Purslane. I guarantee you've seen it, and if, like me, you grew up below the Mason-Dixon, you may even have heard of it by the slightly unappetizing moniker: Hogweed. Found growing wild across most of the United States, purslane is most definitely a weed, but the question is, is it a useful one? As you've probably guessed, given that we're devoting an article to it, it is … [Read more...] about Purslane: Worthwhile or Weed?
Foraging
Chicken of the Woods
Have you heard of Chicken of the Woods? No, it’s not a dove, or even a turkey—it’s yet another vibrant, easily identifiable mushroom that will make a delicious addition to your table. Read on for how to identify this mushroom, as well as some great ways to prepare it. This large polypore is easy to spot. It’s large, generally prominently placed, and radiant orange in color. … [Read more...] about Chicken of the Woods
Pawpaw Picking
Love tropical fruits, but live pretty far outside the tropical zone? Keep an eye out for the good old “Appalachian Banana.” Indigenous to the temperate regions of North America, the pawpaw gained a quite foothold thanks to colonial fans of the fruits. Two such men were George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who cultivated pawpaws throughout Virginia; there, you can still find … [Read more...] about Pawpaw Picking
Catchin’ Crawdads
If your homestead is located anywhere near water, particularly the flowing variety, chances are you’ve wet a line or two, and made yourself better acquainted with several varieties of aquatic wildlife. In doing so, you may have stumbled across some strange critters lurking along the bottom, particularly under rocks--critters that look a heckuva lot like a miniaturized variety … [Read more...] about Catchin’ Crawdads
Morel Madness
Foraging for mushrooms is an art shrouded in mystery. Doubtless, you’ve heard the stories of first-time foragers taking an accidental trip, or even experienced hands dropping dead from a misidentified specimen. To be quite honest, there’s truth in a lot of those stories (okay, probably not that first one. Psilocybes don’t exactly grow on trees), but the second is more common … [Read more...] about Morel Madness
