Wild harvesting is arousing renewed interest among Quebecers, more and more of whom are roaming meadows, banks and woodlands to unearth some treasure to sink their teeth into. Fruits, mushrooms and other foliage are popular, but it is important to be well informed before filling your basket! Here are some tips for a worry-free harvest season!
Small fruits
You’re like, “If the birds eat it, I can eat it too!” »? Before you writhe in pain, it would perhaps be wiser to adopt the adage: “just because it’s a fruit doesn’t mean it’s edible!” »
Attractive, these little red, white, blue beads? Attention! It may be cohosh, bittersweet nightshade, honeysuckle, northern clintonia, little preacher’s milkwort or other fruits (with varying levels of toxicity) that could give you serious digestive problems !
More than 200 species of wild berries grow in Canada. Before putting a small fruit in your mouth, be careful! If you are not sure about your move, it is better to consult one or more guides, an expert or a reliable website.
No network or guide in your backpack? Don’t take unnecessary risks. Bring back a leaf, a twig and some fruit to help you correctly identify the plant in question. If your find is edible, you will harvest some on the next walk. Better later than sick!
You can also learn to distinguish small fruits by studying them beforehand. You will easily recognize saskatoon berries, blueberries, small strawberries, raspberries, chicoutai (like a raspberry, but yellow, which grows at ground level, it is very present on the North Shore)! The red seeds, or lingonberries, will be recognizable by their oval, alternate leaves and their sour taste reminiscent of cranberries.
Get informed to harvest better
On Sunday, May 26 from 10 a.m. to noon, Le Potager is organizing an event around the harvest of “wild foods”! Take part in a hike to discover nature’s treasures and learn how to transform them with a False Shepherds chef during the subsequent culinary workshop. A beautiful, and delicious, way to lower your grocery bill… Products from local forest food companies like Coop de l’Arbre will also be in the spotlight!
Mushrooms
“All mushrooms are edible, some only once.” This quip, paraphrased, is well known to mycologists and sums up reality quite well. Some mushrooms are so unfit for human consumption that they could lead you straight to your grave! Certain amanitas, for example, which look very similar to other species, have a very high level of toxicity.
The signs of intoxication will be obvious (vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea, chills, sweats, etc.), but it is best to avoid them.
If you don’t know which mushrooms will land in your basket and want to analyze them at home, be careful to avoid cross-contamination. Each species must be separated from the others. Remember that some mushrooms will become toxic if not eaten quickly. The edible mushrooms you eat must be well cooked!
Leaves, roots, bark, buds
Whatever part of the plant or tree you harvest, be sure that it is suitable for the use you wish to make of it! The spring shoots of fir, larch and spruce will be succulent in herbal tea. Young dandelion leaves, in salad, give a boost to your liver. The daisy buds can be transformed into capers (patience when harvesting). But it is important that these elements are picked in clean places, free of chemicals such as herbicides, for example.
Respect nature!
Waste is not the preserve of your fridge. Why collect 20 pounds of fiddleheads if you’re going to waste 15? The same principle applies to all your wild harvests. The frenzy can quickly take hold of the picker!
When you gather, also be sure to respect nature’s ability to regenerate. Otherwise, you will have to find another tiller next year…
Some reliable sources
Fleurbec guides
The site floreduquebec.ca and its “Identify a plant” tab
Laurentian Flora
In case of poisoning: Quebec Poison Control Center (1 800 463-5060)
