Just got another newsletter from Green Deane, a favorite source of information of mine. He really knows his stuff…and better still will tell you when he doesn’t – THAT is the sign of a true professional…and how many professional foragers do you know?
Here is a link to his latest newsletter. In it you’ll find a bit of info on porterweed, a favorite front yard trick of mine. I love showing people the amazing results of eating porterweed flowers, and do it every chance I get, always keeping my eyes open for the tasty edible ornamental. Oddly enough, I was speaking with my neighbor one day, when I realized he had a large patch of it growing right next to my bedroom window, and it had been there for years. Sometimes I’m not very observant 🙁
Green Deane offers a wild edibles foraging class at Drehr Park in Palm Beach County this Sunday, July 15th, 2012 starting at 9am. Cost is $30. Here is the synopsis again:
Dreher Park, 1310 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 33405. Take exit 68 (Southern Boulevard) off Interstate 95 and go east. Entrance to the park is an immediate right at the bottom of the interstate bridge. Follow the convoluted signs to the science center. Park anywhere. We meet 300 feet northwest of the science museum near the banyan tees. It’s a noisy area but early in the morning isn’t too bad. The amount of plants we can see depends upon the season and how much mowing they do. Among them are: American beautyberry, malaleuca, pigeon plum, pines, caesar weed, elderberry, wild grapes, citrus, oxalis, conyza, smilax, passion flowers, sandspurs, koontie, ipomoea, oaks, commelinas, Emilias, purslane, amaranth, figs, Bauhinia, crowfoot grass, surinam cherry, bitter gourd, red spiderling, sea grapes, sida, cattails, yellow pond lillies, Spanish needles, mangos, sedges, wapato, firebush, pickerel weed, sabal palms, royal palms, queen palms, bamboo, traveler palms, coconuts, date palms, dollar weed, water hyssop, mahoe, varigated mahoe, seaside mahoe, fishtail palm, podocarpus, lichen, pellitory, porter weed, pepper grass, smartweed, false hawk’s beard, sow thistles, epazote, sword fern, juniper, Ilex, cocoplums, bittercress, and two of the most toxic seeds on earth and an iguana or two.
I’m going to try to make it, but no guarantees. I’ve been there before for one of his classes, but available plants change every trip, and I’m sure I’ll gain more knowledge even if the available edibles didn’t change. Click here to go to his “Classes” page. Be sure to contact him to let him know you will be there.
Maybe I’ll see you there. If you go, tell him FloridaHillbilly sent you…
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