Foraging

Intro

Foraging, whether for emergency or recreation, should always be done with the upmost caution. There are many plants and fungi capable of doing damage to the body in several different ways; it is vital to take time to understand your local area and common imposters of plants you may want to consume.

Detailed below are common qualities to avoid, important techniques to keep in mind, and information on conducting a "universal edibility test."

Qualities and Other Things to Avoid

First and foremost, if you are not 110% confident in you identification of a mushroom, it is an excellent rule of thumb to just leave it be. If you do find yourself feeling confident and trying a mushroom, anything that burns similar to chili should be avoided, as it is most likely poisonous. There are also several false statements and "rules" on the internet that are simply not true and could potentially cause a lot of harm.

• ‘It’s ok if you can peel the cap.’ This is false; It is easy to peel a Death Cap.
• ‘Mushrooms growing on wood are safe.’ No, not all of them are, and some are deadly, like the appropriately named Funeral Bell.
• ‘If you see other animals eating them they are ok.’ This rule is not true, as many animals can eat poisonous-to-humans fungi with no ill effects.
• ‘Toxins can be destroyed by boiling / freezing / drying etc.’ While some fungal toxins can be destroyed by heat, most aren't.
• ‘Poisonous mushrooms have a pointed cap, mushrooms with flat caps are safe to eat’ Death caps, the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, have a flat cap when mature

It's also worth avoiding anything with the following qualities, unless you know for sure it is okay to eat:

• Milky sap
• Fine hairs
• Spines
• Umbrella-shaped flowers
• Shiny, waxy leaves
• Plants bearing green and white berries
• Anything with an almond scent, as it could mean presence of cyanide

Important and Useful Techniques

When you do stumble across local edible plants, do not get excited and harvest them all! If you wish to sustainably forage into the future, it is important to remove crowded plants first, and leave as many as possible to come back next year. Spreading the seeds from foraging can be incredibly helpful as well in the coming years. When it comes to fungi, the main 'body' exists underground, so all of the mushrooms ('fruit') can be safely harvested. Tapping the top of the mushroom cap before harvesting can spread the spores of the fungus and lead to a larger harvest in the following seasons.

Universal Edibility Test

1. Look for the most common poisonous traits: milky sap, fine hairs, spines, waxy leaves
2. Separate the plant by parts. Separate plant's roots, leaves, stems, flowers and fruits. Different parts of one plant could still be toxic even if others are not
3. Do a skin contact test. Wait for around 15 minutes. If you don't feel burning, itchiness etc., proceed
4. Do a taste test (DO NOT SWALLOW). If you feel tingling, burning etc., spit out and rinse your mouth with water. If not, continue
5. Do a bigger taste test. Chew for 5 minutes, swallow and wait 6 or more hours, the longer the better. If you aren't experiencing any issues after that (i.e. diarrhea, nausea, stomach ache etc.), move on
6. Eat a small amount. If after eating about a tablespoon of the part, and waiting for another 6 or more hours you feel fine, you can consider that part of the plant edible.