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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORAGING ETIQUETTE
BUCKHORN PLANTAIN
CHICKWEED
DANDELION
FIELD GARLIC
COMMON GROUNDSEL 2
HENBIT
SHEPHERD’S PURSE
CORN SPEEDWELL
YELLOW WOOD SORREL
YARROW
REFERENCE
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Never take more than the plant can quickly regenerate within a year. If you aren’t 100% cer tain that you have identified your plant correctly, then don’t eat it. There are plenty of toxic plants out there that could cause serious damage. Learn from an experienced forager who is willing to share his or her craft. Always ask permission if you’re foraging on private property, and never forage in protected parkland. Do not harvest all available. Leave some for others, as well as enough to let the plant grow back more.
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If you are harvesting roots, consider bringing seeds of the plant and place them in the hole you create. If it’s generally considered a weed, then eat your heart out. Someone might even thank you. Remember that some plants are considered threatened, or endangered species.
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In recent years Buckhorn Plantain has become an important research subject for studying the complex interaction between plants and their mycorrhizal fungi.
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Plantago lanceolata
HOW TO IDENTIFY
LOCATION ON CAMPUS
The smooth, lance-shaped leaves have prominent parallel veins (ribs) that are 2-10 inches long and less than an inch wide. The leaves are arranged in a basal rosette with a slight twist and an upright orientation.
Throughout the medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue, the area behind the Fox building, the hills by the Station building.
USES Internal:Treats coughs, diarrhea, and dysenteryยน. External: Reduces inflammation on blisters, sores, and ulcers. PREPARATION Internal: A tea from the leaves External: Apply leaves directly to skin on area of irritation
ยนInfection of the intestines resulting in severe diarrhea with the presence of blood and mucus in the feces.
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Stellaria media
HOW TO IDENTIFY
USES
Under adverse growing conditions chickweed is a prostrate, mat-forming plant with densely branched stems; in the absence of environmental stress the plant is lush and tall. The opposite leaves are broadly elliptical to egg shaped, an inch or so long, and pointed at the tip. All parts of the plant are bright green and smooth except for a fine line of hairs that runs up one side of the stem only and then switches to the opposite side when it reaches a pair of leaves. The root system is shallow and weak. It produces white flowers about 0.25 inch in diameter and appear to have 10 petals although there are really 5 deeply notched ones.
Internal: Blood purifier. Can be used for stomach ulcers, inflamed bowels, fever. Cleanses the kidneys and urinary tract and helps relieve cystitis. External:Treats indolent ulcersยน, insect bites, cuts, minor burns, eczema, and rashes. PREPARATION Internal: A tea from the leaves, stems, and flowers. Can be eaten raw, or lightly cooked, no more than 5 minutes. External: Apply as a poultice (see page 26). LOCATION ON CAMPUS The medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue.
ยนAn inflammatory or infective condition of the cornea 8
Chickweed is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, B complex, C, and rutin (an accompanying flavonoid), as well as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper, and silica.
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Taraxacum officinale
HOW TO IDENTIFY
PREPARATION
Dandelion is a low-growing plant that produces a basal rosette of long, dark leaves that are 3–10 inches long and have deeply lobed margins whose tips point back toward the crown of the plant. The stout, fleshy taproot can be difficult to remove. All parts of the plant exude milky sap when broken. Produces bright yellow flower heads composed of petal-like ray florets.
Internal: Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, or infused as a tea. Roots can be roasted and ground into a nutritious coffee substitute. Flower heads can be fermented into wine, or processed into a jam
USES
LOCATION ON CAMPUS Throughout the medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue, the area behind the Fox building, the hills by the Station building, Cohen Plaza.
Internal: Improves digestion, good for liver, kidney, gall bladder, bladder function.
Dandelion leaves contain abundant amounts of vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamins A, B complex, C, D, and K, and are good sources of calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese. 11
Allium vineale
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HOW TO IDENTIFY
PREPARATION
Wild garlic produces slender, hollow, grasslike leaves that smell strongly of onions or garlic when crushed. The leaves, which are up to 8 inches long, arise from a small basal bulb and are circular in cross section.
