Manzanita, Mushrooms, Miner's Lettuce - Oh, My!

I live in the edible capital of the world. Well, sort of. I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas just up from the northern end of the Sacramento Valley - The Big Valley. There is a lot of agriculture going on in the valley. Lots of rice, walnuts, almonds, tomatoes, grape vineyards, peaches, plums, and much more grown on a commerical basis.

There are also lots of micro growers doing Community Supported Agriculture, especially in my area. There are small acreage farmers growing specialty crops to be sold in our local "grower's markets" or through their individual CSAs.

Then there are the forgers. Those people who routinely and seasonally scour our woodlands and grasslands for wild edibles. These are the people who interest me!

Manzanita shrub courtesy of www.laspilitas.com

Manzanita and mushrooms are among the wild edibles that are prevalent in my area. In a previous post I noted there are hundreds of different mushrooms that can be found within a short drive of my home. And, the Manzanita shrub is also widely available. In fact, both Manzanita and mushrooms grow on my property. Along with oaks that produce volumes of acorns, I also have wild lilies that produce edible roots and Miner's Lettuce that grow abundantly.

For years now two books by Euell Gibbons have graced my book shelf, Stalking the Blue Eyed Scallop and Stalking the Wild Asparagus. Both are excellent guides to introduce the novice to forging. On the internet is a site called Eat The Weeds - a wonderful resource for wild edibles.

So get out and explore "nature's grocery store" and find out what's in your own backyard!