book

[rebel]

Wild Edibles by E. Barrie Kavsch

It's a small book, 64 pages and it costs $6.95 at the book store. It has nice pictures which are classified into two sections. Fall & Winter and Spring & Summer. Along with the pictures is a brief description of the habitat, the edible and non-edible parts, medicinal uses, preparation and warnings. The pictures are better than most and definitely better than drawings. I think it's a good book for reference.

Some of these wild edibles have a plant that resembles them and are poisonous. Such as: the edible cow-parsnip. The book goes on to say that the Water Hemlock is a poisonous look-alike. They don't give a comparison picture. Are you folks like me and unsure because the pictures or drawings leave you with doubt about which are good and which are poisonous? How do you overcome these shortcomings?

[Ken]

Are you folks like me and unsure because the pictures or drawings leave you with doubt about which are good and which are poisonous? How do you overcome these shortcomings?

I'm often left with such doubt, Reb. When in doubt, I reach for my Slim Jims. :innocent:

[rebel]

I'm often left with such doubt, Reb. When in doubt, I reach for my Slim Jims. :innocent:

I hope they paid you for the advertisement.

[Ken]

I hope they paid you for the advertisement.

Ya' know, I SHOULD buy shares in that company. :innocent:

[Canadian-guerilla]

Are you folks like me and unsure because the pictures or drawings leave you with doubt about which are good and which are poisonous? How do you overcome these shortcomings?



make your own reference guides

go to google images and type in " water hemlock " or " water hemlock look alike "

you get some good ID pictures and follow the link for more water hemlock info

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/mj247/AAWaterHemlock1.jpg

from what i've read on the net,
the Water Hemlock is one of the RARE plants where the veins end in between the teeth

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/mj247/AAWaterHemlock2.jpg


you could make another printout montage for water hemlock " look alikes "

[rebel]

CG, Those are great pics. Thanks for where to go and the other pointers!

[Rick]

You might also consider drawing plants for your reference. It's one thing to look at pictures but if you take the time to draw the plant you will focus in on all the nuances and learn the complete plant much better. It doesn't matter how good or bad you draw. The important thing is you are learning the detail, which you may overlook just viewing a picture.

[rebel]

You might also consider drawing plants for your reference. It's one thing to look at pictures but if you take the time to draw the plant you will focus in on all the nuances and learn the complete plant much better. It doesn't matter how good or bad you draw. The important thing is you are learning the detail, which you may overlook just viewing a picture.

Wait a minute. You want me to actually use my senses in an effort to remember? That's a great idea!

[Rick]

Yeah, well. I am the Minister of Science.

[Rick]

WE has inspired me, actually. I plan to ramp up my efforts in plant identification this year. Drawing them is one of the things I've done in the past but I'm going to start at the front of my Peterson Guide this year and work my way through one plant at a time. I have no idea how long it will take but I'm going to go out, identify the plant, then draw it even if I have done it in the past. If I pick up one new piece of information on a plant then it will be worth it.

[rebel]

WE has inspired me, actually. I plan to ramp up my efforts in plant identification this year. Drawing them is one of the things I've done in the past but I'm going to start at the front of my Peterson Guide this year and work my way through one plant at a time. I have no idea how long it will take but I'm going to go out, identify the plant, then draw it even if I have done it in the past. If I pick up one new piece of information on a plant then it will be worth it.

A pun. (Allium tricoccum). Wild Leek, Ramps.

[Rick]

I thought about saying, "I plan to Wild Leek my efforts..." but I didn't think anyone would get it. :innocent:

[rwc1969]

I think it would be a good idea, to say the least, if a book references a poisonous look a like to thouroughly explain the differences between them. Otherwise a good book becomes borderline useless.

It's kinda like giving a kid a bag of yellow M&M's and saying "be careful, some are poisonous". "It's ok to eat them, but don't eat the poisonous ones."

It makes no sense to go into detail about an edible plant and then leave out the details of it's poisonous look a like. I would much prefer details of the poisonous plant. Then, even if I mis ID the edible one it won't be for a poisonous one.

Whenever I read a book like that it makes me wonder how much the person writing the book actually knows about the plants they're telling you are safe to eat.

