Google Maps Foraging Database Mashup

[Chris]

also i assume urban locales are acceptable right? even if its in our back yard?

I wouldn't do your backyard, the point is places to find free food, and unless you want people foraging in your backyard, probably not a good idea.

The public park near your house though, ya sure. Public land in urban areas.

[Chris]

ok a few questions.

do plants that are extremely common count? i think i could win this thing just by pinning all the places ive seen dandelion within an 80 miles radius of where i live.
same for black berry bushes which are rampant in the puget sound area

I would say no on dandelion, yes on black berry bushes. Public land, road sides, etc. Keep it to that.

how "edible" are you talking here? i know of a few skunk cabbage spots which is "edible" but it is not necessarily PALATABLE.

If it isn't something that you think someone might seek out, disregard it. I could see someone driving around town picking bushels of black berries and making jam to last a year, but that tastes good.

if i hike 6 miles and see 15 different locations for plantain what is the best way to indicating its location without pinning 15 locations?

You could mark the most prominent location and say "all along this path, north and south" in the description. You could do the same with a couple key locations, or you could mark them all. As a general rule of thumb. I wouldn't mark a second location if it is visible from the first location.


These are good questions, I will make a FAQ for the site.

[oneraindog]

ok hoepfully last of the wwhining today.

i posted a locale for plantain. but in the name part i put my name (oneraindog) instead of the plant name.

1. that needs to be fixed.
2. where do i put my name for the "found by" section in the notes for the map marker?
3. should i use my real name or my forum name?

also i posted wood sorrel. but because im dumb i posted anyway even though i still dont know how to put my name on there. can i still get credit for those?
are marks weve made editable by us?

and thanks for the help with the other questions!!!

[Chris]

Your name is automatically put in there by the software, you do not need to do it.

[Chris]

..except yours wasn't, so that is a bug. What browser do you use btw?

[Rick]

And don't forget, you can mark the site as private if you want. So if you have that huge cache of blackberries you stumbled upon right next to the mulberry trees and persimmons and don't want to share them (no one would do that, would you?) you can preserve the location by adding it and marking it private.

[oneraindog]

..except yours wasn't, so that is a bug. What browser do you use btw?

i use a mac with OSx

[oneraindog]

So if you have that huge cache of blackberries you stumbled upon right next to the mulberry trees and persimmons and don't want to share them (no one would do that, would you?)

no. it seems silly to do that. i mean i can understand why but i would like to think this is about information sharing...and winning

besides privacy is what journals are for heh

[oneraindog]

sorry for the crazy barage of questions but here goes another volley

i also found mullein (or what i think is mullein i will get second/third opinions first. once i figure out how to get the images off my phone) but mullein is not in the database. i would like it to be added but i dont know very much about it. certainly wouldnt be able to write anything informative that im not ripping from wikkipedia. what can i do to get it added?

[Chris]

private markers won't give any points anyways.

[oneraindog]

so i got mullein loaded into the database but for some reason the photo i tried to load isnt showing up.
??

[oly]

Saved to my favorites

[Chris]

you found a bug oneraindog, I'll delete it and let you try again. Sorry about that.

[Chris]

here is what you wrote by the way.

Scientific Name: Verbascum Thapsus
Common Name(s): Candleflower, Higtaper, Mullien
Edible: yes
Medicinal: yes
Parts Used: root, stem, leaf

Click to add new locations, pictures, or common names. oneraindog
27 May, 2009

biennial plant. first year the leaves form a basal rosette of soft leaves that are fuzzy on both sides, long oval and greyish green to green. the second year the plant will form a tall flower stalk reaching as high as 6 feet. the flowers bloom from late spring to early fall in a long tight spike. the flowers are yellow with 5 radially symmetrical petals about 1-1/2 inches across. flowers give way to globular fruits in 5 parted woody capsules opening toward the tips. the seed stalk is persistent and stands out easily in winter. plant is found in old feilds, roadsides, disturbed areas and grows especially well in alkaline soils so its especially common near the sea shore. Mullein tea provides vitamins B-2, B-5, B-12, and D, choline, sulfur, magnesium, mucilage, saponins, and other active substances. the tea is best known as one of the most effective and safest herbal cough remedies. it is an expectorant and a good tonic for the lungs and mucus membranes. infusions can be used to sooth colds, emphysema, asthma, hay fever, and whooping cough. strain the infusion through a cloth as the hairs may become stuck in the throat cause more discomfort. labratory tests have shown that it is an anti-inflammatory with antibiotic capabilities and it will inhibit the tuberculosis bacillus. mullein can be dried and smoked to treat asthma and bronchitis. the tea is also an astringent and demulcent, good for diarrhea and it has been used in compresses to treat hemorrhoids. the leaves can be heated in a poultice to treat arthritis. a tincture of the flowers will sooth migrain headaches and oil extract from the flowers can be used to treat ear infections but use cautiously. due to high levels of coumarin and rotenone the seeds should not be consumed but they were used as a paralytic fish poison by native americans.