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Newsletter #411 June 23, 2020

by Green Deane

Different species of Jambul Trees produce different colored fruit. The seeds of one is cloves. Photo by Green Deane

What can be said about the Jambul Tree?

First, if you don’t like the name you can call it the Java Plum. The Indians prefer Jamun. The tree also demonstrates quite a few principles. One is that the toxin is often on the outside. Why? Because that is where insects, birds and other animals attack first. This is why green potatoes can make you sick if you eat the skins. In the case of the Jambul Tree the skin of the sweet fruit is loaded with tannin, about 10 times more than a red grape. So they are edible but there is a bitter astringency. Sprinkling with salt or soaking in salt can reduce that. More on that in a moment.

Even ripe Jambul fruit is astringent. Photo by Green Deane

Another principle being demonstrated this year is that Mother Nature rules. Last year the edible terrestrial mushroom season was off by six weeks because seasonal rains were either late or light. Last year the Jambul Trees fruited in early August. This year the rains were right on time as where the terrestrial mushrooms. And this year the Jambul Trees are fruiting now and have been. That puts them six weeks ahead of last year. Foraging includes, among many skills, watching the weather.

The major impediment to the tree — though it is a commercial fruit — is the tannins. Salt does mitigate that some when eating them fresh and is reported to lower blood glucose levels. Making wine out of the fruit is a challenge because of the tannin. Often when you make wine you have to add tannin. In this case one has to use strategies to reduce the tannin. This ranges from yeast selection to fining agents that grab onto the large tannin molecules and help them sink to the bottom so they can be left there. You can read about the Jambul Tree here.

Classes are held rain or shine though tropical storms and hurricanes are exceptions.

Foraging Classes this weekend will be warm, close to 100 degrees. Saturday is Ft. Pierce in southeast Florida, Sunday mid-east coast just north of the space center.

Saturday, June 27th, George LeStrange Preserve, 4911 Ralls Road, Fort Pierce, FL, 34981. 9 a.m. to noon. Third time is a charm. This class has had to be rescheduled twice because of weather. This is also the only location without any official bathrooms.

Sunday, June 28th, Haulover Canal, Merritt Island National Refuge, north of the Kennedy Space Center, 9 a.m. to noon. This is contingent on the park being open. I am awaiting an answer now.

Sunday, July 5th, Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, 2045 Mud Lake Road, DeLeon Springs, FL. 9 a.m. to noon if the location is open. This site is the most closed-prone. It also requires much walking so bring lots of water and be prepared to use primitive bathrooms. We meet at the first parking lot on your right after crossing the railroad tracks.

Saturday, July 11th, Dreher Park, 1200 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 33405, 9 a.m. to noon. Meet just north of the science center.

Sunday, July 12th, Mead Garden: 1500 S. Denning Dr., Winter Park, FL 32789, 9 a.m to noon. Meet in the parking lot near the bathrooms. The entrance to the park is on the west side off Denning Avenue. Many GPS direct you to an old, closed entrance on the east side on S. Pennsylavania Ave.

To read more about the classes, to pre-pay or to sign up go here (And a couple of favors. If anyone knows if the bathrooms in Dreher Park are open please let me know. And are the port-o-lets still at the Gainesville parking lot at the Hawthorne Trail at Boulware Springs? Can’t hold classes where there aren’t open bathrooms. Thanks.)

Pink Morning Glories are iffy. Photo by Green Deane

After about 40 years of foraging I was organizing my Morning Glory information one day. Some are edible, some are famine food — eaten now and then or in small quantities. A few are mind altering. I did not have a flash of brilliance but one of color. Species of Morning Glories with blue blossoms are usually not edible, often they can make you ill while simultaneously getting you high by having the LS part of LSD. Species of Morning Glories with pink blossoms are usually not edible and or are a famine food, kind of 50/50 thing, some edible in small amounts for a while, some not edible at all. They also tend to be coastal or ornamental. And I ignore small white Morning Glory blossoms or small white Morning Glories with a ruby throat. They might have a bit of cyanide in them, such as the Alamo Vine. However… large white Morning Glory blossoms or large white Morning Glory blossoms with a ruby throat usually have something edible. Large in this case means blossom at least three to four inches long or longer. Which part is edible with big white blossoms depends upon the species. It might be the blossom, leaves, root, or the entire plant. With this rough guide you can glance at a Morning Glory blossom and know whether to inquire further. To read more about Morning Glories go here.

Old Man of the Woods is also an edible Bolete. Photo by Green Deane

It has to be the rhythm… A song by the group “America” has been on my mind of late. The lyrics are “I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name.” Except I hear “I’ve been cookin’ in the kitchen with a Bolete with no name…” There are seven Gyroporus mushrooms in North America. I see two regularly: G. castaneus (the Chestnut Bolete) and G. subalbellus, the nameless Bolete. The Chestsnut Bolete, however, is well-named. The cap has a nice rich chestnut color. And of course as a Bolete it does not have gills but rather pores. It does not stain when bruised and usually has a hollow stem. It’s the other one I have eaten several of thus far this year, G. subalbellus. It has a pale cap, buff, yellowish, pinkish. It’s pore bruise slowly to pink. There is often pink on the stem which is bulbous at the base and usually partially hollow. They both have a good flavor and texture. Unless you’re an advanced mushroom hunter you can use the following rules to eliminate any Boletes that might make you sick (not counting for the wild card of allergies.) Do not eat any Boletes with pores that are red or orange, do not eat any Boletes with an orange cap, do not eat any Boletes that stain blue or green. Do not eat any bitter Boletes. There are some edible blue staining Boletes but that is a more advanced challenge.

Poke leaves must be cooked before eaten. Photo by Green Deane

When is a salad not a salad? When it’s poke sallet. Though they sound the same (both pronounced “salad” and spelling can vary) the one in English means raw greens. The other in French means cooked greens. Unfortunately a popular song in 1968 spelled it the wrong way on the record label and people have been getting sick ever since. (In fairness in the song the lyrics say Annie cooked the greens. She was so poor that was all she had to eat.) Pokeweed has to be cooked, preferably boiled at least twice in two changes of water. In fact I got a message this week from a writer who thought poke sallet meant salad and got ill from eating a salad of raw poke leaves. Don’t do it. This brings up another aspect of pokeweed. People ask me if boiling it twice reduces the nutrition. The answer is hardly at all. The only vitamin pokeweed has is vitamin A. That is a fat soluble vitamin. Boiling it doesn’t have much effect on the vitamin A content. Also, boiling the poke weed carries away the toxins and makes the magnesium in the green chlorophyl more available. Cook your poke! My videos on Poke Weed are here and here. To read more about pokeweed, go here.

Fermenting Ivy Gourds/Tindora. Photo by Green Deane

Part of foraging for wild food is also preserving it. As the Ivy Gourd is a prolific producer — featured two weeks ago in this newsletter — what to do with all its stubby cukes is a challenge. A lot of them go into salads, and many become pickles as pictured above. Lacto-fermenting is easy and a traditional way to preserve a wide variety of food. It works well with the Ivy Gourd because it soften their skin which is slightly tough. The basic fermenting process could not be simpler. The “pickles” above were made by putting them unwashed in a jar with a pint of water and two tablespoons of sea salt. You then partially fill a plastic baggy with water to put on top of the gourds to assure they are totally covered with the solution and there’s no air space. Cover and wait a few days, no need to refrigerate. The high salt content in the water inhibits bad bacteria but encourages the right bacteria. Within a few days to a couple of weeks — usually just days — you have pickles and they’re probiotic. Not only have I planted this food-producer in my backyard but I have found three more in the wild near where I found this one originally. I think they might come home with me this fall. You can read more about the Ivy Gourd here.

Green Deane videos are now available on a USB.

Changing foraging videos: My nine-DVD set of 135 videos has been selling for seven years. They are the same videos I have on You Tube. Some people like to have a separate copy. The DVD format, however, is becoming outdated. Those 135 videos plus 15 more are now available on a 16-gig USB drive. While the videos can be run from the DVDs the videos on the USB have to be copied to your computer to play. They are MP4 files. The150-video USB is $99 and the 135-video DVD set is now $99. The DVDs will be sold until they run out then will be exclusively replaced by the USB. This is a change I’ve been trying to make for several years. So if you have been wanting the 135-video DVD set order it now as the price is reduced and the supply limited. Or you can order the USB. My headache is getting my WordPress Order page changed to reflect these changes. We’ve been working on it for over three weeks. However, if you want to order now either the USB or the DVD set make a $99 “donation” using the link at the bottom of this page or here. That order form provides me with your address, the amount — $99 — tells me it is not a donation and in the note say if you want the DVD set or the USB.

Green Deane Forum

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Newsletter 7 April 2020

by Green Deane

Blossoming, peppery watercress.

Watercress/Wintercress grew in a ditch behind an apartment complex I lived in near Sanford, Florida, some 30 years ago. How did the Eurasian native Nasturtium officinale, get there? It came to North America with the Europeans, found a good home, and stayed. Alabama later became the epicenter of cultivating it after Central Florida. The city of Sanford, by the way, is named for Henry Sanford one of Lincoln’s ambassadors. He is called “General Sanford” but the gentleman never served in the military. He got the title for donating a cannon to the Union effort. Sanford was, however, big on big farming and for a few decades made the city of Sanford the big place to go in Central Florida.

When President Calvin Coolidge came to Central Florida in 1929 it was to Sanford (and Lake Wales) he went not little-ol’ backwater Orlando. The city of Sanford had everything: River, rails, road even a college (Rollins which later moved to Winter Park.) Sanford however lacked leadership giving Orlando a chance to make its mousey mark. The watercress was in the ditch behind the apartment complex because the entire area was once truck farms and one of their main winter crops was watercress. Peppery like nasturtiums it is edible raw or cooked but make sure you get it from wholesome water. Nasturtium by the way literally means “twisted nose.” Where I collect watercress to be eaten raw is about a half mile down stream from the Wekiva River boil (its main spring and headwater.) But there’s a lot of water hemlock around so I have to pick carefully. To read more about watercress go here. To read about the deadly Water Hemlock go here.

Wild Garlic cloving.

After Watercress the second plant in profusion now is Wild Garlic. It’s putting on cloves. Wild Garlic is always a delightful find; pungent, sharp, tasty. You just know it was a welcomed spring green and flavored many an ancient meal. After a little drying I store the cloves in the frig in a paper bag. The onions go in the bin for more immediate use. You can collect them in profusion this time of year. Look for them in damp spots but not waterlogged. Wild garlic, also called wild onion, is unusual in that it puts cloves on the top of its stem, not underground on the bottom. (Onions put on a bulb, garlic puts on cloves.) This wild Allium also puts on marble-to-ping-pong ball size onions underground, about four inches down or so. It hides most of the year. To read more about the wild garlic, click here. I have a video here.

