New York’s Natural Resources
4-H Wild Edibles
A Guide to Tradition, Safety, and Conservation
Engaging Environmental Education Through Teen Experiental Learning Principal Investigator, Karim-Aly Kassam Written by Patricia Banker and John Bowe, 2018
Cornell University Cooperative Extension
Table of Contents
Preface 3 Safety 5 Introduction & History 6 Preparing to Harvest Wild Edibles
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Seaonal Guide for Wild Edibles
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Suggested Activites / Project Requirements
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History & Use of Curriculum
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Learning Standards 9 Inquiry-Based Learning 9 Evolving Definition of Ecology
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Burdock 12 Cattails 16 Chicory 19 Dandelion 21 Lamb’s Quarters 25 Milkweed 27 Plaintain 30 Wild Leeks 32 Oxeye Daisy 35 Jerusalem Artichoke 37 Wood Sorrel 39 Sheep Sorrel 39 Red Clover 40 White Pine 42 State Protected Plants 44 References 44 Appendix - 1 46 Appendix - 2 47 Appendix - 3 48 Notes 50 2
PREFACE Ethic of Stewardship through Environmental Education To whom much is given, much is expected! It is with this outlook; young people are asked to engage in both the learning objectives and activities of environmental education. This curriculum for Wild Edibles: A Guide to Tradition, Safety, and Conservation opens a window of curiosity and wonder into the habitat for the 4-H youth. We do not exist outside of “nature” because it is all around us and we, ourselves, are fundamentally “natural”! We breathe, feed, live, reproduce, and die like other beings. In other words, the habitat consists of communities of living beings all around us. The word ‘animal’ derived from the Latin root animus meaning that which is endowed with will, spirit, or mind carries with it the understanding that we are part a larger community of beings. The world around us is animate, a source of deep wonder through observation and reflection, and through direct engagement with it, the basis of boundless insight. By mindfully participating in our habitat, we learn as much about it as we do about each other and ourselves. The Greek word oikos, “household,” is the root of the prefix ‘eco’ in both ecology and economics. In the twenty-first century, we grasp the complex connectivity of geophysical, biological and sociocultural systems, in which the planet is truly our oikos: it is the dwelling place of humanity. However, to understand it, we must begin locally with our habitat, our home. The objectives of this revised and updated curriculum for the 4-H youth are: • to generate an appreciation for their natural habitat; • to provide knowledge about specific aspects of that habitat; • to directly engage the habitat through guided activity; and • to develop an ethic of stewardship through responsibility, recognizing that one’s community includes the living habitat. These objectives, while distinct, are not mutually exclusive because they work in tandem to achieve environmental education among youth. For instance, appreciation of ones habitat occurs only when a young person acquires knowledge about it. This knowledge creates wonder and curiosity that act to widen a youth’s perception and understanding of their natural environment – to create a wider sense of community. Furthermore, knowledge is firmly grounded among the youth through guided experiential learning by undertaking activities outside. Book learning is not sufficient, as it must be accompanied by direct experience. This engagement, in turn, creates appreciation. Only when one appreciates, does a young person develop a sense of responsibility to care for ones habitat. At its core, this process creates informed and committed youth to environmental stewardship. Responsibility for ones habitat is at the core of the ethic of stewardship. The word ‘steward’ combines the two active roles: of being ‘in charge’ on the one hand; and ‘to serve’ on the other. Humanity and by extension the 4-H youth are both ‘guardians of’ and ‘servants to’ life on this planet. Both ideas are commensurate, equally relevant, neither can be compromised. For 4-H youth, this means inculcating through this curriculum the value of responsibility by demonstrating how a human being is simultaneously in charge of their habitat and by knowledgeable action serves its wellbeing. The specific activities should engender a sense of mutual relationship where the youth benefits from and conserves their habitat.
