Foraging in the Midwest / Meira Datiya

FORAGING IN THE MIDWEST / MEIRA DATIYA How-To and Recipes

When I first started learning about foraging, I thought the only time that someone could go foraging was in autumn and a lot of the things I thought were edible I quickly learned would kill me. I live in the

Midwest and last October I finally took a beginner’s course in foraging.

I learned Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) can be easily confused with Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum). But I also learned about Paw

Paws, Sassafras, Wild Ginger, Black Walnuts, and Persimmons. I even harvested some and baked an amazing Persimmon tart that rivaled anything sold at the local grocery store. So, with the winter frost slowly starting to give way to spring and plants becoming available to forage I decided to look into it more and it turns out there a lot of edible plants you can harvest throughout the year depending on fruiting times, etc. Below you will find a shortlist of plants to forage, some tips on foraging, and a few recipes to inspire you in the coming year. Edible Plants for Beginning Foragers in the Midwest

Dandelion | Purslane | Rose Hips Purple | Passionflower | Nettles Blackberries | Black Walnuts | Paw Paws | Persimmons Autumn Olive | Sassafras The above plants are easy to identify and forage, however, if you want to dive deeper into foraging, I highly recommend taking at least a beginner course in foraging for your region. There are a lot of plants out there that like to interweave themselves with edible varieties or even appear to be edible like wild grapes. Even wild grapes have a poisonous impersonator. The best way to avoid getting something toxic is to know the plants you are foraging top to bottom.

Other things to be aware of when foraging:

Poison ivy, ticks, mosquitos, snakes, bears, etc. Make sure you wear long pants, have bug spray, and a deterrent if necessary, etc. l Poison ivy, ticks, mosquitos, snakes, bears, etc. Make sure you wear long pants, have bug spray, and a deterrent if necessary, etc. Mushrooms are tricky even for experienced foragers! Do not try to harvest these as a beginner. Even varieties that are not poisonous can cause digestive issues etc. l Mushrooms are tricky even for experienced foragers! Do not try to harvest these as a beginner. Even varieties that are not poisonous can cause digestive issues etc. Dehydration & sunburn. Always prepare for the weather, bring sun-l Dehydration & sunburn. Always prepare for the weather, bring screen, a jacket, and make sure you have plenty of water.sunscreen, a jacket, and make sure you have plenty of water. Taking roots or whole plants. Unless you own the land, it can be illel Taking roots or whole plants. Unless you own the land, it can be gal to harvest in conservation areas, state parks, etc. Know the laws illegal to harvest in conservation areas, state parks, etc. Know where you harvest!the laws where you harvest!

Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy your trip to the forest. If you are going out for the day, make sure you stick to trails you know and bring a friend. Some fun things to do on trails while looking for edible plants include trying to identify slime molds, birdwatching, photography, journaling, and sketching. After you’ve finished your foraging trip and get home, make sure to wash everything and remove any bugs. This is the best part of any When I first started learning about foraging, I thought the only foraging trip because now you get to decided what to make from jellies time that someone could go foraging was in autumn and a lot of the and jams to tarts and pies. things I thought were edible I quickly learned would kill me. I live in the Midwest and last October I finally took a beginner’s course in foraging. I learned Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) can be easily confused Some recipes to get you started! with Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum). But I also learned about Paw Paws, Sassafras, Wild Ginger, Black Walnuts, and Persimmons. I even harvested some and baked an amazing Persimmon tart that rivaled anything sold at the local grocery store. So, with the winter frost slowly starting to give way to spring and plants becoming available to forage I decided to look into it more and it turns out there a lot of edible plants you can harvest throughout the year depending on fruiting times, etc. Below you will find a shortlist of plants to forage, some tips on foraging, and a few recipes to inspire you in the coming year. Edible Plants for Beginning Foragers in the Midwest Dandelion | Purslane | Rose Hips Purple | Passionflower | Nettles Blackberries | Black Walnuts | Paw Paws | Persimmons Autumn Olive | Sassafras Paw Paw & Walnut Bread l 1 cup pawpaw puree (seeds removed etc.) l 1/3 cups shortening l 2 eggs l 1 3/4 cups flour l 1 cup of crushed walnuts l 2/3 cups sugar l 2 tsp baking powder or yeast start l 1/4 tsp baking soda l A pinch of salt The above plants are easy to identify and forage, however, if you want to dive deeper into foraging, I highly recommend taking at least a beginner course in foraging for your region. There are a lot of plants out there that like to interweave themselves with edible varieties or even appear to be edible like wild grapes. Even wild grapes have a poisonous impersonator. The best way to avoid getting something toxic is to know the plants l Yeast start: * l 1 cup warm water l 2 tbsp yeast l 1 tsp sugar you are foraging top to bottom. *Mix and wait until it is frothy before combining. Other things to be aware of when foraging: Mix everything and pour the batter into an oiled bread pan and bake at

