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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? Topics Fitness Food Health Natural Pamper Special Style Events Medical Directory Reader's Picks RSS Info About OHL Advertise Archive Photos Return to Mail Tribune NEWS NOW Beach bacteria thresholds may tighten By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Read Beach bacteria » Our View: Who politicized the UCC shootings? Not Obama Read Our View: Who» View from 100,000 feet By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Read View from 100,» Beach bacteria thresholds may tighten By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Read Beach bacteria » Our View: Who politicized the UCC shootings? Not Obama Read Our View: Who» View from 100,000 feet By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Read View from 100,» Take a Walk on the Wild (Foods) Side Gathering edible and medicinal plants from local woods can be fun and exciting. They're often nutrient-dense and void of harmful chemicals and genetic tinkering. They're also beautiful and delicious, but a foraging education is a must before ingesting any unidentified wild plant. If you spend any time in nature, learning about which plants are safe to eat and which aren't is sensible information to have. Comment By MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER MailTribune.com By MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER Posted Oct. 6, 2014 at 2:00 AM By MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER Posted Oct. 6, 2014 at 2:00 AM One Way to Test Wild Plants --> Joe Kreuzman, director of the Coyote Trails School of Nature, says you shouldn't even think about putting a wild plant in your mouth until you've been introduced to it by someone knowledgeable a... » Read more X One Way to Test Wild Plants Joe Kreuzman, director of the Coyote Trails School of Nature, says you shouldn't even think about putting a wild plant in your mouth until you've been introduced to it by someone knowledgeable and have cross-referenced it with at least three reputable field guides. Then you might consider this safety test, using a small piece of a plant that you have already thoroughly identified: 1. Crush it between your fingers and rub it on your wrist. Wait 10 minutes. 2. No reaction? Touch a bit of it to your tongue. Wait 10 minutes. 3. No reaction? Rub a little bit on your gums. Wait 10 minutes. 4. No reaction? Chew on a bit of the plant, then spit it out. Wait 10 minutes. 5. If you still haven't encountered a reaction to the plant at this point, it's a good bet that it's non-toxic and that you aren't allergic to it. No matter what, both Kreuzman and Short agree: "If there is any doubt, throw it out!" Most Useful Medicinal Plants ? Oregon grape root: Antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal. Strengthens the immune system. ? Usnea: Also antibiotic and antifungal, and strengthens immune system. ? Yarrow: Crushed and applied to an open wound, it stops bleeding and acts similar to an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment. ? Mullein: Nature's antihistamine. A Note about Mushrooms To get the best mushrooms, take a walk on the wild side - not on the roadside! "Avoid picking mushrooms on the roadside," says Evan Short. "Mushrooms are bio-accumulators and can intake toxins." The fungi are so sponge-like that even cultivated varieties can lead to illness. "Portobello and button mushrooms are primarily cultivated," Short says. "In commercial operations, they are grown in chemicals and fly retardants and will leech these in over time. It's OK to eat them in small doses but not excessively." » Social News Gathering edible and medicinal plants from local woods can be fun and exciting. They're often nutrient-dense and void of harmful chemicals and genetic tinkering. They're also beautiful and delicious, but a foraging education is a must before ingesting any unidentified wild plant. If you spend any time in nature, learning about which plants are safe to eat and which aren't is sensible information to have. "Foraging is a fun act," says Evan Short, who has been foraging mushrooms for 14 years and often sells them at local growers markets. "You get to explore beautiful areas and watch them change over the seasons. Plus, plants come back every year, so it's like seeing an old friend." Mushrooms are a forager's favorite. While there are relatively few species that are poisonous, those that are can be deadly if ingested, Short warns. Mushrooms aren't the only wild edibles that are potentially lethal. Joe Kreuzman, director of the Coyote Trails School of Nature, says that fear is the biggest barrier people face when they first feel an interest in wild edibles. "The biggest mistake is not getting off the couch," he says. "Or people feel overwhelmed. But break it down. Say, 'I'm going to learn 10 basic plants this year.' It will open the door to a lifetime of learning." It's crucial to educate yourself before even thinking about eating something you pull from the wild. There are courses you can take, as well as books to read. Jon Carlson, a clinical herbalist at the Vitalist School of Herbology, warns that many beginners "mistakenly think it's very simple," adding that experienced foragers study for many years and never stop learning. Kreuzman says that before ingesting a plant in the wild, beginners should take it to an experienced forager or local extension office for identification. And be sure to cross-reference it with at least three reputable field guides, especially those that are region-specific. No matter where you forage or what you find, the very act of gathering your own wild edibles or medicinals puts you in league with others who are becoming more aware of their environmental footprints and the devastating pace with which human's are outgrowing Earth's resources. But it's not all about the environment. "The first time you harvest 10 or 15 wild edibles and put them into your evening salad," Kreuzman says, "and you experience the tastes and textures and throw in some wildflowers, and the kids get into it —that's pretty cool." By MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER MailTribune.com By MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER Posted Oct. 6, 2014 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction Archive Terms of Use Privacy Policy Contact Us Advertise Careers Copyright © . Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Southern Oregon Media Group: Mail Tribune.com | Ashland Daily Tidings | Medford Nickel