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A human ecological perspective informed by the ethic of stewardship is not only desirable, rather it is a necessary value in the twenty-first century. As a result of engaging Wild Edibles, over the lifetime of the 4-H youth we should expect: • An expanded ethic of stewardship encompassing all lands and waters whether they are urban or rural; • A desire to work collaboratively with employers and employees, educators, artists, clergy and laypeople, young and old alike – to achieve a future that is sustainable; • An understanding that economic and ecological matters relating to their habitat or home (oikos) are not unrelated, but are profoundly interconnected; • Valuing of local place-based and indigenous knowledge about landscapes and natural resources; and • An embrace of the ethic of stewardship throughout their adult life. In short, it is important that the 4-H youth understands that: once you know about Wild Edibles, you become responsible for your habitat! Karim-Aly Kassam, Principle Investigator, Engaging Environmental Education through Teen Experiential Learning Programs
4-H Wild Edibles Written by: Pat Banker, Franklin County Cooperative Extension and John Bowe, Warren County Cooperative Extension Photos: MH Photography of Maline, NY. Additional photos by the authors Project Team: Karim-Aly Kassam, P.I. Department of Natural Resources and American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program; John Bowe, Warren County Cooperative Extension; Linda Brosch, Oswego County Cooperative Extension; Madeline Rich, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Department of Natural Resources; Jenn Bassman, Communications & Events Administrator, New York State 4-H
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CAUTION: Identify plants with 100% certainty. All plant samples must be checked by a trained and qualified leader or resource person before harvesting. Look at all the plant’s identifying characteristics and be certain they match all descriptions given. Cross-checking using this project guide with at least one, preferably two, other reference books is suggested. (See project bucket materials) All traditional or historical medicinal uses stated for each plant included are for educational purposes only. Consult with a physician for any medical treatment.
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4-H Wild Edibles: A Guide to Tradition, Safety, and Conservation provides the following: Safety Requirements and Program Goals Introduction and History Preparing to Harvest Wild Edibles Know Your Plants–Alphabetically by Common Name Project Suggestions Recipes Summary Leader Information and Requirements Glossary Bibliography and Suggested References Appendix State Protected Plants Safety Requirements and Program Goals:
4-H Wild Edibles project guide is to be used as the primary wild edibles resource with currently enrolled 4-H youth ages 12 and older under the guidance of CCE/4-H trained adult leaders and educators. The training is provided under the supervision of NYS 4-H office, Cornell University Youth in Nature & Outdoor Education Program Work Team, and the Cornell Department of Natural Resources. The ratio of leader to youth ages 12 and over is 1:10. Mandatory training will be offered once or twice a year. Contact the local Cornell Cooperative Extension office for details. Several meetings (5-6) over a course of a year may be needed to identify as many plants in this project as possible. Only plants, trees and berries listed in this project guide are to be identified, harvested, and utilized for this program. Identification of other plants and wildlife are for identification purposes only, not for use. Youth and their parents, or legal guardians, should be aware of any food allergies and taste only small amounts of any wild edible. Food allergies are common even with commercially grown agricultural goods and common processed foods. Youth and parents should be made aware of all recipe ingredients prior to tasting. Tasting any plant is not a requirement. If plants are to be consumed, mash a small amount of plant, bark or berry and place on the inside of the wrist. If any redness, itching or reaction other than color change from berry or plant juices occurs within one hour, do not consume. Wash area with soap and water. Use only recipes provided in this project guide.
Do not harvest plants from these areas for consumption in any form:
• Within 200 feet of any moderate to heavily traveled roadway. • Within any urban area. Plants may be identified visually but not consumed in any form. • On the edges of any farm field where pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals are used. • In any State or Federal Park. Visual identification trips for purpose of taking photos is a wonderful way to connect with nature. Leave no trace, do no harm. • On private land without the owner’s permission. If the landowner requests a certificate of insurance, contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H office. • Near any polluted waterway, water run-off area, or canal system. • Power line right-of-way, near functioning railroad tracks, or any other area that may be sprayed with herbicides or other toxic chemicals.