I know Euell Gibbons disagreed, in a sense, but no plant is safe to eat unless you can tell the difference between it and it's poisonous look a like. I won't eat a wild anything until I have found the look a likes and can tell the difference.

[wareagle69]

ok now, its that time of year again so here we go.
color pics are nice-sometimes, i like google also, but here is the important thing here, read the words that are printed in them there books, the description, my eyes can deceive me because i want to have found what i am looking for, but read what the author has written and cross reference that with several other sources and be very very obsevrant, make everything fit the description, not a couple of things right and a couple kind of close, telling yourself that it must be so, hand drawing, even if you suck at it, who cares its for you to understand, no one else, but you must be extremely observant, noting every single datail of the subject, be it, the roots to the leaves to the frui if any, and also observe in your notes the surounding vegetaion, what are the companion plants around, are you in a deciduous forest or coniferous, wet or dry, high or low, every thing, its all in the details, take your time and master one plant before moving on, i know its hard you want to learn them all but it will come with time my freinds, happy hunting this year
WE
ps i agree with rwc, learn what can kill ya, the deadlies first, take the parsley family since it was brought up, there are so many in this family and allot of fun to learn i always enjoy the challenge of owning this family of plants, but messing around with what will kill ya forces you to focus very hard at learning the differences in the plants
WE

[wareagle69]

just so there is no misunderstanding or using this pics for identification purposes, the pics are correct, water hemlock, cituta maculata, has the veins running mid leaf.
poison hemlock, conium maculatum has the veins unning to the teeth of the leaf, they are both poisonous, although the water hemlock has more powerful toxin both will kill ya graveyard dead

[gryffynklm]

I started a field journal and need to start again. The old one is a mixture of IL and WV plants. I'm should set up a new one to WV. New location new and new plants new journal. Besides like Rick said re doing the drawings and rewriting the info from the field guides I have will reinforce the learning.

[rebel]

It looks like we're going to be a bunch of "artist" in the woods this spring.

[wareagle69]

try googling weeds of west virginia, everyone wants wild edibles but most times its weeds that you are eating and looking for info on weeds is allot easier just use your wild edible books to identify them then the weed sites and books to learn allot more about them

[rebel]

Would you say that most of the edible weeds live in moist / wet areas?

[wareagle69]

no i would not, most of the weeds i find and study and eat are from my pasture or road side or even northern bush, now some such as jewel weed come from a good moist area as do the first weeds of the spring trout lilly, but MOST is not a word i would use

[gryffynklm]

Thanks WE. I have looked a little bit at weeds in WV. I'll look more. I will be full time in WV this spring and summer. I'll likely start in my back yard, Then down to the rail tracks to the river. I'm amazed at what is in my yard alone.
Purslane, wood sorrel, Shepherds purse, Jewel weed, plantain, chicory, Golden Rod, just to name a few. I enjoy identifying and following a plant's life cycle. There is always something to distract me form keeping up the journaling.

The hemlock is bad in one corner at the front of the house. I try to keep it mowed but I would like to be rid of it, Its a bit out of control.

[rebel]

Good info, thanks for the help WE.

Another question, for anyone, oxalic acid http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acid.
You can eat plants that contain oxalic acid but only sparingly. What is the amount? Would it be one plant a day, week or month ???

[Rick]

Rebel - My take on this is if you have some condition related to calcium absorption (osteoporosis for example) then don't eat them raw. You should be fine if they are cooked. Plants like Wood Sorel or Spinach or Rhubarb are pretty nutritious and good tasting.

As to the amount? I think that depends on the age and size of the specific plant and whether the person eating it has any health concerns and whether they are obtaining calcium from other sources such as milk.

[rebel]

Rebel - My take on this is if you have some condition related to calcium absorption (osteoporosis for example) then don't eat them raw. You should be fine if they are cooked. Plants like Wood Sorel or Spinach or Rhubarb are pretty nutritious and good tasting.

As to the amount? I think that depends on the age and size of the specific plant and whether the person eating it has any health concerns and whether they are obtaining calcium from other sources such as milk.

That explains why you have the Minister of Science position. Thanks for the clarification!