Poison ivy, ticks, mosquitos, snakes, bears, etc. Make sure you wear long pants, have bug spray, and a deterrent if necessary, etc. 350 for 50 minutes to an hour. Use a toothpick or knife to check if it’s done. Cool before serving. •

Mushrooms are tricky even for experienced foragers! Do not try to harvest these as a beginner. Even varieties that are not poisonous can cause digestive issues etc. Autumn Olive Jam l8+ cups autumn olive berries l 3-4 cups Sugar l Homemade pectin from apple skins or another source •

Dehydration & sunburn. Always prepare for the weather, bring sun- (store-bought etc.) • screen, a jacket, and make sure you have plenty of water. Boil the berries and mash them using either a potato masher or a spoon

Taking roots or whole plants. Unless you own the land, it can be ille- and a mesh colander. • gal to harvest in conservation areas, state parks, etc. Know the laws Separate the skins and seeds from the juice. Add sugar and pectin. where you harvest!Bring to a boil before canning.

MEET THE STAFF

Rosie Albrecht - Editor in Chief - Rosie is a writer and graphic designer who spends a lot of time thinking about monsters, science fiction, queer theory, magical girls, horror, humor, and how all of those things intersect. As a child, she was radicalized by watching WALL•E and environmentalist/anti-imperialist Ghibli movies, and now she dreams of one day defeating a physical manifestation of capitalism in hand-to-hand combat. You can find her at rosiealbrecht.tumblr.com and see her graphic design work at @rosiesthingfactory on Instagram.

Jeremy Baker - Staff Editor - Jeremy teaches sociology at 5 colleges and has 2 kids. He is very busy, but his therapist says he is very good at being busy.

Clint Pereira - Staff Editor - Clint is a fantasy writer who spends all of his time worldbuilding. He keeps chickens and parrots in his backyard, and he loves all his feather babies very much.

Krystal Washington - Staff Editor - Krystal is a disabled, pagan, proofreader, copyeditor, childcare professional, and cat mom. She believes that respecting our ecosystem, nature-based spirituality, and caring for the next generation are all interconnected and sacred.

X379496 - Staff Editor - X379496 is a graduate student and a labor organizer. LETTER FROM THE STAFF The world looks pretty crazy right now. We started working on this issue pre-COVID19, and most of the work in it is also pre-quarantine. With the world—and especially the U.S., where most of us live—in a lot of social upheaval, it feels like environmental issues have either taken a backseat or have needed broader cultural assessment. We stand with Black Lives Matter. In a way, solarpunk is more relevant than ever now. The social inequalities exacerbated by Jack Adebisi - Staff Artist - Jack is a mechanical engineer who secretly dreams of becoming an art therapist in a world where capitalism doesn’t cannibalize the earth. Until then, he spends most of his free time making characters and comics, taking long walks and procrastinating on his graduate studies assignments. He can be found on twitter (@bi_jackass) or through his art site, jackjonesnga. artstation.com.

Meira Datiya - Staff Writer - Meira is a lunarpunk writer who loves food science, the environment, & the intersect between our lived experience and possible futures. You can find their blog at brontidejournal.com.

Jewel Jackson/JJ - Staff Artist - Jewel is a Vietnamese American digital artist who spends her time drawing, reading, writing, hiking, and dreaming about being murdered and eaten by mermaids. She likes xenomorphs, cyberpunk media, and the environment. Her art can be found on her website: jeweljackson.com.

Rifka Handelman - Layout Director - Rifka is an incorporeal, vaguely eldritch being that spends most of her time making InDesign layouts. She occasionally occupies a human form when she needs to help adults with their technology.

