In my time living off the land, one of the things that I felt was imperative was learning about the local flora that grows wild and abundant in our hills all year around. This post is about five wild plants that I found edible uses for.
Unfortunately a lot of local and indigenous knowledge has been diluted and lost with time as a lot of villagers have shifted to modern ways of thinking, using pumps and sprays, and often neglecting the abundance of nature all around in favour of monoculture cash crops. While there are still some wise old people in the forests, they are hard to access and I couldn't count on a local to help me discover my surroundings. Luckily the advent of technology and a globally connected world with people sharing information allowed me to learn about my environment by tapping into the collective knowledge of herbalists, foragers and wild life enthusiasts across the world. My process of identifying wild plants began with my mobile phone where I used Google Lens to give me an idea of what a plant might be. It wasn't always accurate, sometimes suggesting three or four options which I then followed up with meticulous internet research. Documenting plants at every stage of their growth and corroborating information with my discoveries, using all five senses to see if they matched with what I researched online. Some plants were easy to identify, others a lot harder. Some, I still haven't been able to find out about. Eventually however, I was able to learn more about wild plants that grow in the area, which is such a satisfactory feeling. Being able to pass by an otherwise mysterious clump of green on a hike, and knowing what the plant was and what it could be used for was so invigorating, even allowing for nature snacks on long walks. As such, I documented my findings and will now share with you five edible plants that grow wild in our area.
Wood sorrel is another wild plant with a lemony tang that's best used as a garnish in dishes, especially salads. It's recognisable by its clover/heart shaped leaves that usually grow in clusters of three and the variety in our land has tiny yellow flowers. in very large doses the oxalic acid in sorrel can be poisonous but is generally considered safe if you aren't eating sorrel exclusively for all your meals. This is a wild herb that I've used to enhance the flavours and add depth to many of my homemade meals.
Epazote is also known as Mexican Tea and is used widely in South America. It's most recognisable by an odd scent which smells like a chemical dishwasher. It sounds weird, but if you've ever smelt it you'll know what I mean. It's really good for intestinal and bowel health and is even known to remove parasites. It's great in teas but also as garnish for dishes. The Mexicans use it in bean dishes as it adds a unique depth of flavour and also helps reduce post bean dish flatulence that might be familiar. I've enjoyed using this plant in legume based dishes as it makes it so must tastier and helps digestion.