Wash all wild edibles with clean water prior to ingesting or using in a recipe. The goals of this program include: familiarization with plant identification; introducing youth to the history and utilization of wild foods; teaching safe practices for identifying wild edibles; educating youth concerning the sustainability of a variety of wild edible plants found in the North Eastern United States; and fostering connection with and respect for nature. Introduction and History of Wild Edibles Humans have been foraging and gathering wild edibles long before the formation of civilizations and the practice of communal agriculture. Information about a multitude of edible plants, nuts, berries, roots, blossoms, and barks as survival foods was passed down through generations. Survival depended upon knowing what, when, and where food could be found. Edible plants in the wild were as familiar to foraging families as items on grocery store shelves are to families today. (First Nation) Native people were harvesting a wide variety of plants, roots, and berries indigenous to North America for thousands of years prior to the arrival of early European settlers. Early settlers from all over the world learned how to recognize edible plants, nuts, and berries native to North America from tribes living in any given area. The knowledge of wild edibles is still relevant today to both native and nonnative human communities around the world. Colonial women brought many plants and seeds that were familiar to them from their homelands as necessary parts of their kitchen and apothecary gardens. Many of these plants are now naturalized, and are currently only recognized as invasive weeds by many gardeners and farmers. See the book Green Immigrants – The Plants That Transformed America (1980) by Claire Shaver Haughton for more information. Until the time when populations grew and larger trading posts were available, all food was grown or raised by family groups, hunted, fished, or gathered in the wild. Often families bartered for perishable foods from neighbors. Until the early 1900’s, most rural families were skilled at identifying wild edibles, edible garden weeds, nuts, and berries found in their area. In the United States, grocery stores as we know them were not introduced until 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee. Grocery stores now have a large selection of greens, vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, and berries that are available year-round from all over the world. Of late, there has been a surge of interest in foraging for wild edibles, as it is a rewarding experience. Picking wild strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries is still a very common practice as they are prolific in many areas and easy to identify. Many farmers’ markets, specialty food markets and even larger chain grocery stores now sell dandelion greens, burdock root (Gobo), lambs quarters, Jerusalem artichokes, and fiddleheads in season. In recent years, there have been wild edible plants that have been foraged to near extinction in some areas. Plants including the wild leek or ramp have been over harvested, to the point where one variety is now a protected species. On the other hand, some wild edible plants may be considered invasive, and can be heavily
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harvested. One example of a versatile and bountiful wild edible is the dandelion. The more the dandelion is harvested, the more it seems to spread. Preparing to Harvest Wild Edibles • Before embarking on your first wild edible identification foray, research the plant you will be harvesting. Plants were chosen for this project due to their relative ease of identification, general lack of dangerous look-a-likes and their abundance in most of New York State and the northeastern United States. • Instruct youth in the identification of poison ivy, poison oak, giant hogweed, and stinging nettles so they may avoid them. (Refer to the Poisonous or dangerous plant ID booklet in Wild Edibles bucket) • Check for permission with all landowners before you embark on a foraging or identification trip. • Discuss where your group may find the plant chosen by using descriptions of area and season where the plant is most likely to be found. • Plan how to harvest and what tools you will need. (Tools may be available in wild edibles bucket kits) • Plan what clothing you will need to wear. Long pants and socks help protect against ticks, hats and longsleeve shirts protect against sunburn. Be sure to use sunscreen, even under cloudy skies. • Using insect repellant and dressing properly to deter ticks and other biting insects will make your time foraging for wild edibles a safer and more pleasant time. • To preserve nutrients, flavor, and quality most plants should be eaten or preserved as soon after harvesting as possible. • Collect only the quantity which you will be able to use. Don’t be wasteful or destructive. Do not harvest all the plants in any area so collection will be available in that location for years, and other animals that depend on the plants will still be able to use them. • “Rule of 1/3.” Harvest no more than 1/3 of any plant that is not described as prolific or invasive. This will help keep the plant alive and flourishing. • “Leave No Trace” when searching for or harvesting any wild, or not so wild edible. Be respectful of other plants and living creatures in the area. Practice good stewardship of the areas you take from. • Pick no flowers, harm no trees, plants, root, or creature that is not part of this project. Enjoy the beauty of the world you are a part of by taking photos or drawing what you find in a journal. Seasonal Guide for Wild Edibles
Suggested Equipment: There are five 4-H Wild Edible kits distributed throughout Cornell Cooperative Extension Offices in New York. they include: digging tools, 4-H Wild Edible Project Guide, Petersons Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants, Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, Nature’s Garden-A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants, Petersons Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Eastern/Central North America, Pathfinder Outdoor Survival Guide to Edible Plants of the Eastern Woodlands, Sibley’s Warblers of Eastern North America, Sibley’s Common Trees of Trails & Forests of the Northeast & Upper Midwest, Sibley’s Ducks & Geese Swans of Eastern North America, Sibley’s Common Butterflies of the Northeast, Land Mammals of the Northeast, Sibley’s Owls of North America, and A Pocket Naturalist Guide to Edible Wild Plants.
