Journalist Alice van Essen took a foraging course, which you can read all about in Issue 29. She shares some useful tips with us.
- Edible plants also grow by the roadside and between paving stones. Make sure that you do not pick too close to a busy highway. In addition, always pick one-and-a-half meters away from the roadside and above knee height whenever possible, because of dog urine and animal feces.
- Do not pick more than you need — a handful at most — because animals also have to live from the plants. Leaving the forest with baskets full is equivalent to poaching in many places, and therefore illegal.
- Mushroom gathering requires special knowledge. Many are poisonous, so always leave them alone.
- If you’re not sure what plant it is, don’t pick it.
- Pick with respect; do not tear off whole branches and do not trample too many plants.
*Curious how Alice enjoyed her first foraging experience? Read her story in Issue 29.
Text Alice van Essen Translation Julia Gorodecky Photography Ant Rozetsky/Unsplash.com
