Foraging for Sustainable Futures

The final piece has more to do with social perception and pressure rather than legal restrictions. As the 20th century continued, the culture that surrounded the booming industrial capital system made it increasingly unfashionable to be a “have-not”. As such, anything that associated one or their families with poverty or a lower socio-economic class was to be distanced from. With the popularity of supermarkets skyrocketing in the mid 1900s, accounting for ~70% of grocery sales in the US₅, picking your own food from the land became uncouth. 

What’s Happening Now?

Foraging has been steadily on the rise again thanks to a number of factors: the spread of information on social media through influencers like Alexis Nikole (@blackforager), Gabrielle Cerberville (@chaoticforager), and Alan Bergo (@foragerchef); local and famous chefs touting unique flavors through foraged food; mass dissatisfaction with rising grocery prices; a resurgence of interest in ancestral knowledge and desire to save & connect to the environment; and people of color experiencing a growing interest and empowerment in sharing their knowledge and histories to name a few.

To expand on a couple of these points, foraging provides a useful and beneficial alternative to store-bought groceries. On the financial end of things, supplementing your diet with free and local food can reduce the cost of your grocery bills, even in the long term if gathered foods are stored and preserved correctly. From an environmental standpoint, foraging (if done properly) can be more sustainable than large-scale, for-profit farming, and cuts down on food transportation emissions by eating local. Additionally, foraging can help foster communal support systems, and encourages more people to spend time in green spaces. 

It is important to note however, that there are conditions to these benefits, and foraging can not be done thoughtlessly/carelessly, and needs to be done with a few things in mind.

Being ‘Wild’ Food Conscious – Identification Certainty

First and foremost is safety. Never eat things that you are not absolutely sure you know the identity of. For those who have seen Avatar: the Last Airbender think of Uncle Iroh being confused between the White Dragon and White Jade bushes. Many plants have look-alikes in the same genus or family, and while some missteps are ok (i.e. wild strawberries vs false strawberries), others are much more dangerous (i.e. chicken of the woods vs jack-o-lantern mushrooms). Always learn from a variety of sources & make sure you check every box on an identification checklist.

Be aware of history 

Secondly, it is important to keep in mind the history of these practices. Acknowledge where the knowledge to forage on the land you live on comes from, and go to these people & their writings as some of your resources. In particular, in the US, it might be a good idea to do some research on what Indigenous peoples have historic and current ties to the land you live on. For us in South Jersey, this is the Nanticoke and Lenni Lenape Nations₆. As you learn about the plants in your area, keep in mind that some are important for and/or sacred to Indigenous communities and therefore should be harvested mindfully or left alone entirely. Additionally, it is important to understand that foraging is not just picking plants, but also a means of connecting to and caring for the land that you live on₇. Ask permission (look at what barriers there are to picking) and always thank the plant/the earth in some way after.

Sustainable picking – for enviro & community 

On that note, when foraging it is important for both the environment and the community that you are responsible in your picking. This ranges from rules as simple as “never take more than you need” to the slightly more complex “never take more than the crop needs to survive”. On the simple end, it is a matter of courtesy. You are not the only one looking to use these plants as food. Other people and local animals rely on some of these plants for food and shelter, so be careful not to over-pick. Also, it is generally best, not to pick the first of something you find, in case it is the only one. On the more complicated end, your knowledge of the plants you are harvesting should go beyond identification. While you by no means need to be an expert on everything about the plant, some basic knowledge of its reproduction and growth process is important to ensure that the crop will be there in future seasons. 

Be aware of other properties 

It is also important to be aware of other properties the plants you’re foraging have because not all edible plants are created equal. Some plants that are not toxic may still cause problems for people with certain sensitivities, chronic illnesses, or if they are consumed incorrectly or in excessive quantities. For example, some plants are entirely edible (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds/fruits), while others are only edible in part. Alternatively, plants like Dandelions are edible, but are a diuretic (cause increased urine production), which may be a problem if consumed in large quantities, or for people that have existing kidney or urinary tract issues. Furthermore, many edible plants have medicinal uses as well, though they may need to be prepared/used differently to obtain these effects. 

“Eat your invasives”

Another benefit to knowing more than an ID for the species you gather is knowing what’s native and what’s invasive. Many native plants that are crucial to other members of the ecosystem may be in danger of being out-competed by invasives that don’t support the plants, animals, and fungi that rely on the native species. The good news is that plenty of invasive species are edible & pulling these species up can help dampen the population so that the native species can flourish. The aforementioned Alexis Nikole (@blackforager) on social platforms is fond of saying, “Eat your invasives, kids!” And she’s not alone, human consumption of problematic invasive species has been used to regulate plants and animals all over the world, including the Lionfish in the Caribbean and Greater Atlantic.  

Safety

It is important to be aware of your surroundings when foraging. This includes knowing how to identify harmful plants as well as edible ones (whether or not they have edible look-alikes), watching out for unstable footing (especially around rotten wood, sandy/loose soil, or wet rocks), and knowing what potential contaminants or hazards could be on top of the food you’re harvesting. Edible plants can grow beside harmful ones like poison ivy or oak, or the plants themselves may have protective measures that can harm you (i.e. thorns, burrs, photo-toxins: chemicals that can itch or burn when exposed to sunlight). Furthermore, plants out in the wild may be inhabited by bugs, urinated on by animals, or sprayed with pesticides depending on the area and time of year. Always clean what you pick/find, and keep tabs on where your neighbors or township may be spraying.

Laws – know where to forage & possible limitations

Finally, the laws mentioned at the beginning of this article have by and large not gone away₃. Finding out what the local and federal laws are in your area are important to ensure that you forage safely, and are aware of both the regulations and your rights. New Jersey’s laws are still very strict in regards to state-owned parks and land₈, but you can discuss foraging with other private landowners in your area, and many edible plants grow as volunteer species right in your own backyard.