Unripe Marlberries.

Marlberries and I don’t meet too often, about once or twice a year and then usually while I’m conducting a class so I don’t have the time to get acquainted better. There is also a certain lack of motivation because even at its best marlberry is not a great trailside nibble. A complicating headache is there are several Malberries of varying quality. They are also related to the invasive species Coral Berry, Ardisia crenata, which has been implicated in cattle poisoning. Reportedly found mid-Florida and south I have found Marlberries in Dreher Park in West Palm Beach, LaStrange Preserve in Ft. Pierce, and Emerson Point near Sarasota. Around the same time and in the same habitat you find Marlberries you can also see Rapanea punctata, Colicwood, one of those mystery pants one finds in wet woods. It looks like a drab cross between a mangrove and a beautyberry and used to be called Myrsine guianensis. Colicwood’s small yellow blossoms and black fruit grow directly on the branches, helping you identify it. There’s not a whole lot of literature on the species so the berries are probably not edible. As it is called “Colicwood” suggest some medicinal uses. To read more about the Marlberry and its strange relatives go here.

Bitter Aronia berries.

Another possible local species that needs more study is Aronia also called Chokeberry (note it is chokeBERRY not chokeCHERRY.) They are common in the Carolinas particularly on the Appalachian Trail where they get the 800 or so chill hours they need each winter. The berries are a powerhouse of anti-oxidants. Like Morels they shouldn’t be found in Florida as it just does not get cold enough long enough here but yet… In Gainesville, Florida, I have seen a species that might be A. melanocarpa. Here at EatTheWeeds we use I.T.E.M. and E is for environment which includes climate and Florida is the wrong environment for the species. However, if you plant Aronias they will grow here and apparently fruit. It has been reported in Hawthorne Fl. which is 20-some miles down the road from Gainesville. In this case they are growing with a profusion of Deerberries near the Hawthorn Trail which are blossoming now and were mentioned in this newsletter. Perhaps the Aronia was intentionally planted many years ago.

Foraging classes, at least for this week, are on hold. Private classes are ongoing but I need to find what public areas are still open. The closings are not consistent. Sanlando Park in Seminole County is open but all the city parks in nearby Altamonte Springs are closed. Some federal land is ope, some closed. We will get back to normal.

The Black Nightshade has berries. Photo by Green Deane

The American Nighshade is a much-maligned plant. Whether discussing its name, Solanum americanum, or edibility there can be confusion. The flavor of American Nighshade berries ranges from mild to slightly sweet, non-descript to pleasant, not bitter. It’s fairly easy to identify: The toxic unripe berries are green, shiny, mottled and flecked with white. They cluster at one point on the end of the peduncle (stem.) Then they turn deep purple, shiny and edible. Also you can find blossoms with petals that fold down and backwards rather than upward and around the middle. But you have to be careful. Not far from the pictured fruit I found another nightshade, similar looking. The unripe berries were clustered at the end of the peduncle but they were not shiny, mottled or flecked with white. They were a dull green. And the ripe berries were larger than usual and a dull black. Their taste was bitter. I think I run into a wayward species occasionally, from Deland to Ocala. The dull look to the berries and their larger than usual size are a good tip off and of course when ripe they taste bitter. One possibility is Solanum chenopodioides but I’m not certain of that. I just avoid it. You can read about the American Nightshade here.

Chamberbitter, Phyllanthus urinaria.

I don’t write about herbal uses because I am not qualified to do so. As I say in my classes that’s beyond my pay grade. My expertise is edible plants and I also know a lot of herbalists who would take me to task if I proffered too much advice about herbals. Still, one can’t ignore them either. In my classes if I know an herbal application I mention it but I also advise folks to check with their local herbalist. That said one common herb I see is Chamberbitter, or Stonebreaker, Phyllanthus urinaria. There are about a dozen and a half Phyllanthus in Florida. Fortunately the one we want is fairly easy to identify. The seeds line up on the underside. The species has been used a long time for urinary issues including kidney stones. But recent research suggests it can have far more applications. According to a 2018 journal article “… investigations reveal that the plant is a rich source of lignans, tannins, flavonoids, phenolics, terpenoids, and other secondary metabolites. Pharmacological activities include anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective effects.”

Green Deane Forum

Want to identify a plant? Perhaps you’re looking for a foraging reference? You might have a UFO, an Unidentified Flowering Object, you want identified. On the Green Deane Forum we — including Green Deane and others from around the world — chat about foraging all year. And it’s not just about warm-weather plants or just North American flora. Many nations share common weeds so there’s a lot to talk. There’s also more than weeds. The reference section has information for foraging around the world. There are also articles on food preservation, forgotten skills from making bows to fermenting food. Several hard-to-find books are there page for page. Recent posts this week include Spring 2020 Plantings, Light Purple Flowers and Fuzzy Leaves, Red Blossoms Hanging Down, Edible Privacy Fence, Tendrilizing, Calculating COVID-19 Mortality Rate, Nettle Spanakopita, Pawpaws Starting Early? What are those White Blossoms, Brazilian Pepper Revisited, Palmer Amaranth, In The Loop, Tomatoes: A Fruit First, a Vegetable Second, and Butterweed: Annual Warning. You can join the Forum by going to the upper right hand top of this page.

Donations to upgrade EatTheWeeds.com have gone well. Thank you to all who have contributed to either via the Go Fund Me link, the PayPal donation link or by writing to Green Deane POB 941793 Maitland FL, 32794. There are many needs left such as expanding the foraging teacher page and the page on monotypic edibles. There’s always something and such things get more complex and expensive every year.

Though your foraging may drop off during Covid-19 travel bans it’s a great time to study wild edibles with my nine DVD set. Each DVDs has 15 videos for 135 in all (that’s $1 a video.) They make a great gift. Order today by the set or individual videos. Some of these videos are of better quality than my free ones on the Internet. They are the same videos but many people like to have their own copy. I burn and compile the sets myself so if you have any issues I handle them personally. There are no middle foragers. I also made more to cope with the quarantines and replace lost class income. To learn more about the DVDs or to order them click here.

This is weekly newsletter 400… something of a milestone… some might say millstone around the neck. The original newsletters were monthly and started about a decade ago. If you want to subscribe to this free newsletter you can find the sign-up form in the menu at the top of the page.

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Newsletter 18 February 2020

by Green Deane

Wild Plums are fairly easy to locate this time of year. Photo by Green Deane

What are those white blossoms? This time of year it might be three different species and two are related.

Hawthorns are also in the Rose Family. Photo by Green Deane

Like the photo above the most showy now are wild plums. They’re easy to spot this time of year: Just look for small trees with white blossom and no (or few) leaves. Your two choices are Chickasaw Plum (many canoe-shaped leaves which with a 10-powered lens have teeth with bozo-noses) Flatwood Plum (with flat leaves.) (The American Plum is a possibility but I never see this far south.) The blossoms of the plums have five petals and will remind you of an apple or blackberry blossom (which are also in the greater Rose Family.) Speaking of said Hawthorns — directly above — are blossoming now, too, white with few leaves but they are far less extroverted than plums. I don’t see them in the wild south of Ocala. I’ve seen them planted in the Orlando area but they tend to die after a couple of hot summers. Their leaves are more goosefoot or spatula-shape, the blossom resemble the plum blossoms and woody parts are usually well-armed with thorns. If you have a difficult time deciding which species of Hawthorn you have don’t let it bother you. Botanists can’t tell them apart ether. You can read about them here.

Pawpaws are related to Magnolias. Photo by Green Deane

Another white-blossomed species I look for but not until April or so are Pawpaws. Here in Central Florida the best place to find them is in pastures. They have blossoms similar to Magnolias. Botanists say Magnolias are related to Pawpaw but that the Pawpaws are an older species. While not rare Pawpaws are scarcer here than …say… in the Carolinas. There you bump into them at every turn and they are medium-sized trees. Here they’re often spindly shrubs and there are dwarf varieties as well. They can have white or maroon/purple blossoms. Pawpaws are pollenated by a carrion fly which should give you some indication of how the blossoms smell. The one on the left was seen in mid-February in Largo Florida, definitely earlier than usual. If you find some fruit you have to be careful the first time you eat one. It’s quite rare but some people can have a life-threatening allergic reaction to them.

Foraging classes are held rain or shine, heat or cold. Photo by Nermina Krenata

The weather is moderating. I have one foraging class this weekend and it’s in Palm Harbor east of Tarpon Springs. Note the foraging class schedule is through the end of March.

Sunday, February 23rd, John Chestnut County Park: 2200 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor, FL 34685. Meet at the trail head of the Peggy Park Nature Walk, inside Chestnut Park. 9 a.m. to noon.

Saturday, March 7th, Blanchard Park, 10501 Jay Blanchard Trail, Orlando, FL 32817. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the pavilion near the YMCA building and tennis courts.

Sunday, March 8th, George LeStrange Preserve, 4911 Ralls Road, Fort Pierce, FL, 34981. 9 a.m. to noon. (There are no official bathrooms at this location.)

Saturday, March 14th, Florida State College, south campus, 11901 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, 32246. We meet at Building “A” next to the administration parking lot. 9 a.m. to noon.

Sunday, March 15th, Red Bug Slough Preserve, 5200 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL, 34233. 9 a.m. to noon.

Saturday, March 21th, Ft. Meade Outdoor Recreation Area, 1639 Frostproof Highway, Fort Meade, FL 33841. (Frostproof Highway is also Route 98.) 9 a.m to noon. Meet at the second set of bathrooms (in the middle of the park) which is due south from the highway. (Don’t confuse this location with Mead Gardens which is in Winter Park near Orlando.)

Sunday, March 22nd, Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, FL 32935-2335. Meet at the “dog park” inside the park. 9 a.m. to noon.

Saturday, March 28th, Haulover Canal, Merritt Island National Refuge, north of the Kennedy Space Center. We meet the the northwest end of the canal area. 9 a.m. to noon.

Sunday, March 29th, Spruce Creek Park, 6250 Ridgewood Ave. Port Orange FL, meet at the pavilion. 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information, to sign up for a class, or to pre-pay go here.

The Blewit’s violet color quickly fades. Photo by Green Deane

It is also time to be on the look out for a “choice” wild mushroom, the Blewit, or Lepista nuda. At first glance it can look like the violet plastic top of some discarded can. The tasty fungus likes cooler weather and is also terrestrial. Usually this time of year most ground-growing mushrooms are not edible. Wintertime here is when you often find edibles mushrooms on wood. The regular mushroom season does’t start until after warm days and spring rains, usually sometime in late April or early May. Long-range weather forecasts say Florida will be warmer than usual this spring and stormier which means wetter. So perhaps mushroom season will start sooner than usual.