Internal: Can be used as a substitute for garlic, raw or cooked. External: The juice of the plant can be rubbed on exposed parts of the body.
USES
LOCATION ON CAMPUS
Internal: The whole plant is antiasthmatic, it purifies the blood, expels gas, detoxifies, acts as a diuretic, dissolves mucus and relieves respiratory difficulty, increases blood flow, increases heart rate, breathing rate, and brain function. External: Moth, biting insect, scorpion, and mole repellant.
Throughout the medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue, the area behind the Fox building.
FIELD GARLIC STUFFED MUSHROOMS Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped field garlic (bulb and white part of the stem) 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt and fresh ground pepper 8 large cremini/baby bella mushrooms Combine field garlic, panko, and parsley. Pour olive oil over all. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix, and spoon into hollowed out mushroom caps. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes, or until the panko is browned.
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Senecio vulgaris
HOW TO IDENTIFY
PREPARATION
Groundsel produces smooth green stems that are initially upright but as they branch they bend over and form large, spreading clumps. The mat-green leaves are alternate, smoothe, have irregularly toothed or deeply lobed margins, and are 6-10 inches long with a semi-succulent texture. The terminal clusters of flower heads are about 0.5 inch wide and consist entirely of yellow disk florets.
Internal: As a weak infusion External: As a poultice (see page 26) applied to stomach can be just as effective as ingesting a strong infusion. Pour boiling water on the fresh plant, the liquid forms a pleasant swab for the skin.
USES Internal: Diuretic, purgative, emetic for uneasy stomachs External: For uneasy stomachs, chapped hands
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LOCATION ON CAMPUS Throughout the medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue, the area behind the Fox building.
Common Groundsel contains large amounts of the dangerous pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and can cause extensive liver damage. Use only under medical supervision.
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Henbit is a member of the mint family. All mints that smell like a mint and look like a mint are edible, but they must do both. Henbit does not smell minty, but it is still an edible mint. There are no poisonous look alikes.
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Lamium amplexicaule
HOW TO IDENTIFY
PREPARATION
The distinctive square stems of henbit can be either green or purple, and its growth habit can either be prostrate or erect. The dull green, opposite leaves are 0.5–0.75 inch long, and are more or less hear t shaped with rounded teeth. The lower leaves produce a distinct petiole; the upper leaves encircle the stem with their base. Henbit produces whorled clusters of showy pink to purple flowers in the uppermost leaves.
Internal: Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, or infused as a tea. LOCATION ON CAMPUS Throughout the medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue, the area behind the Fox building.
USES Internal: Stops bleeding, promotes sweating and reduces fevers.
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Capsella bursa-pastoris
HOW TO IDENTIFY
PREPARATION
Shepherd’s purse seeds produce a basal rosette of deeply lobed leaves that are 2–4 inches long and have a large lobe at the apex. This rosette gives rise to a tall flowering stalk.The small, inconspicuous flowers are produced on a leafless stalk; the fruit is a heart-shaped, 2-part, flattened pod about 0.3 inches long.
Internal: A tea made from the dried herb is considered to be a sovereign remedy. The young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. External: A poultice (see page 26) application. LOCATION ON CAMPUS The hills by the Station building, the area behind the Fox building.
USES Internal: Stops hemorrhaging, induces urination, lowers blood pressure, causes tissue to contract, assists the flow of menstrual fluid, causes blood vessels to constrict, relax or dilate, and has an agent that is effective against scurvy. External: Heals wounds, fresh cuts.
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The plant is a folk remedy for cancer - it contains fumaric acid which has markedly reduced growth and viability of Ehrlich tumour in mice.
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Veronica arvensis
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HOW TO IDENTIFY
USES
Corn speedwell can either be upright in its growth habit or form a mat with prostrate stems that radiate out from the base.The leaves are opposite, egg shaped, 0.25–0.50 inch long, and have rounded teeth on the margins and a distinct petiole. The leaves and stems are distinctly hairy. Leaves on the upright flowering stems are alternately arranged, crowded together, and much smaller and narrower than the ones lower down on the stem, and they lack a distinct petiole. Corn speedwell produces blue flowers on stalks that stand well up above the foliage. They have very short pedicles, are about an eighth of an inch wide, and have 4 petals and 2 prominent stamens.