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Additional suggested equipment includes: • A magnifying lens of 15-20 power, baskets, paper bags, and plastic bags for collection. • Larger digging, cutting, and other tools may be needed depending on what and where collection will take place. (Spade for harvesting burdock root, pruning shears for clipping stems, etc.) • Proper clothing, footwear, and insect repellant for the season and collection area. • Camera or other means of photographing plants. • Utensils for cooking and seasonings will be discussed as needed. Use safe food handling practices.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES OR PROJECT REQUIREMENTS Refer to your county or state project requirements
• Start a “Wild Edible Journal.” Draw or sketch plant identifiers. • Ask a lot of questions! Where was the plant found? What was the weather? What was the plant’s smell? What are your impressions of this plant? What identifiers did you use? • Take photos of 4 or more wild edible plants for display. • Press or dry at least 4 wild edible plant samples for display. • Interview a parent, grandparent or other community member asking them about what wild edibles they may have eaten or are still eating. • Research the nutritional value of each plant. Compare the nutritional value of the wild plant to an equivalent commercially grown plant. Example: Lambs quarters to spinach. Good sources are located at: http://nutritiondata.self.com/ and https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list • Cultivate one or more plants in garden soil. Dandelions, burdock, and lamb’s quarters are easy to grow. Discuss the difference in size and flavor of the cultivated plant versus plants found in the wild or in a naturalized setting. • Research further the history of wild plants included in this project guide. • Visit a farmers’ market or natural food co-op to see what wild edibles may be available for sale. • Research what Native nation is in your area. Speak to a Native language teacher about what the plant names are and their translations into English. Ask about historic food and medicinal uses for the plants contained in this program guide. See appendix for examples of the Ganienkeh Mohawk language. History and Use of this Curriculum The 4-H Wild Edibles curriculum is born from the growing interest in outdoor education and wilderness safety that has occurred over the last several years in the United States. This trend is substantiated by the production of publications on self-reliance skills in even mainstream media, like Newsweek, Popular Science, and annual specialty issues from Outdoor Life and Field & Stream on topics like food production, harvesting wild game, and foraging for wild edibles. Hunter education instructors, including one of the author’s, have seen an increase in participation in their classes of localvores and foragers who are interested in learning more about wild food sources and the legalities related to harvesting. Inquiries about such wild fair have increased at many local Cornell Cooperative Extension offices. This text meets many of today’s NYS Elementary Core Curriculum Standards as well as the Next Generation Science Standards. Therefore, educators can know what specific standards this curriculum addresses. The most recent Cornell Cooperative Curriculum that covered this topic was published in Heritage and Horizons, a traditional skills and knowledge program from the late 1970’s and early 1980s. This established work was a collaboration of county educators, volunteers, and Cornell campus partners. The work however is outdated and lacked connection to any current faculty, NYS learning standards, or current mission mandates.
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The current publication has been developed to address this issues. The work is the result of partnership between county educators and campus faculty, addresses and connects to NYS learning standards, establishes a working definition of ecology and stewardship that includes the role of humans, and provides links current United States Department of Agriculture nutritional information. Learning Standards Potentially covered by 4-H Wild Edibles NYS Learning Standards: 4-H Wild Edibles connects to the following Intermediate Grades 5-8 learning standards: STANDARD 1—Analysis, Inquiry, and Design. Scientific Inquiry STANDARD 4—The Living Environment Key Idea 1: Living things are both similar to and different from each other and from nonliving things. Key Idea 5: Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life. Key Idea 6: Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment. Key Idea 7: Human decisions and activities have had a profound impact on the physical and living environment. STANDARD 6—Interconnectedness: Common Themes Key Idea 1: Systems thinking STANDARD 7—Interdisciplinary Problem Solving Key Idea 1: Connections Next Generation Learning Standards MS Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: LS2.A, C, D, EST1.B MS Human Impacts: ESS3.C HS Human Sustainability: ESS3.1, ESS3-4
Inquiry-Based Learning In a publication titled Experiential & Inquiry-based Learning with Youth in Non-formal Settings, the NYS 4-H office defines inquiry-based learning as “constructing learning through hands-on experiences that provide evidence about phenomena in the world.” Learning is driven by exploring and directly observing the processes in the world around us, hypothesizing as to why certain phenomena occur, and gathering evidence, either through experiments or further observation, to support or counter the original hypotheses. Inquiry-based learning is absolutely essential in developing a youth’s curiosity and scientific knowledge. The most critical part of planting the seeds of curiosity within a new generation is teaching them to always incessantly ask “why?” When we foster such relentlessly inquisitive thinking, kids learn at an early age how to: explore deeper levels of understanding on their own, shape questions that interest and inspire them, explore the validity of their hypotheses, collect and review original data, and independently develop their evidencebased answers based on the overall experience. What are some examples of inquiry-based questions? Here are some samples related to the Next Generation Science Standards and NYS Common Core standards: • What happens to organisms when their environment changes? • How do internal and external structures support the survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction of animals? • How do organisms change over time in response to changes in the environment? Encourage youth to ask questions and provide them with the opportunity discover their own answers through personal observation, research, and data collection. It is now easier than ever for youth to become engaged with scientific methods and tools. There are affordable trail cameras, GPS units, and even drones available for