Wild Garlic will be cloving soon. Photo by Green Deane

Both foraging classes this past week found Wild Garlic. It’s a native that’s about six inches high now but will be blossoming in a few weeks then setting cloves. What makes this Allium curious is that it puts an onion bulb on the bottom end and garlic cloves on the top end. This particular species is very pungent. It’s great for cooking or as a trail side nibble as long as you don’t mind strong garlic breath. Before it blossoms the entire plant can be used to make a very nice soup. Oddly there’s no record of southeastern natives using the plant and only three tribes had names for it. I call it good.

Plantago rugulii is a large local plantago. Photo by Green Deane

Plantago Power: It was a dark and rainy … morning… and I was searching through the gloom along the road for a wild mustard/radish for my foraging class some years ago. It was cold. It was rainy. It was gray. Something caught my eye so I pulled Van Go over and headed towards a watery ditch. The plant I thought it might be — a mustard — it most certainly was not. It was a Plantago, the largest one I have ever seen. That was worth a picture and posting on the Green Deane Forum. While it resembled Plantago major it was in fact Plantago Rugelii. One difference is the P. rugelii has pink/purple at the base of the petiole (stem) P. major is white. Unlike P. major, which is from Europe, P. rugelii is native to North America. It is odd that we don’t hear more about it.

Green Deane Forum

Want to identify a plant? Perhaps you’re looking for a foraging reference? You might have a UFO, an Unidentified Flowering Object, you want identified. On the Green Deane Forum we — including Green Deane and others from around the world — chat about foraging all year. And it’s not just about warm-weather plants or just North American flora. Many nations share common weeds so there’s a lot to talk. There’s also more than weeds. The reference section has information for foraging around the world. There are also articles on food preservation, forgotten skills from making bows to fermenting food. Several hard-to-find books are there page for page. Recent posts this week include Nettle Spanakopita, Pawpaws Starting Early? What are those White Blossoms, Brazilian Pepper Revisited, COVID 19, Palmer Amaranth, In The Loop, Tomatoes: A Fruit First, a Vegetable Second, and Butterweed: Annual Warning. You can join the Forum by going to the upper right hand top of this page.

Foraging DVDs make a good gift to watch during winter.

Though your foraging may drop off during the winter it’s a great time to study wild edibles with my nine DVD set. Each DVDs has 15 videos for 135 in all. They make a great gift. Order today. Some of these videos are of better quality than my free ones on the Internet. They are the same videos but many people like to have their own copy. I burn and compile the sets myself so if you have any issues I handle them personally. There are no middle foragers. And I’m working on adding a tenth DVD. To learn more about the DVDs or to order them click here.

Winged Sumac

Botany Builder #38: Terminal. No, botanically it does not mean dead. Technically it means at the end of an axis. I just think of it as the end of a branch. A good example throughout North America are the edible Sumacs. They have terminal clusters of flowers which later turn to berries. “Terminal” is from the Dead Latin Terminus, meaning the end. It is from a Roman god of the same name that protected boundaries (usually as a bust on a post.) Historical note: The city of Atlanta used to be called Terminus because that was where the railroad stopped.

This is weekly newsletter 393, If you want to subscribe to this free newsletter you can find the sign-up form in the menu at the top of the page.

To donate to the Green Deane Newsletter click here.

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Newsletter 24 December 2019

by Green Deane

DO NOT EAT: This is toxic butterweed, a young look-alike for mustard. Photo by GreenDeane

It’s a good time to mention the toxic Butterweed (and Rattlebox below.) We saw some young examples of Butterweed in our foraging class at Ft. Mead Sunday. Part of the area we have that class in is along the Peace River and is damp. That is where you find Butterweed. Unfortunately it can resemble young mustards so much so one of its common names is Cressleaf Goundsel. It has two botanical names: The current, Packera glabella, and its former, Senecio glabellus. If you eat Butterweed today it will put you in the hospital today with liver damage. The more you eat the more damage. It is also harmful to livestock. To quote the University of Florida:

Butterweed can be deadly. Avoid it.

“Butterweed is toxic to both cattle and horses. It is known to cause liver disease in cattle, producing symptoms such as listlessness, decreased appetite, and photosensitization in extreme cases. Horses frequently appear uncoordinated, become entangled in fences, and awkwardly bump into objects after ingesting the plants. Cattle that consumed 4 to 8% of their body weight in green plant over a few days developed acute liver necrosis and died within 1 to 2 days. Cattle that ingested 0.15% of their body weight (fresh weight) of a species in the same genus as butterweed for a minimum of 20 days resulted in 100% mortality. This equates to a 20-day cumulative dose of 2% of an animal’s body weight of dry. It also appears that this species has been responsible for abortions in cattle, making control of butterweed a necessity. “

From a foraging point of view the species does resemble mustard until it blossoms. The flower is totally wrong for a mustard and more resembles a yellow daisy. However, it tends to grow the same time of year and in similar environments. Fortunately, unlike mustards, the leaves are extremely mild in taste so one knows immediately it is not in the mustard clan. Again, do not eat Butterweed. It is toxic. And when harvesting mustards make sure you have a mustard.

Foraging classes are held rain or shine, heat or cold.

One foraging class this weekend because of the holiday. This time in Port Charlotte always an interesting location because of its location along the Peace River and the Gulf.

Saturday December 28th, Bayshore Live Oak Park, Bayshore Drive. Port Charlotte. Meet at the parking lot at the intersection of Bayshore Road and Ganyard Street. 9 a.m. to noon.

Saturday, January 4th, Mead Garden, 1500 S. Denning Dr., Winter Park, FL, Meet by the restrooms. 9 a.m. to noon. (Don’t confuse this with Ft. Meade which is a different location above.)

Sunday, January 5th, Dreher Park, 1200 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 33405. Meet just north of the science center. 9 a.m. to noon.

Roses are eaten carefully. Photo by Green Deane

While it seems counter intuitive Roses seem to do well in the southern winter. They don’t like the summer heat and are a challenge to grow here. So this time of year some of them are at their blossoming best. The Rose family is a friendly one to foragers from blossoms such as this one to apples which are related. High in vitamin C, Roses have been used medicinally for about as long as man has been fiddling with medicine. As a side note back in the 90s during my mid-life crisis I decided to go to law school. I was accepted to several and to earn money before classes started I delivered flowers. It was a job with many surprises but one of them was the big, gorgeous roses we delivered for holidays like Valentine’s Day had no scent. They were bred for beauty. We had to spray artificial rose scent on them just before delivery. One also learned very quickly to spray the roses outside of the delivery van or the van and you smelled intensely of roses for several days. To read more about roses go here.

Hawthorns are related to roses. Photo by Green Deane

Hawthorns are in the rose family and barely make it in to Central Florida. However they are common farther north and like many fruit-bearing plants of that clan the seeds are toxic. There was a huge one across the dirt road from our house in southern Maine. It had thorns close to three-inches long and was a favorite nesting place for birds (I presume because bird predators couldn’t get past the thorns easily.) Hawthorn leaves often resemble animal paws and there are sharp thorns even on very young plants. While the berries on most of them can be cooked into jelly (strain out the seeds) there’s one special species worth singling out, Crataegus monogyna. The Dead Latin species name, monogyna, tells you what to expect when you crush the fruit: One seed. This is important. It is the only Hawthorn that can be used to make a jelly without cooking or adding anything else to the mix. You crush the fruit, push the liquid through a strainer and let it set. Takes about five minutes. C. monogyna grows in a lot of places in the United States and is native to Europe. To read more about it go here.

Euell Gibbons had Marfan Syndrome.

Do you remember Euell Gibbons? He was the first foraging TV-personality. Gibbons became rather famous for asking “Ever eat a pine tree?” His book “Stalking The Wild Asparagus” was an instant best seller and he was seen in probably one of the first back-to-nature cereal commercials that pitched the new idea of promoting nutrition. The FCC took it off the air because it said Gibbons was promoting the unacceptable idea that wild food is safe to eat (Oh My! What did we ever do before agriciulture?) Until literally the very end of Euell’s career — he died in 1975 — nutrition had little to do with food unless you had a particularly odd medical condition. Nutrition was some esoteric science dominated by plump matrons. Not today. Nutritionists now all seem young and photogenic and incredibly fit. Nutrition is also why people eat these days. It’s a different industry with a different face than when Euell was around. Is that a good thing? Is there a difference? Is eating for nutrition misguided? For a bit of history and perspective on “nutrition” click here.

Rattleboxes are toxic.

No, the Rattlebox is not edible. In fact it is quite toxic. The problem is we see it everywhere. Why? One reason is that it was used as a rotational crop until a few decades ago. It was often used in tobacco fields and to fix nitrogen in tung-oil tree orchards. Not only is it toxic to humans but is the source of livestock poisoning as well particularly horses and cows in which it causes liver damage. One to three percent of body weight ingested can be fatal and can accumulate over several days. The seeds and foliage contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Liver enzymes convert the alkaloids into toxic pyrroles that can damage liver and lung cells. Worse it can take months for the symptoms to appear when little or nothing can be done about the damage. Similar pyrrolizidines are found in (also non-edible) Dog Fennel and the Florida Tassel Flower. Hardy, Crotalaria seeds can remain viable for 60 years.

Merry Christmas! This is weekly newsletter 385, If you want to subscribe to this free newsletter you can find the sign-up form in the menu at the top of the page.

To donate to the Green Deane Newsletter click here.

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Pyracantha Jelly and Santa’s Belly

by Green Deane

in Edible Raw, Fruits/Berries, Jam/Jelly, plants, Recipes, Trees/Shrubs

Pyracantha coccinea berries. Photo by Green Deane

Firethorn: Pyracantha Coccinea, a member of the Rose Family.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that “Ho Ho Ho” bellies and Pyracantha jelly jiggle into the season just before Thanksgiving.

While there is no explaining plump Santa, the Firethorn in Florida, Pyracantha coccinea, (pye-rha-KAN-tha cok-SIN-i-a) puts on its second crop of red berries about the same time the frozen Tom turkeys are being delivered to grocery stores. Firethorn’s two fruitings are thoughtful, feeding beast and man, spring and fall. Incidentally, Pyracantha comes from Greek and means literally “fire thorn.” Coccinea means scarlet.