Internal: Works as an alterativeš, prevents/cures scurvy, purifies the blood. External: Treats skin problems, heals burns, ulcers, whitlows, and mitigates painful piles. PREPARATION Internal: As a tea External: As a tea/astringent LOCATION ON CAMPUS Throughout the medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue, the area behind the Fox building.
As a legend has it, there was a lady named Veronica who wiped the sweat or blood from the face of the Lord Jesus as he carried his cross up the rugged hill toward Calvary. His sweat, blood and tears left a mark on the cloth that the Saint Veronica used. They say the blossoms on the plant speedwell resemble these marks left on the cloth.
ยนAlteratives are herbs that restore function to the body by way of the metabolism, through increasing both eliminative functions and also through increasing the absorption of nutrients.
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The Kiowa Indian tribe chewed wood sorrel to alleviate thirst on long trips, the Potawatomi Indians cooked it with sugar to make a dessert, the Algonquin Indians considered it an aphrodisiac, the Cherokee tribe ate wood sorrel to alleviate mouth sores and a sore throat, and the Iroquois ate wood sorrel to help with cramps, fever and nausea.
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Oxalis stricta
HOW TO IDENTIFY PREPARATION Yellow woodsorrel is a slender, upright or prostrate plant that produces weak, hairy, green or purple stems.The clover-like leaves consist of 3 heart-shaped leaflets — 0.4–0.8 inches wide — that fold up at night and in the heat of the noonday sun; they are arranged alternately and have long petioles.
Internal: Eat raw, or as a tea. External:The leaf juice can be applied to the skin. LOCATION ON CAMPUS Throughout the medians and front yards on Mt. Royal Avenue, the area behind the Fox building, the hills by the Station building, Cohen Plaza.
USES Internal: Expels worms, detoxifies, induces menstruation, reduces fevers, assists in expeling kidney and bladder stones, treats influenza, urinary tract infections, enteritis, diarrhea. Acts as an antidote to poisoning by the seeds of Datura, arsenic and mercury. External: Insect bites, burns and skin eruptions. Contains oxalic acid which can be harmful to the eyes if consumed in large quantities. 23
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Achillea millifolium
HOW TO IDENTIFY
PREPARATION
Yarrow is an upright plant with hairy stems and alternate, pinnately compound leaves up to 6 inches long; the leaves are subdivided multiple times, giving them a finely dissected appearance. A basal rosette of leaves typically stays green through winter ; the fibrous root system is extensive but shallow.
Internal:Tea (best from flowers) External: Chew on root for dental pain relief. Apply infusion to affected area. LOCATION ON CAMPUS In the median on Mt. Royal between Lafayette and Mosher Street.
USES Internal: Regulates menstruation, induces sweating, good remedy for severe colds and flu, for stomach ulcers, amenorrhea, abdominal cramps, abscesses, trauma and bleeding, and to reduce inflammation. External:Treats wounds as it is antiseptic, and stops bloodflow. Relieves pain.
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A homemade poultice is made by mashing herbs, plant material or another substance with warm water or natural oils to make a paste. The paste can be applied directly to the skin and covered with a piece of clean cloth. If the herb used is potent such as onion, garlic, ginger, mustard, etc., you may want a layer of thin cloth between the skin and the herb. The cloth can then be covered with plastic wrap to hold in the moisture. The poultice can be changed every 3 to 4 hours or whenever it dries out. A compress is used the same way but usually warm liquids are applied to the cloth instead of raw substances. Tinctures or herbal infusions are great for compresses.
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Text adapted from Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast, a field guide by: Peter Del Tredici and numerous google searches.
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FORAGING AT MICA, A FIELD GUIDE. SPRING EDITION 28 pages Printed in Baltimore, MD May 2011 50 copies
All images Š Rivkah Khanin cargocollective.com/rivkahkhanin
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