The Hunter Gatherer Society

Edible Plants and Mushroom Foraging Resources

When foraging edible plants and edible mushrooms the first time the vast number of them can be overwhelming. As I have mentioned before, the best way to get started is to pick a select few that you feel comfortable identifying and begin there. As you search for those edible plants and/or mushrooms be sure to photograph other discoveries that you make and try to identify them later using the web and your resources. Similar to what you forage you should start out with one or two good field guides to use for identification. As you forage more you will inevitably pick up more and more resources. Often, I am asked what books and field guides I use when identifying wild[…]

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Identifying water purslane

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

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[…]

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Foraged Oyster Mushrooms, Soup Recipe

Foraged oyster mushrooms are one of my favorite wild mushrooms. The frequently produce big beautiful flushes of soft sweet smelling wild mushrooms that quickly fill up a bag or foraging basket. These versatile wild edible mushrooms are a culinary delight for the very beginner foragers to even the seasoned mushroom hunter. Easy to prepare fresh they meld well into a variety of wild food dishes like stir fry, soups, or sit elegantly along side steak, pork, or any seafood. Add them to pasta with your favorite sauce and they are a stand alone delicious treat. For a hunter gatherer like me these are a staple for the pantry. Another feature of these wild edible mushrooms is that they are easily[…]

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Foraging Florida, Sea Purslane

When foraging Florida or any other coastal community in the southern regions there are many wondrous plans and animals to harvest. From sand crabs, clams, fish, to sea grapes, and sea purslane the abundance for Florida foraging never ceases to amaze me. Sea purslane is a perennial herb commonly found along coastal dunes in the southeastern United States, as well as Hawaii, the Caribbean, and many other coastal regions of the world. Sea Purslane is a an important sand stabilizer in the pioneer zone of beach dunes and can tolerate occasional flooding by sea water. With deep pink stems and leaves ranging from pink to green, Sea Purslane can be found growing along beach dunes and brackish coastal areas in[…]

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A Modern Hunter Gatherer

A hunter-gatherer is a person living in society in which most or all food is obtained by foraging which means collecting wild plants and pursuing wild animals. There are few true hunter gatherer societies left as agricultural societies took over and now dominate. Spread through our society there are many very specific groups including fishermen, hunters, and foragers. Often times these groups are very focused on that particular interest with little to no discussion on the other elements. Some are even overshadowed by the extreme views of one group for example the foraging groups can often be dominated by vegetarians or vegans where hunting groups can be overshadowed by trophy hunters that kill for sport and trophies with little or[…]

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