A thorny evergreen, the Firethorn has been under Western cultivation since 1629 when it was first introduced into English gardens. Its native range is from southern Europe to the Caucasus Mountains. The Firethorn can make a very showy stand-alone small tree, a stunning hedge, an espalier to crawl along walls, or be potty trained as patio topic of preoccupation. It can also be a natural barrier grown outside windows that few trespassers would cross to get inside. You’ll also probably get a birds for entertainment because the species’ thorns keep predators of birds away.

Decades ago when I first saw the lanky Firethorn I asked about it and was told it was poisonous. “All red berries” the person said, “are poisonous.” That clearly is not true, nor is “all black berries are edible” true. These sayings are almost always wrong, but one, for practical purposes is close to true: Almost all white berries are toxic. There are a few white berries that are edible but they are so uncommon one might as well think all white berries are poisonous. Just avoid them

Firethorn blossoms resemble apple blossoms

There are references to Pyracantha as a famine food, and that might be true. However, the seeds, like the apple seeds, should not be eaten in quantity. My mother, who lived to 88, ate every seed of every apple she ever ate. She also ate the core as well: The entire apple was hers. When she is done there was nothing left. So a few apple seeds at a time appears to be fine. I asked her one time why she ate the entire apple. She said that’s what her mother did. Her mother also saved the seeds of virtually every fruit, dried them, cracked them and ate them, a few at a time. Back then they never heard of avocados or loquats, so don’t try it with those. However, loquat seeds, also in the Rose Family, can be used to make a cherry-flavored liquor. For that story, look at the article for Loquat Grappa.

The berries of the Firethorn — high in Vitamin C — are actually pommes which is a fleshy fruit with seeds at the core, like apples. They are greatly favored by Black Birds and Cedar Waxwings, which have been know to strip a tree of all its berries. To the human pallet, the berries are soft and mealy — like an apple that should have been eaten last week. They are mild flavor and have several seeds. The seeds are shaped like tiny angular Brazil nuts. Some report the berries are bitter but that has not been my experience. They are, however, sometimes slightly astringent. Like many soft berries they don’t keep well and that’s probably why they service man as jelly.

If you do any research on the internet for Pyracantha jelly you will find the following recipe:

Place 7 cups washed Pyracantha berries in a very large pan with 5 cups of water. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Strain through a cloth. Measure 3 cups berry juice, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 7 cups sugar into a very large pan. Over high heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in one bottle liquid pectin, bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, skim off foam and pour into sterilized glasses. Cover With 1/8 inch melted paraffin. Prepared berry juice may be refrigerated or frozen prior to making jelly.

Firethorns puts on a brilliant dispay of fruit. Photo by Green Deane

While that’s a good starting point I have not found it a satisfactory recipe. It produces an edible but weak-flavored jelly with anemic, runny texture. Here is what I do: I start with two quarts of cleaned and washed berries (no leaves, minimal bugs.) I boil them in six cups of water for at least 30 minutes. Then I mash the berries and cook for five minutes more. Strain. That gives you six or so cups of infusion. I put that in a new pot and bring to boil. I premix eight cups of sugar with TWO — not one — but TWO packages of Sure Jell (twice the standard portion in other words) and I add one half teaspoon of citric acid. A half cup of lemon juice also works but I like to thoroughly mix my dry ingredients together ahead of time. It reduces clumping. Once the infusion is boiling, I add the dry mixture and then bring to boil again and boil for two minutes. This will make 12 to 13 cups of jelly. Then I can it the usual way using sterilized jars and paraffin. I haven’t tried it but I am tempted sometime to add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the infusion because the jelly has a hint of apple flavor. Here’s my video link to making Firethorn sauce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obZkfO3tKt0

Of course, making Firethorn jelly is more than just making jelly. While there have been many changes since the days of our grandparents, or great grandparents, one of them is we have become removed from the dynamic of food. Ask kids where milk comes from and too many will say a bottle. Food is the intimate link between us and the earth and in our preprocessed, prepackaged world we lose a bit of our grounding when everything comes off a shelf, or worse, out the drive-in window. It is surprising how many of us actually don’t eat much food these days but rather preprocessed food substitutes that proudly state what has been removed. When you identify a fruit grown by nature, not man; harvest it, prepare it, and then let it help sustain your life, you realize you are part of this planet and very dependent upon it. I would also add our ancestors got along quite well without nutritionists or botanists. Fortunately, artificial food has been around less than a century. If the ingredients reads like a chemistry set, you might want to consider not eating it.

One of my grandfathers who lived into his high 80s liked two things and had them nearly every day of his adult life: A pint of cream and a piece of homemade jelly roll. Owning a succession of cows took care of the cream, and my grandmother was constantly making jelly and jam out of most conceivable and inconceivable things: Hawthorn jelly, Chokecherry jelly, and Gooseberry jam come to mind. I think she even made tomato jelly (and why not? After all, tomatoes are actually fruits, not vegetables.) Besides putting a little nature in one’s life, jellies and jams that you can’t buy can be come seasonal events, family traditions and tastes that last from generation to generation. I can hardly wait until spring to make pindo palm jelly.

Pyracantha Sauce

by Green Deane

EatTheWeeds.com

3 pints ripe pyracantha pommes

Water to cover

Juice and zest of one lime

One (or more) minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

Sugar to taste

Two tablespoons corn starch

Salt optional

Put whole pommes and water in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes, mash. Add lime juice, zest, and chipotle pepper, simmer 30 more minutes. Filter the liquid, discarding all solids. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid. By simmering again reduce liquid down to about two cups. Taste. Add sugar to desired taste. Mix the corn starch in the now cool reserve liquid then mix that a little at a time into the sweetened sauce until thick. Use or refrigerate.

Green Deane’s “Itemized” Plant Profile

IDENTIFICATION: Thorny evergreen shrubs with serrated leaf margins and numerous thorns. They have white flowers and either red, orange, or yellow berries.

TIME OF YEAR: In northern climates the flowers come out in late spring and early summer; the berries develop from late summer, and mature in late autumn. In Florida this happens in spring and fall, sometimes continuously throughout the year.

ENVIRONMENT: Not particular about soil, refers full sun but will grow in partial shade. A common landscape plant

METHOD OF PREPARATION: Berries can be used for jelly. They can also be used for a sauce, marmalade, wine and extender. The seeds are not edible in quantities more than a few.

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Newsletter 23 July 2019

by Green Deane

It’s common yet uncommon, that is, not rare but you don’t notice it too often. Hawthorn is a small tree that hides well in plain sight. This past weekend they were fruiting in Gainesville (and in Ocala with pink chanterelle mushrooms around them.)

In rural Maine where I grew up there was a large Hawthorn tree across the street, which was really a country dirt road. The tree was very-well armed with thousands of huge thorns. I noticed early on that many different species of birds nested in the tree. This was probably because few predators could climb up to bother them. In the rose family like apples the fruit is edible but not the seeds which are easy to remove. Do not eat the seeds. You can eat the fruit and spit out the seeds, or, cook the fruit and strain the seeds out. The fruit has the texture and flavor of a mealy apple. The tree has medicinal uses as well. Its leaves are reported to be as effective a pharmaceutical-grade beta blocker. To read more about the Hawthorn go here

The Lotus blossom is the largest in North America.

Payne’s Prairie in Gaineville, once a large lake, is now sometimes a dry lake and other times a flooded plain. Currently it is yellow with lotus blossoms. Yellow Lotus is both an easy food to forage and a difficult food to forage. If one is collecting seeds it’s very easy: Cut off the ripe tops then slice out the marble-size seeds (a curved paring knife works the best at that.) The roots are nutritious and a commercial crop however…. the key is plant density. If you have just a few plants finding the root will be near impossible as it grows deep and many feet away from the plant in any direction. The point is you really don’t know where to dig (and usually it’s also under water.) But if you have a high population density of lotus then you can dig nearly anywhere in the middle of the plants and find some roots because there are bound to be some where you dig. American Lotus seeds can stay viable for over 400 years… now there’s a survival food. To read more about the American lotus click here.

My teaching trip to Honea Path, South Carolina, was a success and we plan to do it again this October, probably the 11th, 12th and 13th. Mark your calendars. The current schedule is a class Friday around 5:30 p.m., two on Saturday, probably 9 and one, and a class on Sunday, around 2 p.m. That might change a bit between now and then and some presentations added as well. There are around seven dozen edible species at the Putney Farm where the classes are held (not counting their garden.) And as Lenard Putney is my cousin we also got a chance to talk about family and marvel that we managed to survive childhood. His wife Donna, with more organizing skills than I, is already planning the event. Be there.

Foraging classes are held rain, shine, hot or cold. Photo by Nermina Krenata

My upcoming teaching schedule has been posted out through the first week in September. Plan early and sign up for a class. Foraging classes are held rain or shine — you are hungry when it rains — though Hurricanes are an exception. This week we are visiting Wickham Park in Melbourne and Blanchard Park in Orlando.

Saturday, July 27th, Wickham Park: 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, FL 32935-2335. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the “dog park” inside the park.

Sunday, July 28th, Blanchard Park, 10501 Jay Blanchard Trail, Orlando, FL 32817. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet next to the tennis courts by the YMCA building.

Saturday, August 3rd, Red Bug Slough Preserve, 5200 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL, 34233. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the playground next to the parking lot.

Sunday, August 4th Dreher Park, 1200 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 33405. 9 a.m to noon. Meet just north of the science center in the north section of the park.

Saturday, August 10th, Florida State College, south campus, 11901 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, 32246. 9 a.m. to noon. We will meet at building “D” next to the administration parking lot.

Sunday, August 11th, Colby-Alderman Park: 1099 Massachusetts Street, Cassadaga. Fla. 32706. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet by the bathrooms.

Saturday August 17th, Eagle Park Lake, 1800 Keene Road, Largo, FL 33771. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the pavilion near the dog park.

Sunday August 18th, Ft. Meade Outdoor Recreation Area, 1639 Frostproof Highway, Fort Meade, FL 33841. (Frostproof Highway is also Route 98.) 9 a.m to noon. Meet at the bathrooms in the middle of the park which is due south from the highway and not near the entrance.

Saturday, August 24th, Bayshore Live Oak Park, Bayshore Drive. Port Charlotte. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the parking lot at the intersection of Bayshore Road and Ganyard Street. 9 a.m. to noon.

Sunday, August 25th, Blanchard Park, 10501 Jay Blanchard Trail, Orlando, FL 32817. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet next to the tennis courts by the YMCA building.

