Foraging

It was a toss up today - 80's music at the Sausalito Art Festival or Foraging. The foraging (pre-paid $30 ticket) won out, and I wasn't disappointed. I originally signed up to do something different, but ended up learning so much.

We met, rather secretly, at Dimond Park in Oakland. I had no idea this lovely little park even existed. Fifteen of us met in the upper parking lot. We were joined by the AP (yep, the Associated Press sent along a reporter and photographer along to chronicle our little two-hour tour. Watch for my name to cross the AP wire).

We barely left the parking lot when we were introduced to a live oak tree (acorns are edible and highly nutritious) and then a California walnut tree (ready to pick). As we walked down the road we found Fennel (every part of the plant is edible), blackberries, wild currants, manzanita (edible bits), and then walking down the Sausal Creek Trail we came across stinging nettle, apparently the super food of the foraging world, wild radish (beautiful purple flowers) and various other leafy green plants (cleavers and horsehair).

I wasn't prepared to take the copious notes that my other foragers were taking but the tour was fascinating. Our guide Kevin (www.feralkevin.com) is a self-taught naturalist, and amazingly knowledgeable. He was happy to answer any and all questions as we barely walked 100 yards from where we parked our cars. A full two hours passed and my attention never waned.

What I loved: food is everywhere.
What I felt disappointed by: I thought there would be a little more to forage.

The gist is that in the East Bay Regional Parks, even eating blackberries is frowned upon. But don't tell anyone, I couldn't help myself. When I see blackberry bushes I can't help but look for the biggest, fattest, juiciest blackberry I can find, and then pop it in my mouth, even risking EBRPD jail. I simply can't help myself. And now that I know that wild radish is abundant, my jail risk has just doubled. But I'll try to put my free food hoarding insticts aside and wait for the next foraging class where we'll go out and learn about acorns (that's in the fall). Interested? ForageSF is the place to watch.