My Spring Foraging Adventure

Check out my Spring Foraging video through this link:

https://youtu.be/NPDhclt1VP0

Shitake Mushrooms growing On A Log

Shitake Mushrooms

I got the log and Shitake spores from MoTown Mushrooms, who I took a workshop with, 2 years ago. Yes, I waited 2 years for my first harvest. Shiitake mushrooms are one of the healthiest foods on the planet, used extensively in ancient Chinese medicine. Shitake mushrooms are great for your immune system, the cardiovascular system, and are a very good source of iron, are rich in B vitamins, such as B2, B5, B6, Riboflavin, and niacin. Additionally, they are rich in minerals, being an excellent source of selenium and copper, a very good source of zinc, and a good source of manganese. They are also a good source of vitamin D and dietary fiber. They also provide a wide variety of unique phytonutrients. Lentinan, a potent antifungal protein in shiitake mushrooms, was found to have cancer-preventing properties.

 Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads are the furled fronds of a young fern, harvested for use as a vegetable. These fiddleheads I found in the wild in Vermont. Though all ferns have a fiddlehead stage, it’s the Ostrich fern, a specific edible species, that has become synonymous with the word “fiddlehead.”  Their taste is often described somewhere between asparagus, broccoli and spinach. Pick them before they unfurl, when they’re about one to four inches in height. Wash off the the feathery-brown, paper-like material that covers the sides of the coils. Boil the fiddleheads for 5-7 minutes. Pour off the water, then saute' with garlic in olive oil. Enjoy! Though they are not hard to find, many keep their locations secret so they will not be over harvested.  And I feel the same way! I would recommend an experienced guide the first time to be on the safe side.  Some fiddleheads look like the Ostrich fern varieties and are not only not edible but can be toxic. 

There are also some good guidebooks that will help you identify fiddleheads and other wild edibles. I recommend:

The Forager’s Harvest by Samuel Thayer, or Peterson's Field Guide-A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants
                                  

 Fiddleheads & Shitake Mushrooms

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Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Signs Of Spring

Goldfinches & A Woodpecker at my bird feeder on a lovely spring day that felt like summer.

CROCUS

In the iris family, the crocus is a genus of flowers that derived its name from the Latin word crocatus, which means saffron yellow.

The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species. Saffron from the crocus flower is used as a spice to season foods, and is also known as an anti-carcinogenic and an antioxidant and boosts the immune system. Its fragrance is used in perfumes and cosmetics.

Gathering At The Burlington Waterfront On A Lovely Spring Day

Male Downy Woodpecker Enjoying Some Wood In My Yard

Pretty Petunias

A plant of the nightshade family with brightly colored funnel-shaped flowers. Native to tropical America, it has been widely developed as an ornamental hybrid.

Forsythia

Forsythia suspensa has a long history of medicinal use in its Native China and is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs in Chinese herbology. Forsythia fruit is combined with another backyard favorite, honeysuckle, in one of the most widely used cold remedies in China. 

Preparation Methods & Dosage :The dried fruit is used in teas, and extracts, the powdered form is found in capsules. 

 The fruit of this olive relative is used to treat colds, viral infections, and fevers in traditional Chinese medicine.

 Forsythia sticks are used to bow a Korean string instrument called ajaeng.

Driftwood Sculptures at the waterfront, amongst natures sculptures, make interesting pictures.

The Boathouse & Boardwalk Are A Good Place To Visit When The Rhododendrons Bloom On The Waterfront. This photo was Awarded Photo of the Day on Capture My Vermont, for May 22, 2017.

Swinging Amongst The Rhododendrons

Beautiful Girls Amongst The Rhododendrons

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.