Saturday August 31st, Wekiva State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Circle, Apopka, Florida 32712. 9 a.m. to noon. Arrive very early as there will be a lot of people wanting to go to the springs at 8 a.m. to swim. There is a park admission Fee: $6 per vehicle. Limit 8 people per vehicle, $4 for a single occupant vehicle, $2 pedestrians or bicyclists. Meet at the Sand Lake parking lot (road on left after entrance. Go to end of road.) Unlike city parks or the urban area, Wekiva Park is “wild” Florida. There are very few weeds of urbanization. The edibles are mostly native plants and far between. There is a lot of walking in this class and it will also probably be hot. After class you can swim in the spring.

Sunday September 1st, George LeStrange Preserve, 4911 Ralls Road, Fort Pierce, FL, 34981. 9 a.m. to noon. The preserve has no official bathroom or drinking water so take advantage of the various eateries and gas stations before arrival.

Saturday September 7th, 329 N. Park Avenue, Winter Park. 9 a.m. to noon. Parking is free in the parking garage behind Panera’s. This is a class specializing in finding wild edibles in an urban setting. We wander through the park, around the college, to the library and back to Panera’s with a coffee pause in the middle.

Sunday September 8th, Ft. Desoto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S. St. Petersburg Fl 33715. Meet by the bathrooms at the parking lot of the “bay” fishing pier (not the “gulf” fishing pier.) 9 a.m. to noon. There is a fee to get into the park. The fishing pier is about halfway along the SW/NE road along the southern end of the park.

To read more about the classes, to sign up for them or pay for a class go here.

Perhaps this is the yes-and-no newsletter with three species that are easy in some ways and difficult in others. Chanterelle mushrooms fit that category especially here in Florida. One problem is the genus had not been reworked or described well. The names are in flux and perhaps the various species have not been well- examined by qualified experts. Within a few hundred feet here in central Florida I can find two very different species of chanterelles, one that funnels and grows in bunches, one that grows by itself and curls over forming a pseudo-cap. Saturday in Ocala I saw yet a third species, lighter in color, large and flaring but not in groups. As with other wild edibles I tell my students it’s usually not the name that’s important. What is important is that you recognize the species regardless of the botanical or common name (and many mushrooms do not have common names.) There are several telling characteristics of chanterelles that help separate them from other mushroom (besides having false gills.)

Chanterelles also have cross connections between false gills.

False gills can be a difficult concept to grasp. True gills are separate structures attached to the cap. They are like knife blades. False gills, in this case, are like wrinkles, as if you took cloth on a table and and bunched it together into wrinkles, less organized (like my ironing.) More often that not those wrinkles also have little connections between them that are at 90 degree forming little cross bridges, see picture above left. Chanterelles are also a different color inside than outside and in texture resemble string cheese particularly the stem. They grow on the ground — as opposed to some form of obvious wood — and are found among oaks and pines. In the same environment look for one of the edible Milk Caps, Lactifluus hygrophoroides. You can read about chanterelles in one of my newsletters here, the Milk Cap here.

Burgoo was naval food. Photo by Townsends.

The study of plants is also the study of language and not just Dead Latin and Living Greek. Native language names often give a hint as to how the plant was used. Sometimes a word can mean several things. Burgoo is a good example. The original Burgoo was a cooked ground oatmeal which in time also came to mean any kind of thick stew. But the origin was from the sailing days when oatmeal, rolled or ground, was cooked bubbling in a vat aboard ship. Before that mess was called Burgoo it was called Loblolly which goes back over 400 years. For a long time Loblolly and Burgoo were used at the same time to mean the same thing. So why is the pine, Pinus taeda, called Loblolly? Association … in the mind of settlers. Loblolly is a combination of “Lob” meaning to eat loudly and or a thick, heavy porridge that bubbles: Think Burgoo. “Lolly” is an old British word for soup or broth. In colonial America mud holes and mires were called “Loblollies” as thy resembled the gurgling gruel (if you’ve lived though a spring mud season up north you know exactly what they mean.) The pine got its name because it grew in lowlands or about swamps. They also like to grow in clay. And if not for the whims of time and use Pinus taeda could have just as easily been called Burgoo instead of Loblolly.

Want to identify a plant? Looking for a foraging reference? Do you have a UFO, an Unidentified Flowering Object you want identified? On the Green Deane Forum we chat about foraging all year. And it’s not just about warm-weather plants or just North American flora. Many nations around the world share common weeds so there’s a lot to talk about. There’s also more than weeds. The reference section has information for foraging around the world. There are also articles on food preservation, and forgotten skills from making bows to fermenting food. One special section is “From the Frightening Mail Bag” where we learn from people who eat first then ask questions later. You can join the forum by clicking on “forum” in the menu.

Foraging DVDs make a good gift to watch during the lifeless months of winter.

All My Videos are available for free on You Tube. They do have ads on them so every time you watch a Green Deane video I get a quarter of one cent. Four views, one cent. Not exactly a large money-maker but it helps pays for this newsletter. If you want to see the videos without ads and some in slightly better quality you can order the DVD set. It is nine DVDs with 15 videos on each for a total of 135 videos. Many people want their own copy of the videos or they have a slow service and its easier to order then to watch them on-line. The DVDs make a good gift for that forager you know especially as spring is … springing. Individual DVDs can also be ordered or you can pick and choose. You can order them by clicking on the button on the top right hand side of this page (if your window is open wide enough.) Or you can go here.

This is weekly issue #365.

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Newsletter 09 April 2019

by Green Deane

Watercress/Wintercress grew in a ditch behind an apartment complex I lived in near Sanford, Florida, some 30 years ago. How did the Eurasian native Nasturtium officinale, get there? It came to North America with the Europeans, found a good home, and stayed. Alabama became the epicenter of cultivating it then later Central Florida. Sanford, by the way, is named for Henry Sanford one of Lincoln’s ambassadors. He is called “General Sanford” but the gentleman never served in the military. He got the title for donating a cannon to the Union effort. Sanford was, however, big on big farming and for a few decades made the city of Sanford the big place to go in Central Florida nor Orlando.

When President Calvin Coolidge came to Central Florida in 1929 it was to Sanford he went not little-ol’ backwater Orlando. The city of Sanford had everything: River, rails and road. But it lacked leadership giving Orlando a chance to make its mousey mark. As Coolidge did so did watercress which is why it ended up in the ditch behind the apartment complex in Sanford. The entire area was truck farms and one of their winter crops was watercress. Peppery like nasturtiums it is edible raw or cooked but make sure you get it from wholesome water. Nasturtium by the way literally means “twisted nose.” Where I collect watercress to be eaten raw is about a half mile down stream from the Wekiva River boil (its main spring and headwater.) But there’s a lot of water hemlock around so I have to pick carefully. To read more about watercress go here. To read about the deadly Water Hemlock go here.

Wild Garlic puts the cloves on top. Photo by Green Deane

After Watercress the second plant in profusion now is Wild Garlic. It is just putting on cloves and there was a small field of it Gainesville near where I had a foraging class this past weekend. Wild Garlic is always a delightful find; pungent, sharp, tasty. You just know it was a welcomed spring green and flavored many an ancient meal. After a little drying I store the cloves in the frig in a paper bag. The onions go in the bin for more immediate use. If I lived near the field in Gainesville I would just dig them up as needed. Wild garlic, wrongly called wild onion, is unusual in that it puts cloves on the top of its stem, not underground on the bottom. (Onions put on a bulb, garlic puts on cloves.) This wild Allium also puts on a ping-pong ball size onion underground, about four inches down or so. It hides most of the year. To read more about the wild garlic, click here.

I’m on the east coast of Florida this weekend with classes in Ft. Piece Saturday and Melbourne this Sunday. Both locations, interestingly, have Tallow Plums fruiting and ripening now. Note Largo has been re-introduced to the foraging class schedule.

Saturday, April 13th, George LeStrange Preserve, 4911 Ralls Road, Fort Pierce, FL, 34981, 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the parking lot.

Sunday, April 14th, Wickham Park: 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, FL 32935-2335. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the “dog park” inside the park.

Saturday, April 20th, Blanchard Park, 10501 Jay Blanchard Trail, Orlando, FL 32817. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet next to the tennis courts by the YMCA building.

Sunday, April 21st, Eagle Park Lake, 1800 Keene Road, Largo, FL 33771. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the pavilion near the dog park.

Saturday, April 27th, Red Bug Slough Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL, 34233. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the parking lot.

Saturday, May 4th, Colby-Alderman Park: 1099 Massachusetts Street, Cassadaga. Fla. 32706. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet by the bathrooms.

Sunday, May 5th: Ft. Meade Outdoor Recreation Area, 1639 Frostproof Highway, Fort Meade, FL 33841. (Frostproof Highway is also Route 98.) 9 a.m to noon. Meet at the brown bathrooms in the middle of the park which is due south from the highway.

Saturday, May 11th, Dreher Park, 1200 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 33405. 9 a.m to noon. Meet just north of the science center in the north section of the park.

Sunday, May 12th, Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, 2045 Mud Lake Road, DeLeon Springs, FL. 9 a.m. to noon. A few hundred feet after crossing the railroad tracks on Mudlake Road there in the parking lot on your right. We meet there. This is a hike of approximately four miles, two out and back mostly native species, very few ornamentals. While the walking is easy we are exposed to the elements, sun on a clear day, wind on a cold day. Check the weather, dress appropriately. Bring water, wear suitable footwear. Know that as it is federal land it can be closed anytime for any reason without notice.

Saturday, May 18th, Florida State College, south campus, 11901 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, 32246. 9 a.m. to noon. We will meet at building “D” next to the administration parking lot.

Sunday, May 19th, Boulware Springs Park, 3420 SE 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32641. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the picnic tables next to the pump house.

For more information about the classes or to sign up go here.

Marlberries are edible but that isn’t saying much.

Marlberries and I don’t meet too often, about once or twice a year and then usually while I’m conducting a class so I don’t have the time to get acquainted better. There is also a certain lack of motivation because even at its best marlberry is not a great trailside nibble. A complicating headache is there are several malberries of varying quality. They are also related to the invasive species Coral Berry, Ardisia crenata, which has been implicated in cattle poisoning. Reportedly found mid-Florida and south I have found Marlberries in Dreher Park in West Palm Beach, LaStrange Preserve in Ft. Pierce, and Emerson Point near Sarasota. As I have a foraging class in LaStrange this week and a private class at Emerson next week perhaps Marlberries and I will get a little more acquainted. Around the same time and in the same habitat you find Marlberries you can also see Rapanea punctata, Colicwood, one of those mystery pants one finds in wet woods this time of year. It looks like a drab cross between a mangrove and a beautyberry and used to be called Myrsine guianensis. Colicwood’s small yellow blossoms and black fruit grow directly on the branches, helping you identify it. There’s not a whole lot of literature on the species so the berries are probably not edible. As it is called “Colicwood” suggest some medicinal uses. To read more about the Marlberry and its strange relatives go here.

