This includes staying away from roadsides, parking lots and any areas where herbicides might be sprayed, like electrical easements and such.
Now, on to what. It is estimated that there are around 400,000 plant species on earth today. You don’t have to know them all but you better know the ones you want to collect intimately. The consequences of not knowing can be deadly. What, exactly, does it look like — leaf, flower and stem shape, color of all the parts, scent? Is it fuzzy or smooth? Taste can also be a clue but, unless you really know what you’re about, don’t run around indiscriminately chomping on greenery!
Other clues to consider — what does it look like in different phases of its life? What does the fruit look like? Does it grow in the same place every year? What plants does it resemble and are any of them poisonous? Study your field guides, look up photos from reliable sources, take a course in plant identification, whatever it takes, but know your plants!
Also, know what kind of environment does your target plant grow in. Is it usually found in dry fields? If so, and you run across it in a wet forest, you should ask yourself why. Perhaps it’s a related but different species which may or may not have the properties of the plant you want. This is where carrying field guides comes in very handy — look it up on the spot. Alternatively, if the plant is plentiful and you’re too lazy to carry the guide, like me, take a sample home with you and figure it out there.
If there is even the slightest doubt, don’t collect it.
Another consideration, after being able to identify the plant, is whether it is advisable to collect it. The renewed interest in herbal medicine in the last 15 to 20 years has lead to many popular plants being loved to death. Goldenseal, echinacea, American ginseng, goldthread, bloodroot, lady’s slipper orchid — all of these are now threatened in their home ranges and not all of them can be cultivated to save them. Even ones that are not overall threatened may be rare in the place you find them. Take care to make sure you only take what you need and only where the plant is plentiful. Try not to collect roots at all unless it is a common plant like burdock or dandelion. Check the website for United Plant Savers (UpS) for information about endangered plants and how to help if you are so inclined.
Last of all, enjoy yourself! Watch for wildlife, pick a few flowers for your table, sit under a tree and watch the clouds. Even if all you come home with is a list of questions, a snoot full of fresh air and a filthy dog, your day was well spent!
So what do you do with the bounty you have collected and brought home? Next time, we’ll talk about processing your fresh herbs, whether from the garden or from the wild.
Answer to picture puzzle — Lycopus americanus, Cut-leaved Water Horehound. It is closely related to L. virginicus, Virginia Bugleweed. Both can be used to treat hyperthyroidism.
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