March 2021 * The Hunter Gatherer Society

Foraging and Using Water-Purslane: Identification, Culinary and Medicinal Uses

March 19, 2021 rpolipnick Foraging, Wild Edible Plants

Foraging for wild edible plants brings endless joy: time outdoors, the thrill of discovery, and the satisfaction of finding new, edible species. But when foraging unfamiliar plants, caution is key to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience. On a recent urban stealth camping trip, I came across a plant that resembled purslane at first glance. Its stem looked familiar, but the leaves seemed off. Intrigued, I photographed the plant from all angles and submitted it to an online plant identification forum. After some back and forth, one user suggested it might be Lythrum portula, also known as water-purslane. Further research confirmed this identification. Lythrum portula, a flowering plant in the loosestrife family, is native to Europe and has spread to[…]

Hike With Me, Cypress Dome Trail

March 10, 2021 rpolipnick Camping, Foraging

I love to hike and combining that with wild food foraging and primitive camping makes me one happy outdoors man. Over the past couple week I have been exploring the CREW hiking trail system. Although I hike these often I wanted to dig deeper into the connections these trails have with others. These connections extend the hiking trails significantly while also offering a more diverse hiking experience. On my last outing I spent a couple hours on the Cypress Dome trail which offers six miles of well-marked loop trails. These scenic hiking trails wind through pine flat-woods, oak hammocks, wet prairie, slough, and two beautiful cypress domes. Most trails are flat grass and sand at ground level but seasonally wet[…]

Catch & Cook Florida Invasive Species

March 4, 2021 rpolipnick Foraging, Wild Food Recipes

I love a good catch and cook regardless of the species. Across the country lakes and rivers are fighting a variety of invasive species. From mussels to aquarium escapees the problem costs states millions of dollars each year. It is important that all outdoors men and woman do their part to prevent the spread of these species. Be sure to wash your boat when switching bodies of water, never release aquarium pets into the wild, and eat the invasive every chance you get. In some areas of the country outdoors lovers along with some local chefs are discovering that the invasive Asian Carp is actually a great tasting fish. Here in Florida one of my first discoveries were the invasive[…]

Florida Hiking And Foraging Day Camp

March 2, 2021 rpolipnick Camping, Foraging

Hiking, foraging, and day camping along scenic waterway in southwest Florida.