Another possible local species I need to study more is Aronia. also called Chokeberry (note it is chokeBERRY not chokeCHERRY.) They are common in the Carolinas particularly on the Appalachian Trail where they get the 800 or so chill hours they need each winter. The berries are a powerhouse of anti-oxidants. Like Morels they shouldn’t be found in Florida as it just does not get cold enough long enough here but yet… In Gainesville, Florida, I have seen a species that might be A. melanocarpa. Here at EatTheWeeds we use I.T.E.M. and E is for environment which includes climate and Florida is the wrong environment for the species. However, if you plant Aronias they will grow here and apparently fruit. It has been reported in Hawthorne Fl. which is 20-some miles down the road from Gainesville. In this case they are growing with a profusion of Deerberries near the Hawthorn Trail which are blossoming now and were mentioned in last week’s newsletter. Perhaps the Aronia was intentionally planted many years ago.

Making you own vinegar is not a complex process and following the process leads to success… eventually. Unfortunately many articles on the internet are high on praise and short on process.

Vinegar Flies are necessary to the making of your own vinegar.

I read one a few days ago that said get some fresh cider, put it in a container with a cloth over the top and in a couple of months you will have healthy, delicious vinegar. While that is not impossible it is not probable. I have made a lot of homemade vinegar and the process mentioned above always ended in smelly failure. It was only when I knew how to take control of the process did I actually make tasty vinegar of appropriate acid strength to be used for preserving and/or salads.

Red Wine Vinegar Mother also know as a Mycoderma.

The two major steps are collecting an acid bactar that throws a good flavor and then putting it in some un-chemicalized low-proof alcoholic beverage to turn it into vinegar. If you want to know the bare process yeast turns sugar to gas and alcohol then a bacteria turns the alcohol into acetic acid which is vinegar. Putting out a container of cider to ferment and turn to vinegar is letting nature choose the yeast and the bacteria. You could get two winners but even one loser turns the must into a mess. To read more about making vinegar go here.

Usnea has a round stem, is hairy and attaches to the tree in one spot. Photo by Green Deane

Almost all lichen are edible once leached of their bitter acids. The flavor ranges from bad to almost palatable. But, they are high in calories, have saved many a stranded hunter or downed pilot, and are found nearly worldwide. Lichens have been used in dyes, deodorants, laxatives, expectorants, tonics, and as one monograph put it, “healing pastes.” They are also an indicator of clean air. We’re more interested in Usnea than Ramalina for its medicinal qualities. Usnea is basically an antiseptic. While Ramalina and Usnea resemble each other there are three main differences: The Ramalina’s stems are flatish, Usnea is round; Ramalina does not appear to be hairy, Usnea looks hairy; and only Usnea — among all the many species of lichen, has an elastic, white inner core. If you want to read more about lichen (Yes, the rag lichen is edible but it tastes like dirty tree bark.)

This is weekly issue 350.

A Hickory, probably Pignut, putting on new leaves (the red part.)

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Newsletter 22 May 2018

by Green Deane

Heavy rains this past week kicked off the mushroom season for the year. Above are chanterelles among the best wild edible mushroom locally. Photo by Green Deane

Joshua Buchanan leading OMG’s first mushroom hunt of the season. Photo by Green Deane

The Orlando Mushroom Group (OMG!) met Sunday for their first fungal foray of the year. Despite heavy early rain and threats of a wet day 16 people braved the damp and ticks to hunt mushrooms near Sanford. Among the mushrooms seen or discusses were chanterelles, oysters, wood ears, puffballs, more iffy were Russulas, Agaricus, Lactarius, Lentinus, medicinal Reishi, and a few toxic Amanitas. There are at least 80 edible species of mushrooms in Florida. OMG is the only middle-state mushroom group I know of. Another outing at a different location is planned for late June or early July. It will be announced here or you can join the Orlando Mushroom Group page on facebook (along with Florida Mushroom Identification Forum, Edible Mushroom Florida, and the Southeastern US Mushroom Identification Forum.

Pawpaw in fruit and blossom. Photo by Green Deane

While scouting for mushrooms we also saw promise of a great season with the Vacciniums, aka, blueberries, huckleberries and deerberries. They have been mentioned several times in recent newsletters. There were enough early ripe ones for a nibble. The only real precaution besides species identification is to watch for Black Bears. Every time I have met a Black Bear in Florida woods it’s been near a patch of ripe Vacciniums. It is their grocery store after all. Black Bears are usually shy and run away but beware of mom and cubs. Also fruiting but more difficult to find ripe were Pawpaws. They, too, are a favorite with denizens of the woods. We found some setting fruit but also some just blossoming which suggests perhaps a long season this year. You can read about Pawpaws here.

Classes are held rain or shine.

Our foraging class in Largo also managed to beat out the Saturday rain. True Thistles were easy to find and comprise a stable for local foragers. First-year roots are tasty raw or cooked. One Eastern Red Bud still has some pods on them but a little too old to eat raw. Several Simpson Stoppers were getting ready to fruit and at least two “Eastern Cedars” had “berries.” The problem, of course, is while we call them “Eastern Cedars” they are really junipers and they don’t have berries but cones. This week I will be making two trips to southeast Florida. I have a Saturday class in Ft. Pierce and a Sunday class in West Palm Beach. Dress for rain!

Saturday, May 26th, George LeStrange Preserve, 4911 Ralls Road, Fort Pierce, FL, 34981. 9 a.m.

Sunday May 27th, Dreher Park, 1200 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 33405. 9 a.m., meet just north of the science center.

Saturday, June 2nd, Red Bug Slough Preserve, 5200 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL, 34233, 9 a.m.

Sunday June 3rd, Colby-Alderman Park: 1099 Massachusetts Street, Cassadaga. Fla. 9 a.m., meet near the restrooms.

Saturday, June 9th, Blanchard Park, 10501 Jay Blanchard Trail, Orlando, FL 32817. 9 a.m. Meet at the pavilion east of the tennis courts near the YMCA.

Sunday, June 10th, Boulware Springs Park, 3420 SE 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32641. Meet at the picnic tables next to the pump house, 9 a.m.

Saturday, June 16th, Florida State College, south campus, 11901 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, 32246, 9 a.m.

Sunday, June 17th, Wekiva State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Circle, Apopka, Florida 32712. 9 a.m. Meet at the Sand Lake Parking Lot. This is more wilderness than suburbia so there are more native plants than introduced ones.

To learn more about the classes go here.

Pregnancy and wild plants. In his book The Green Pharmacy James Duke, PhD, lists several wild edible plants to be avoided while pregnant. They are: juniper berries, mugwort, , mayapple, and evening primrose. Add to them Southern Wax Myrtle as well. There are also quite a few herbs to avoid as well including barberry root, cascara sagradea, feverfew, pokeroot, rue, senna, southernwood, tansy, thuja, mountain mint and St. Johns Wort. Carrot seed, incidentally, should not be consumed if you want to conceive. It has a chemical that prevents fertilized eggs from implanting.

Green Deane Forum

Want to identify a plant? Looking for a foraging reference? Do you have a UFO, an Unidentified Flowering Object you want identified? On the Green Deane Forum we chat about foraging all year. And it’s not just about warm-weather plants or just North American flora. Many nations around the world share common weeds so there’s a lot to talk about. There’s also more than weeds. The reference section has information for foraging around the world. There are also articles on food preservation, and forgotten skills from making bows to fermenting food. One special section is “From the Frightening Mail Bag” where we learn from people’s mistakes. You can join the forum by clicking on the button in the menu line.

Green Deane DVD Set

All of Green Deane’s videos available for free on You Tube. They do have ads on them so every time you watch a Green Deane video I get a quarter of one cent. Four views, one cent. Not exactly a large money-maker but it helps pays for this newsletter. If you want to see the videos without ads and some in slightly better quality you can order the DVD set. It is nine DVDs with 15 videos on each. Many people want their own copy of the videos or they have a slow service and its easier to order then to watch them on-line. They make a good gift for that forager you know. Individual DVDs can also be ordered. You can order them by clicking on the button on the top right of this page or you can go here.

Donations to upgrade EatTheWeeds.com and fund a book are going well and past 50%. Thank you to all who have contributed to either via the Go Fund Me link, the PayPal donation link or by writing to Green Deane POB 941793 Maitland FL, 32794. The site has been up for a dozen years, has always been free, and went through a couple of difficult upgrades. The most recent upgrades have been paid for, again thank you. Now I’m trying to include more than a year’s worth of newsletter into a new category function. Again, thank you.

This is weekly issue 305.

If you would like to donate to Eat The Weeds please click here.

Chanterelles have folds not gills and they have cross bridges. (Look in the middle of the photo.)

Americans inherited a fear of mushrooms from the English. The English are still fungi-phobes but not Europe. A mushroom the British would call “oily” a Ukrainian would call “buttery.” My goal for several years has been to identify the six to one dozen really easy-to-learn local edible mushrooms. Among the easiest and also the tastiest are chanterelles. They can be found from about June to October, maybe even a bit longer than that, and are easy to find and identify. In fact the hardest thing about chanterelles is cleaning them. Ours tend to grow low, we have sandy soil, and rain splatters the grit and debris and chanterelles have a lot of places to collect grit. They don’t have “gills” per se but wrinkles and those wrinkles collect bits of sand and leaf litter. Brushing doesn’t work well — washing’s a no-no — so I’m trying out techniques with my air compressor…

A new species: Cantharellus coccolobae

Not only don’t chanterelles have gills but they have cross wrinkles, like little bridges between two shores. That gives one confidence when identifying them. And, the list grows. Recently a new chanterelle was named from Florida. We’ve had one species of pink to red chanterelle, Cantharellus cinnabarinus. I found some under a Hawthorn tree in Ocala, Jervy Gantt Park. But some pink to red ones are also found under Sea Grape trees. They got a new name, Cantharellus coccolobae (named after the Sea Grape genus) and they taste good, too. This morning, in fact, I had an omelet made with freshly picked chanterelles, butter, a little sand for texture and a few bits of oak leaf for mystery.

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Newsletter 01 May 2018

by Green Deane

Sea Purslane helping to build Venice Beach by forcing wind to drop sand. Photo by Green Deane

Sea Purslane and Purslane are not the same species, they are not related, and they prefer different environments. But, there is a general resemblance between them; it just depends on how closely you look. Both are edible, look like succulents, grow in a similar pattern, and are close in coloring. But one prefers rich garden soil and the other tolerates salty areas. That said Sea Purslane will grow in your garden it just competes well in briny locations. It is one of those odds oversights that Sea Purslane is not protected like Sea Oats. Like edible Sea Oaks Sea Purslane helps build and maintain beach dunes.

