Foraging: A Lost but Living Skill

Foraging for edible and medicinal plants has become a forgotten skillset. Sure, there are shelves full of foraging books—but many just recycle the same few field manuals, filled with stock photos and secondhand knowledge.

But real foraging? That’s earned.

It takes time, walking, seasons, and stillness. It means getting off the page and into the woods, noticing what grows, how it changes, and where it thrives. It’s sunlight, fresh air, and presence.

🌿 Why I Forage

I don’t forage to make trendy wild salads. Honestly, cultivated lettuce tastes better. But I forage for the knowledge—to understand what’s growing around me, to know what’s edible, what’s useful, and what’s worth leaving alone.

There are a few wild foods I’ll chase all day—pawpaws, morels, chanterelles—because they’re rare and rewarding. But more than anything, I want the peace of mind that comes from knowing I could feed myself or my family without relying on stores or supply chains if I had to.

I try everything I positively identify, just to see how my body reacts. So far:
14 wild mushrooms
30+ wild plants
No issues—just knowledge gained and confidence built.

📚 Resources I Trust

I’m not offering plant ID here—there’s too much to cover, and I don’t consider myself an expert. But I’ll gladly point you to the tools that helped me learn:

🔍 Online

  • Learn Your Land by Adam Haritan — fantastic for mushrooms and trees. Some paid courses, but worth every penny. YouTube has free content to get a feel for his teaching.

📖 Books

  • Any book by Samuel Thayer – thorough, field-tested, and trustworthy

  • Edible Wild Plants Vol. 1 & 2 – Kallas

  • The Wild Wisdom of Weeds – Katrina Blair

  • Mushrooms of the Southeast – Elliot

  • Mushrooms of the Carolinas – Bessette

I've read dozens more, but these are my keepers—the ones I come back to year after year.

🌲 Final Thoughts

Learning to forage isn’t about being trendy—it’s about reclaiming the knowledge our ancestors once carried like second nature. You don’t need to know it all, but you should know your land. What grows, what heals, what feeds—and what doesn’t.

Even if you’re not ready to live off the wild, start now. Learn one plant this season. Then another. Then another. It adds up.

And one day, it just might be what carries you through.

Oyster