Beneath our very noses are growing some fine foods, and medicines, that are easily overlooked until you get to know them, then it’s likely you’ll be inviting them to dinner more often. Wild herbs and vegetables are packed full of nutrients that more cultivated vegetables have to a lesser degree. But just because they’re abundant please don’t be uprooting an entire patch. Some folks believe you should walk past the first seven plants seen to leave enough for the next seven generations.
Theres usually a 'grandmother' plant, or deva, who oversees a patch and who you can address explaining your needs to harvest and asking permission. You could leave an offering of food, or water, or do some caretaking such as to trim dead branches, spread some seed or reduce the numbers of a particularly dominating or invasive species that will out compete your ally.
A general rule of thumb is that plants should be gathered when at the peak of their growth, generally spring and summer. The best gathering times are early in the morning after evaporation of the dew, as dew wet herbs will become mouldy on drying. The same also applies to rain wet herbs. Also when collecting for drying its best to take plants at the time of the month when the moon is waning, in the early days of this time as there is less sap in the stems and the herbs dry more easily.
*Only harvest a third of any patch. This could mean a third of the amount growing there, or a third off each plant. I harvest dandelion and other greens leaves much like a nonheading lettuce, collecting leaves fresh daily as needed.
*Avoid harvesting endangered, threatened or sensitive species, especially native plants have limited corridors surrounded by human development .
*Harvest plants in places you are familiar with, so you can observeand learn how your practices effect them over time.
* Check if the plant you wish to harvest is slow growing like sasparilla (Smilax australis). I was taught to use the young leaves only, but also that its very slow growing, so not to harvest too many baby leaves from one plant. Learn the growth patterns and cycles of plants you wish to harvest.
*If youre harvesting the root of a plant, will a small part replanted take shoot and continue to grow? If so replant as you go.
*Harvest only an amount that you can in reality process.
*Gathering from as pollution free area as possible, avoiding agricultural or other pesticide spray zones. The same goes for heavily trafficed roadsides and parks where dogs are walked regularly.
Wildcrafting your own medicines and foods rocks, lets face it. If youre coming to doing so with an attitude of respect youll likely find when you ask a plant "would you like to be in some medicine Im making" youll hear "yes! Me, me, over here!"
Resources : 'A PLant Lovers Guide to Wildcrafting' by Krista Thie
'Common Herbs for Natural Health' by Juliette de Baracli Levy
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