Sea Purslane building its own mound and mini-environment. Photo by Green Deane

On the brackish inland water way you will find Sea Purslane almost anyplace near the water, mixed in with other salt-tolerant vegetation. But on the sea side it is one of the few edibles you will find directly on the beach, year round. Sea Purslane’s niche is that its fleshy leaves causes the sand-carrying wind to slow down. That make the wind drop the sand it was carrying. This makes little dunes and in time little dunes grow into big dunes. The Sea Purslane also keep growing to cover its own dune which helps to keep in moisture and reduce the sand temperature in the summer. In many areas of Asia Sea Purslane is a commercial vegetable. It’s also very easy to propagate. Just stick a stem in moist soil. To read more about Sea Purslane go here.

Sometimes even identifying a seaweed species can be tough. Photo by Green Deane

It is said that if a botany professor does not like a particular graduate student an impossible assignment is given: List all of the Hawthorne species. There is no agreement if there are hundreds of Hawthorne species or thousands. Blueberries are not quite as bad but it’s another family that can be difficult to sort out: Are there dozens or hundreds? My candidate for confusion is seaweed. Even with good descriptions each species can vary a lot making identification difficult. This seaweed was seen on Venice Beach after the 16th annual Sharky’s charity bike ride. My first problem is deciding if it is a brown seaweed or a red seaweed. I went with brown but that could be wrong. It seems reasonable to call it a Sargassum and yet there are two forms and many species. Some create a floating mat, the so called free-form. Others attach to something. This was clinging to a bit of seashell. At first I thought “Attached Sargassium” aka Sargassium hystrix. But that bothers me because “hystrix” means “bristly” or “spiny.” I could not see anything on this seaweed that could be called “bristly” or “spiny” yet it looks otherwise about right. The leaves are not toothy, the bladders do not have long stems or a hook on the end like other Sargassums. And it does have irregular dark spots on the leaves. To complicate the matter most S. hystrix have white veins and others do not such as S. hystrix var. buxifolium. I’m definitely in over my seaweed head. Good thing nearly all of them are edible. Perhaps someone will offer a more insightfult identification. To read more about Sargassums go here.

Always investigate Morning Glories that have big white blossoms. Photo by Green Deane

While on the beach I noticed a blossoming Morning Glory. I knew instantly that it would be one I would be interested in. Why? Let me tell you what I tell my foraging classes. After about 40 years of foraging I was organizing my Morning Glory information one day. Some are edible, some are famine food — eaten now and then or in small quantities — and some are mind altering. I did not have a flash of brilliance but one of color. Species of Morning Glories with blue blossoms are usually not edible, often can make you ill while simultaneously getting you high by having the LS part of LSD. Species of Morning Glories with pink blossoms are usually not edible and or are a famine food, kind of 50/50, some edible in small amounts for a while, some not edible at all. They tend to be coastal. And I ignored small white Morning Glory blossom or small white Morning Glories with a ruby throat. However… large white Morning Glory blossoms or large white Morning Glory blossoms with a ruby throat usually have something edible. Large in this case means blossom at least three to four inches long or longer. Which part is edible depends upon the species. You can read about them here.

Foraging classes are held rain, shine, hot or cold. Photo by Nermina Krenata

Foraging Classes: Strictly the east coast of Florida this weekend with a class in Jacksonville on Saturday and then one in Melbourne on Sunday.

Saturday, May 5th, Florida State College, south campus, 11901 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, 32246. 9 a.m. We will meet at building “D” next to the administration parking lot.

Sunday, May 6th, Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, FL 32935-2335. Meet at the “dog park” inside the park, 9 a.m.

Saturday, May 12th, Blanchard Park, 10501 Jay Blanchard Trail, Orlando, FL 32817. 9 a.m. Meet at the pavilion east of the tennis courts near the YMCA.

Sunday, May 13th, Bayshore Live Oak Park, Bayshore Drive. Port Charlotte, FL, 9 a.m. Meet at the parking lot across from Ganyard Street.

Saturday May 19th, Eagle Park Lake, 1800 Keene Road, Largo, FL 33771. 9 a.m. Meet at the pavilion near the dog park.

Sunday May, 20th, a non-Green Deane event. Join the Orlando Mushroom Group for its spring fungal Forage a few miles west of Sanford, Fl. For more information go the the Orlando Mushroom Group page on Facebook or see below.

Saturday, May 26th, George LeStrange Preserve, 4911 Ralls Road, Fort Pierce, FL, 34981. 9 a.m.

Sunday May 27th, Dreher Park, 1200 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 33405. 9 a.m. just north of the science center.

Saturday, June 2nd, Red Bug Slough Preserve, 5200 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL, 34233, 9 a.m.

Sunday June 3rd, Colby-Alderman Park: 1099 Massachusetts Street, Cassadaga. Fla. 9 a.m., meet near the restrooms.

Saturday, June 9th, Blanchard Park, 10501 Jay Blanchard Trail, Orlando, FL 32817. 9 a.m. Meet at the pavilion east of the tennis courts near the YMCA.

Sunday, June 10th, Boulware Springs Park, 3420 SE 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32641. Meet at the picnic tables next to the pump house, 9 a.m.

For more information about the foraging classes or to pre-pay go here.

The DVD set has 135 videos.

Spring orders have started their annual increase. All of Green Deane’s videos available for free on You Tube. They do have ads on them so every time you watch a Green Deane video I get a quarter of one cent. Four views, one cent. Not exactly a large money-maker but it helps pays for this newsletter. If you want to see the videos without ads and some in slightly better quality you can order the DVD set. It is nine DVDs with 15 videos on each. Many people want their own copy of the videos or they have a slow service and its easier to order then to watch them on-line. They make a good gift for that forager you know. Individual DVDs can also be ordered. You can order them by clicking on the button on the top right of this page or you can go here.

Green Deane Forum

Orlando Mushroom Group in the field.

As you can tell by the schedule above Orlando Mushroom Group will have its spring mushroom hunt with Joshua Buchanan May 20th at the Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park. That is on State Road 46 (west of Sanford.) Because of road construction the exact place where we will meet will be announced soon. Time: 9 a.m. Fee: $10 per adult. Rain or shine (except hurricanes.) Dress for bugs, walking and know rattle snakes are common in the area. We will be finding and identifying various local mushrooms. The location has produce a wide array of both edible and non-edible mushrooms from chanterelles to Lactifluus to Boletes. You can RSVP here and or email GreenDeane@gmail.com

Donations to upgrade EatTheWeeds.com and fund a book are going well. Thank you to all who have contributed to either via the Go Fund Me link, the PayPal donation link or by writing to Green Deane POB 941793 Maitland FL, 32794. Recent upgrades have been paid now the Forum needs work and several function problems need to be fixed specifically the search and categories. A new server also being considered. The other issue is finding an indexing program or function for a real book. Writing programs used to do it automatically if you designated a term for indexing. Now that most books are ebooks most writing programs do not provide and indexing function.

Jack in the Pulpit. Photo byGreen Deane

Jack In The Pulpit are strange plants. They’re listed amongst the edible species but they are barely edible. They also readily change sex. After reproducing they become males and do nothing but hang out on the forest floor drinking sunlight and making starch. When enough energy is collected for reproduction they become females… It’s not a species that does much dating. They are usually found in damp areas with dappled sunlight. To read more about Jacks you can go here.

This is weekly issue 302.

If you would like to donate to Eat The Weeds please click here.

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Browse Newsletter

by Green Deane

475
His name was Will Endres and he was a North Carolina herbalist…Poison ivy, foraging classes, horse mint, ground cherries, foraging USBs, the Green Deane Forum, Southern Wax Myrtle, https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-475-september-21-2021/474
https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-474-september-14-2021/

Chance happens in foraging.

Coralwood, Kudzu, Foraging Classes, Favolus Mushrooms, learning edibles, foraging USB, the Green Deane forum, aroma and cyanide

473

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-473-september-7th-2021/

It would be convenient if Pindo Palms fruited regularly.

Pindo palms seeds, Canna, Foraging classes, Ghost Pipes, Labor Day, Tallow Plums

472

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-472-august-31-2021/

Are there any Shiitake mushrooms locally?

Train Wrecker, Chicken of the Woods, Foraging Classes, Dogwood, Hackberries, Kudzu, foraging DVDs and the Green Deane Forum

471

A white Water Hyacinth was seen recently in the Little Econ River east of Orlando.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-471-august-24th-2021/

Water hyacinth, Foraging Classes, Wild grapes, Tumble Weed, Goldenrod, Swamp Mallow, Foraging USBs, the Green Deane forum, Donations

470

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-470-august-17th-2021/

One way northern and southern climates differ is the greater array of non-native species that are constantly being imported and or found in southern climates.

Torell’s Eucalyptus, Chaya, Guavas, Java Plum, Ground Cherries, Coco-plums, Natal Plum, Dragon Fruit, Podocarpus, Persimmons, Foraging USBs, Green Deane Forum, Donations, the Two-Leaf Nightshade

469

Plants remind one that weather is less dependable than we might think.

Jambul, Chanterelles, Cactus Fruit, Sugarberry, Doveweed, Foraging Classes, Isabelline, Foraging USBs, the Green Deane Forum, and Donations

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-469-august-10-2021/

468

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-468-august-3-2021/

Yes, there are land crabs in Florida and the rest of the gulf coast.

Land crabs, Foraging classes, Grapes, Podocarpus, Horsemint, Saw Palmetto, Goldenrod, Russian thistle, USBs, Green Deane Forum, donations.

467

Candyroot, Foraging Classes, Wild Grapes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Donations, Saw Palmetto, Barnyard Grass, Brookweed

Is it the season or is it the rain?

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-467-july-27th-2021/

466

This summer’s foraging classes at Putney Farm in Honea Path South Carolina are now history

Foraging in South Carolina, American Beech, Sourwood, Birches, Moringa, foraging Classes, Sumac, Country Wine, Saw Palmetto, foraging USB, Green Deane Forum, and Donations

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-466-july-20th-2021/

465

Newsletter #465, July 13th, 2021

Kousa Dogwood, Sassafras, Wild Carrots, Birches Apples

Apples, Mushrooms, Podocarpus, Foraging Classes, Knotweed, Cactus, Peppervine, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, donations,

464

In real estate it is location, location, location.

Blue Indigos, Milk Caps, Jelly Fungus, Strawberry Guava, Foraging Classes, Pandamus Grass, Smilax, Foraging DVDs, Green Deane Forum and Donations

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-464-july-6th-2021/

463

Podocarpus are not fickle but they are slightly unpredictable.

