Foraging Tips

It’s always a wonderful day when you get to go wildcrafting in the forest! I snagged some Mullein leaves, Bee Balm (Wild Bergamot), Yarrow, Horsetail, and Lichen. I then put them to dry in the back of my car so they didn’t sit clumped together and mold from moisture. The Mullein is getting made into an infused oil, the Bee Balm will go into my After Dinner tea, and the Yarrow and Lichen will be made into tinctures. 

Here are a few tips if you are ever out and foraging for herbs:

1. Don’t expect to harvest that day. Don’t just harvest because you’re there. You are not entitled to these plants. 

2. Visit the area several times. Make note of the different stands of the specific herb you are looking at/for. 

3. Carry plant field guides and plant identification apps. with you so you can cross reference. The last thing you want is to harvest a whole bunch of something, only to find out it’s actually a toxic plant that looks almost exactly the same. Look at the leaves closely, understand the bioregions and where things grow or where they don’t, and at what time of year. Bring someone knowledgeable about that plant along with you. 

4. ONLY harvest what you are going to use. Make sure you plan time after your hike to take care of your herbs by laying them out to dry or whatever you are planning. These plants work hard to grow, taking them without using them is wasteful and unethical. 

5. Bring tools- I had a knife with me, but next time I will bring garden shears to make less of an impact on the plants when I forage. 

6. Bring a basket, paper bag, or cloth to gather the herbs. Try not to wrap it in plastic as the moisture will cause the plants to mold if they sit together too long. 

7. Instead of harvesting the whole plant stand, be mindful and forage a few leaves or blossoms from each stand. This allows the plant to continue to flourish- providing food for the wildlife in the area. 

8. Something else I learned recently, is to try not to harvest from the same plant twice a year. Meaning, don’t take blooms, then come back later for berries. It will kill the plant and the wildlife won’t be able to use it. Instead, alternate what you harvest from that plant each year. 

I hope these tips help as you go on your adventure. It can be really easy to fall into an entitlement mindset: believing that we deserve to take these plants, have these plants, etc. Take a step back, and remember that we are these plants and these plants are us.