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wildlife observation that allows humans to collect data using hi-tech methods, and the ubiquity of information on the internet provides insight into countless questions. The Evolving Definition of Ecology The word “ecology” is derived from the Greek word for “household”: oikos. Thus, from the start, the study of ecology sought to study the total relations among all the parts within a system, living and nonliving. The Ecological Society of America has provided a definition for the concept of ecology: “Ecology is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment; it seeks to understand the vital connections between plants and animals and the world around them.“ An ecologist can study any habitat, from the unfathomable depths of our vast blue seas to an invisible patch of microscopic bacteria on the inside of a fish tank, from a squirrel’s nest high in a pine’s branches to an apartment complex in a city. Humans are key actors within the ecological systems of our planet, as our activities heavily influence the lives of our fellow species and often have lasting biophysical impacts on the abiotic features of our environments. Understanding the ecological contexts and relationships that bind ecosystems together can help us learn how to use Earth’s resources in ways that will keep the planet healthy for generations to come, both human and nonhuman. Humans have historically not been the best stewards of our environment. We have polluted and exploited our habitats, often without regard for the other living creatures we share our environment with, and without recognizing that just as we have the ability to shape our environment, our environment in return shapes us. With the aid of ecological studies and an ecological mindset, ways of living that are more acknowledging of our environmental contexts and relationships have been discovered. In the 1960’s, it was found that the high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in laundry detergents and fertilizers that leaked into various water sources, such as lakes and streams, could severely damage the ecological balance within those systems. All living communities around polluted waters were negatively impacted, from the bacteria to the fish to the people. Armed with ecological knowledge, human communities were able to clean up their local lakes and streams, restoring the habitat for all. Another ecologically damaging force is that of invasive species. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has defined an invasive species to be a species that is non-native to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health. Invasive species disturb the complex ecological balance of their invaded environment by competing with native species and often decreasing native populations. Humans have tried several control measures, but invasive species are very difficult to eradicate. It must be noted that the concept of an invasive species is defined by what humans perceive to be threatening. For example, many earthworms in the U.S. are non-native, as they were brought to the continent in the 1600s by European settlers. While we do not tend to perceive earthworms as invasive, their presence has fundamentally altered soil composition, making it more difficult for native flora to survive and compete with invasive plant species. This results in population shifts of plants, affecting animals up and down the food chain, the physical environment, and of course, the human behaviors and communities that are integrated within this complex ecosystem-wide web of interactions. Environmental factors have a great impact on public health, as human populations exist within the context of their environment. Ecologists have found that wetlands and marshes act as gigantic water filters. Such a realization is of great importance to the public, since the maintenance and care of wetlands and marshes means that money does not need to be funneled into water treatment plants, and vital habitats for countless organisms are conserved. Without wetlands, we lose key pieces of the ecological puzzle that holds the whole system in balance. For example, many young fish rely on the protected waters of wetlands for food and as a safe place to grow. Without intact and healthy wetlands, fish populations decrease, leaving all those who fish for a living, be it the fisherman or the osprey, without the resources they need. Understanding the relationships between humans, other organisms, and their environment has given humans the ability to be stewards as we mindfully manage and conserve the environment in a way that respects the complex connectivity of a given habitat. Fires in forestlands and grasslands may at first be seen as a purely destructive force, yet they are in fact necessary for the smooth functioning of the ecosystems in which they occur. Low intensity fires clear the forest floor, reducing competition for nutrients among the strong
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and healthy trees. They get rid of pests and diseases, and some plant seeds even require intense heat for germination to begin. By studying the ecological impacts of fires, humans have learned how to manage wildfires in a way that benefits all life in the system and contributes to the stability of the abiotic landscape. Life shapes its environment, and the environment shapes its life. Ecology helps us, the human pieces in a great puzzle, learn and internalize quantifiable facts about the web of connections in which we are embedded. The wisdom of ecological thinking has already been with humans for centuries, but to maintain the balance of Earth’s ecosystems, we must constantly keep in mind that our bodies, beliefs, and actions all exist within the context of our environments and cohabitants. With the tools of ecology, we can begin to untangle the intricate web around us, understanding the parts as well as the whole. There is always more to learn about our environments -- all we must do is let our curiosity run wild!
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