Wild Edibles
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Bruce Ingram
July’s Wild Edible: Mountain Mint
With its lance-like leaves that have a touch of white and its dainty white blooms that have a touch of pinkish purple, the three-to-five foot herb mountain mint lights up the edge of Blue Ridge forests. Read more
Jun 30, 2022
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Bruce Ingram
March’s Wild Edible: Dandelions
Gardeners often swear at them, and green lawn lovers typically nuke them with poisonous sprays. But dandelions are also important wildlife food, a boon for early spring pollinators - and a superb health food! Read more
Mar 4, 2021
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Bruce Ingram
February's Wild Edible: Watercress
Many residents of our region might be surprised to learn that watercress is not only a wild vegetable but is also officially classified as a superfood. Read more
Feb 1, 2021
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January’s Wild Edible: Oyster Mushrooms
Perhaps some folks would think that the last place someone would seek out oysters would be the Blue Ridge Mountain region. But if your quest involves oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), then you’ve definitely come to the right place. Read more
Jan 4, 2021
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Bruce Ingram
September’s Wild Edible: Hackberries
You won’t find enough for a pie, but you’ll enjoy them as a quick pick-me-up. Read more
Aug 30, 2024
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Bruce Ingram
January's Wild Edible: Teaberry
Gaultheria procumbens, also known as the winterberry, boxberry, and checkerberry more or less officially goes by the appellation of the Eastern teaberry, but most folks drop the first half of its name. Read more
Jan 10, 2023
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Bruce Ingram
September’s Wild Edible: Elderberries
The berries feature a bittersweet flavor when eaten right off the vine. Read more
Sep 5, 2023
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Bruce Ingram
April's Wild Edible: Wild Onions
Wild onions may start to appear as early as January but become much more prevalent come April. Read more
Apr 3, 2023
Bruce Ingram
September’s Wild Edible: Hackberries
You won’t find enough for a pie, but you’ll enjoy them as a quick pick-me-up. Read more
Aug 30, 2024
Bruce Ingram
August’s Wild Edible: Honey
Paul Hinlicky, who along with his wife Ellen operates Saint Gall Farm in Catawba, Virginia, is an enthusiastic booster of wild honey’s benefits. Read more
Jul 30, 2024
Bruce Ingram
July’s Wild Edible: Cinnabar Chanterelles
If I hadn’t been scanning the ground for mushrooms, I likely would never have spotted one of the smallest – and tastiest - of the Blue Ridge Mountain’s edible fungi… the cinnabar chanterelle. Read more
Jul 1, 2024
Bruce Ingram
June’s Wild Edible: Garlic Mustard
In the Blue Ridge states, depending on elevation and how far south or north you are, garlic mustard appears sometime in April and disappears sometime in June. Read more
Jun 3, 2024
Bruce Ingram
May’s Wild Edible: Dryad’s Saddle
Though most foragers concentrate on yellow and black morels, Dryad’s saddles are well worth pursuing, too. Read more
May 1, 2024
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