First I must say that I consider myself a student rather any sort of expert. Up until just a few years ago, my experience of gathering food and other materials from the wild was limited to forest blueberries and chanterelle. Also, I am not native to the place where I now live. I’ve lived in Sweden for thirteen years, and it’s a vastly different ecosystem than the one I grew up in. From arid desert to the Nordic forest, from the Pacific to the Baltic, from always sunny and warm to polar days and nights, from a cultural environment that is loud and colorful and highly extroverted to one that is quiet and restrained and deeply introverted. But it has been a glorious decade of learning, mostly through experience.

Being outdoors and foraging is part of the Swedish identity. As soon as the first hint of spring arrives, we take our meals outside, even if we have to wrap ourselves in thick blankets! Each season has its delights.

Nettle soup, Rosehip puree, Chanterelle toast, Birch water, Wild Garlic omelettes, Elderflower juice, Lingonberry jam… these are but a few of the wild things that Swedes grow up with. Also, Swedish people are traditionally quite resourceful, making use of natural material in all sorts of ways, from building shelters and fences to clothing and decor.

I wish I’d sought out mentors or teachers who could have passed along even more practical knowledge of lesser known plants and animals. Beyond the usual foraged items mentioned above, there are plants like Red Clover and Yarrow, Chickweed and Sorrel, Purslane and Dandelion… just to name a few. I’ve learned about these largely on my own rather than culturally.

The more time I spend in nature, the more I feel like I’m living in my human design, listening to stories that run deep in my bones and blood. We evolved to be connected, wildly attentive and discerning, living in kinship and belonging. As I explored in a previous post, I believe that nature needs us too. For eons, we played a huge role in its health and well-being, and it is time to step into those roles again.

Okay, let’s dive into the topic of foraging! What is it, how to do it, and why even do it at all…

What is foraging?

To put it simply, foraging is the collection of materials from the natural environment. The materials collected can be used in all sorts of ways – food and drink, medicine, shelter, supplies, clothing and shoes, tools, art, practical items such as baskets and pottery, cleaning supplies, natural dyes and pigments, the list goes on.

Remember that, in a not so distant past, people did not walk into shops every time they needed something. They walked outside and found what they needed from nature, which they knew intimately in both practical and emotional ways. Traditional cultures that still live in close connection with nature don’t even have words for “foraging” or “wildness” in their languages. We only have these concepts now because we have separated ourselves to such a great extent.

What can be foraged?

Plant buds, flowers, leaves, roots, stems and seeds. Grasses and reeds. Fruits and berries of all kinds. Nuts and seeds of all kinds. Mushrooms. Lichens. Seaweeds. Fish and shellfish. Shells. Tree bark, needles, branches, inner wood, roots, resin and sap, birch water.

It would be easier to answer the question, what can NOT be foraged? Obviously nothing that could cause harm either to you or any part of the ecosystem. We will touch more on this below in the section on responsible harvesting.

Where can you forage?

Technically, you can find things to forage everywhere – meadows and mountains, swamps and seas, forests and fields, the small strip of protected nature in your neighborhood, a local park, the cracks in the sidewalk, on the side of the road, in hedgerows or anyplace where nature is allowed to be or where nature creeps in anyhow.

But legally, the laws around foraging will differ from country to country and city to city. Please make sure that you understand and follow the laws of your place before heading out.

Here in Sweden we operate according to allemansrätten – everyone’s right to roam the countryside, forage and even pitch a tent anywhere as long as you stay at least 70 meters away from private residences. The exceptions are that you cannot roam private gardens or forage protected species, both for obvious reasons.

But with freedom comes responsibility.

Responsible foraging

Our right to roam the land here means that we take responsibility for it too. Because we love the land, we never want to cause any harm. We want our grandchildren to have this joy as well.

Children here are taught sustainable – and safe – harvesting from a very young age. Why take more stinging nettles that you need? Take just the right amount, lagom. If you need more tomorrow, then come back tomorrow. Personally, I always appreciate an excuse to go back out! And I’ve noticed that my kids are naturally quite responsible, as if they understand their limitations inherently (okay, except when it comes to the wild blueberries, and then they are insatiable bottomless pits.)

Both personally and with all Wyld endeavors, I stick to the Honorable Harvest guidelines, as discussed in this post. They are not hard laws, but principles that guided my ancestors and become reinforced in the everyday routines of living, working and being.

Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you may take care of them.
Introduce yourself. Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life.
Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer.
Never take the first. Never take the last. Take only what you need.
Take only that which is given.
Never take more than half. Leave some for others. Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.
Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken. Share.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.

– very much influenced by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Safe foraging

It is critical that you know what you’re harvesting – and how you should harvest it. There are many ways to harm a plant if you lack knowledge. There are also plenty of poisonous and/or toxic plants out there, even deadly ones. Oftentimes, the toxic varieties look very similar to non-toxic varieties. This is not a reason to fear the natural world – you only fear it because you do not know it. It is, however, proof that we should respect it. You want to feel comfortable in nature, but never cocky.

If you’re a beginner, I recommend starting with just one thing. Let’s say that you’re interested in mushrooms. Maybe just start with chanterelle. Once you feel very comfortable with that, then you can move on to a different variety like oyster mushrooms or lion’s mane. Keep at it daily, and by the end of a year or two, you will be astonished at how much knowledge you’ve gained.

Or perhaps you want to learn about your local plot of land. Again, begin with one thing. Perhaps there are Juniper berries. Start there. Once you’re sure you can identify Juniper berries, avoiding any toxic berry look-a-likes, then move on to another species. Don’t just look up in bushes. Look down at the ground too. So many plants that we consider “weeds” are safe and incredibly beneficial. Once you’re comfortable in the visible world, then you can try exploring roots. Roots, however, require even more precaution as you can definitely cause a lot of damage if you don’t know what you’re doing.

If at any point while foraging you begin to feel lost, then it’s time to stop. When I hit these points, I become very quiet. I try to listen instead of acting. It is a time for learning not taking.

There are plenty of opportunities to learn from and connect with people who can teach you. Search for some courses in your area. Join a group that organizes meet-ups. There are online resources and plenty of fantastic books too. If you thought that foraging on your own was fun, then just wait until you experience it with others. There is nothing better. The communal act of being in nature together is incredibly human.

The other thing I’ll add is that you might want to be mindful about environmental and industrial pollution when you forage. Especially if you are going to consume the plant, or apply it to your skin. While technically you can forage even on the side of a busy highway, I would personally not. This is your call though! Personally I try to always forage from the wildest place possible, as deep into nature and as far from industrial activity as possible. But this is not always possible.

Hopefully you now have a good sense of the What, Where, and How of foraging!

Up next: the WHY of foraging.

In my next post, I’ll talk about the enormous benefits of foraging. From the very practical to the deeper mental and emotional ones.

Happy gathering!

xx Beth