John Moriarty - Web Design - John is a web developer who used to work with his hands in beautiful, rural places and is slowly working towards

returning to that better life. the pandemic have brought socialist ideas to the forefront of society. With all the fear and uncertainty hovering around us, it’s important to find hopeful space, whether you dream of solar-powered optopias or just find solace in nature. Making this zine has been a space like that for us. The future is scary. As one of seven billion it’s hard to feel like you can do anything on your own. And you can’t. A solarpunk, sustainable future can be ours, but we have to build it together. r

STAFF QUESTION What solarpunk innovation/invention are you most excited about?

Rosie Albrecht - Cities where nature and architecture are completely melded. Skyscrapers covered in vines, rooftop parks, vertical farms, buildings whose walls bloom in the spring! I can’t wait for a future where “urban” and “nature” are no longer mutually exclusive.

Jack Adebisi - I see Solarpunk as more of a return to our original relationship with nature, only now we get adapt modern technology to the systems. We live in a symbiotic relationship with our environment and give back as we take. Improved farm practices, introduction of renewable energy services and animal care are the things I look forward to the most.

Meira Datiya - Gardens, urban food forests, and a stronger sense of community. The way cities are built now, they focus on individualism and disconnection. I would love to see how much stronger our communities become when we build and grow with each other in mind.

Jeremy E. Baker - People get really upset about genetic engineering, but I think its potential is staggering. We could cure/treat cancer, light our homes with bioluminescence, or even grow DNA to extract the carbon we would need to build space elevators. The reason we fear genetic engineering (and other technologies) is capitalism. We are rightfully afraid of the greed of insurance companies and biotech firms that may copyright our individual anomalies and find yet another way to charge us. If we could undo the fetters of capitalism, we could propel mankind to new heights with genetic engineering.

Clint Pereira - I love seeing skyscrapers designed with plants in mind, like green flesh growing on bones. Plants in urban environments not only look boss as hell, but they help regulate the temperature and clean the air. For me, escaping the city was never going to be the answer. But if returning to nature isn’t an option, I’d at least like to transform our cityscape into something truly alive. Krystal Washington - I’m most excited about the spiritual implications of all solarpunk inventions and the move towards sustainability. I think part of why many people around the world are so stressed and disconnected is due to humans becoming increasingly far removed from nature rather than incorporating it into our lives and infrastructure. I am hoping it will help our mental health as well. Humans and nature are not separate. Humans are a part of nature.

X379496 - In creating sustainable lives, Solarpunk implies changing the way we make stuff. That suggests innovation in social relationships. Getting rid of cheap, disposable products aka commodities means innovating alternatives to capitalism, outgrowing systems of domination and control - over the earth, over animals, and over each other. It’s that DIY punk aesthetic turning to DIO, “do it ourselves” that fascinates me.

Rifka Handelman - I like the possibilities for space exploration. Solar panels already allow crafts like the International Space Station to stay in orbit, and more stuff that can self-sustain means more opportunities for long-distance travel (though gravity is still an issue!). I also hope solarpunk changes our attitude toward the planets we will hopefully visit one day—their ecosystems deserve dignity and respect.

John Moriarty - I’m excited by the solarpunk promise of using technology to actually improve our lives rather than just making us better consumers. I think a lot about automated farming robots that allow growers to earn a decent living without working themselves to death, or that allow more people to grow their own food without dedicating all their time to it. Technology serves us well when it lets us spend more time connecting with loved ones over meals and less time staring at screens.

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Unsplash Photographers in this issue:

niklas_hamann @hamann (pg. 5) Ave Calvar @shotbyrain (pg. 37) Deborah Diem @debidiemski (pg. 17) Paweł Czerwiński @pawel_czerwinski (pg. 35) Markus Winkler @markuswinkler (pg. 18) Scott Web @scottweb (pg. 36) Michael Busch @migelon (pg. 22) Rural Explorer @ruralexplorer (pg. 38) Tom Hill @tomchill (pg. 27) Tomasz Sroka @srook (pg. 40) Markus Spiske @markusspiske (pg. 31) Cherry Laithang @laicho (pg. 42) Adrien Olichon @adrienolichon (pg. 34) Blake Cheek @blakecheekk (back cover)