Podocarpus, Java Plum, Stillwater Canoe, Mushrooms, Foraging classes, Atamasco Lily, foraging USBs, the Green Deane Forum, and donations

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-463-june-29th-2021/

462

If you think you are not allergic to poison Ivy …

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-462-june-22-2021/

Poison Ivy, Socks and Pythons, Black Cherries, Pokeweed, Yuck, Foraging Classes, Cashews, USBs, the Green Deane Forum, Donations.

461

Sycamores, bacteria, Foraging Classes, Beautyberries, USBs, the Green Deane Forum, Donations, Sweet Acacia

Sugar maples are famous for their syrup but how many species of trees can you actually tap?

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-461-june-15th-2021/

460

What can be said about the Jambul Tree?

Jambul, Foraging Classes, Maypops, Pindo Palms, Chaya, Foraging USBs, Green Deane Forum, Donations,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-460-june-8th-2021/

459

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-459-june-1st-2021/

For more than 60 years I have associated Lilacs with June.

Lilacs, American Lotus, Foraging Classes, Chinese Tallow Tree, Eastern Hemlock, foraging USBs, the Green Deane Forum, Donations, toxic Atamaso Lilies.

This week’s debatable question is “can you eat elderberries raw?”

Elderberries, Two-leaf Nightshade, Foraging Classes, Morning Glories, foraging USBs, the Green Deane forum, donations, Jack in the Pulpit

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-458-may-25th-2021/

457

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-457-may-18th-2021/

Acres of wild blackberries….

Blackberries, foraging is illegal, Sea Blite, Foraging classes, Sea Purslane, foraging videos on USBs, the Green Deane Forum,

456

The Bunya Bunya and Norfolk Pine are closely related.

Bunya Bunya, Norfolk Pine, Allergic reactions, foraging classes, Chickasaw Plums, Blue Mushrooms, cattails, foraging videos on USBs, and the Green Deane Forum,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-456-may-4th-2021/

455

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-455-april-27th-2021/

Is it edible?

Evening Primrose, False dandelions, Yucca, Foraging classes, foraging videos on USBs, the Ghreen Deane Forum,

454

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-454-april-20-2021/

Pineapple Guava, Hercule’s Club, Usnea, Miner’s Lettuce, Foraging Classes, Paper Mulberry, Where do you forage, Foraging Videos, the Green Deane Forum, Brookweed,

Perhaps no ornamental has been championed as much as the Pineapple Guava

453

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-453-april-13-2021/

It’s about time to make a prediction.

Ringless Honey Mushrooms, Eastern Coral Bean, Foraging Classes, Watercress, Marlberries, Foraging Videos, Green Deane Forum, Donations,

452

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-452-april-6th-2021/

On the east coast of my native state of Maine about seven miles south of Portland is the Town of Scarbrough.

Paper Mulberries, Foraging Classes, Deer Mushrooms, Hercules Club, USB Videos, Green Deane Forum, Donations.

451

Which tree has more life, the Mulberry or the Moringa?

Mulberry, Atamasco lily, Foraging Classes, Blueberries, Huckleberries, Watercress, Foraging USBs, the Green Deane Forum, Smilax,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-451-march-30th-2021/

450

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-450-march-23-2021/

wisteria, Cherokee Rose, Deer Mushrooms, Foraging Classes, Hydrilla, Garlic, video USBs, Green Deane Forum, Donations

The weather may be chilly still it’s a hot time of year for foraging.

449

It’s not June that’s busting out all over but rather Vacciniums, mostly blueberries.

Vacciniums, groundnuts, evening primroses, foraging classes, video USBs, Pawpaws, Florida Pennyroyal,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-449-march-16-2021/

448

The Greeks were perhaps the first people to call things what they were such as “yoke mate” for spouse or “shiny leather” for the Reishi mushroom.

Bottlebrush tree, Candyroot, Loquats, Mulberries, Foraging classes. USB, the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-448-march-09-2021/

447

Fireweed, Latex Strangler Vine, Foraging Classes, Clover, Bacopa, Violets, USBs, Cashews

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-447-02-march-2021/

Fireweed/burnweed has a flavor chefs love.

446

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-446-feb-23-2021/

Loquats, Loquat wine, Wild Garlic, Foraging Classes, Chickweed, Lamb’s Quarters, Toxic Butterweed, Bulrush, USBs, and the Green Deane Forum,

While driving around have you seen a tree with large, dark green leaves and yellow fruit?

445

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-445-feb-16-2021/

Can you eat red mangroves?

Mangroves, foraging classes, plantagos, Passion Flowers, Black Medic, USBs&DVDs, Alligator pendent, and the Green Deane Forum

444

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-444-february-9th-2021/

Young and tender describes them best: Elm leaves we nibbled during our foraging class in Gainesville Saturday.

Elms, Eastern Red Bud, Foraging Classes, Ragweed, Cattails, Coquina, Mole Crabs, USBs & DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, nickerbeans, alligator tooth.

443

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-443-february-2-2021/

If you look across local lakes now you will see ruby red splotches on the horizon.

Maples, Drymaria, Foraging Classes, Seaweed, USBs & DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Jabuticaba,

442

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-442-january-26-2021/

Violets, False Hawk’s Beard, Foraging Classes, Stink Horns, Weed Seeds, USB & DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

A common blossom that’s easy to identify is the wild violet.

441

Our mighty stinging nettles are up.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-441-january-19-2021/

Stinging nettles, Sow Thistle, Foraging Classes, Chickweed, Wild Geraniums, Silverthorn, USBs & DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum

440

The Western Tansy Mustard is one of our shortest-lived wintertime forageables.

Western Tansy Mustard, Eastern Gamagrass, Begonias, Foraging Classes, Spiderworts, USBs&DVDs, the Green Deane Forum,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-440-january-12th-2021/

439

Our tasty winter green chickweed is in its glory.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-439-january-05-2021/

Chickweed, Sheep Sorrel, Oxalis, Latex Strangler Vine, Pellitory, Black Medic, Geranium, Horsemint, Henbit, Shepherd’s Purse, Plantain, Wild Mustard Radish, Canna, Cattails, Foraging Classes, Botany Builder #12, USB & DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum

438

What difference can 172.4 miles make?

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-438-december-29th-2020/

Goji berry, Sea Rocket, Black Medic, Harlequin Glorybower, Foraging Classes, Nagi Tree, Glasswort, USBs & DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

437

At what point does a “wild” plant become an edible plant?

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-437-december-22-2020/

Florida Thatch Palm, Sleepy Hibiscus, Cereus, Bauhinia, Foraging Classes, Cockroach Berry, Silverthorn, USBs and DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

436

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-436-december-15th-2020/

Usually we see Christmas Berries about April.

Christmas Berries. Foraging Classes, Sow Thistle, Mustards & Radishes, Black Calabash, USBs & DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum

435

Our first sighting of one of our winter comestibles happened Saturday

Chickweed, Ringless Honey Mushrooms, Foraging Classes, Henbit, Wild Geraniums, Peltate, Is this Plant Edible? foraging USB & DVDs, the Green Deane Forum,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-435-december-08-2020/

434

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-434-december-01-2020/

Winter Podocarpus, Acerola, Foraging Classes, Chufa, Redflower Ragweed, Weeds of Southern Turf Grasses, foraging USBs &DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.

Actually there’s nothing wrong with the photo per se, it’s the time of year that’s different.

433

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-433-november-24-2020/

Every April of so we go looking for Wild Garlic…

Wild Garlic, Big Caltrop, Foraging Classes, Ghost Pipes, Balm of Gilead, USBs & DVDs, Green Deane Forum

432

We are shifting mushrooms seasons from terrestrial to trees or ground to wood.

Lion’s Mane, Gooseberries, Foraging classes, Sea Purslane, Foraging in urban areas, USB and DVDs, the Green Deane forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-432-november-17th-2020/

431

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-431-november-10-2020/

While looking for the yellow-blossomed Dandelions…

Dandelions, Mustard and radishes, Plantains, Foraging Classes, Brazilian Pepper,Skunk Vine, USBs & DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

430

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-430-november-3-2020/

During our foraging class in West Palm Beach Sunday we saw inch-high sprouts of the winter edible Pellitory.

Pellitory, Poor Man’s Peppergrass, Foraging classes, Seaweed, Jelly Fish, Southern Wax Myrtle, Stinkhorns, Jack Ol Lanterns, USBs & DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.

429

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-429-october-27-2020/

During our foraging class Sunday in Gainesville we dug up a couple of Winged Yams.

Winged Yams. Tropical Almond, Foraging Classes, Roses, Bay Leaves, Citron Melon, the Honeycomb Mushroom, USBs and DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.

428

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-428-october-20-2020/

Country Wine, Foraging Classes, Chinese Tallow Tree, Caesarweed, Cambium, USBs and DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, and Ceibas

Three reasons prompted me to resurrect my wine-making past.

427

Mother Nature has her own schedule.

Ringless Honey Mushrooms, Golden Rain Tree, Foraging Classes, Dragon Fruit, Partridgeberry, DVDs & USB, the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-427-october-13-2020/

426

Fall is a good time to write about Yellow Pond Lilys.

Yellow Pond Lilys, Persimmons, Monstera deliciosa, Turkey Tails, Foraging Classes, Sida, sumacs, two sages and a pusley, USBs and DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-426-october-6-2020/

425

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-425-september-29th-2020/

The question isn’t whether Reishi mushrooms grow in North America.

Reishi mushrooms, Wax Myrtle Berries, Foraging Classes, American Beautyberries, Sea and Wood Oats, Ground Cherries, Anoles, Chestnut Bolete, DVDs and USB, the Green Deane Forum.

424

Horsemint is in season and easy to find.

Horsemint, Crowfoot Grass, Foraging Classes, Apples, the aroma of wild food, plant pronunciations, foraging DVDs and USB, the Green Deane Forum,

423

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-423-september-15th-2020/

No one told the Ringless Honey Mushrooms it isn’t November.

Ringless Honey Mushrooms, the Syzygiums, Foraging Classes, Heartwing Sorrel, Bacopa, Groundnuts, USB and DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum

422

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-422-september-8th-2020/

Pindo and Queen Palms, Canna, Indian Pipes, Foraging Classes, Scrumping, USBs and DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.

421

In the backwoods of Maine where I grew up Dogwoods were small.

Perennial Peanut, Kousa Dogwood, Sugarberry/Hackberry, Foraging Classes, Ground Cherries, foraging DVDsUSBs, the Green Deane Forum.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-421-september-01-2020/

420

Gracie gets the prize.

Black Trumpets, Persimmons, foraging classes, Kudzu, Wild Apples, the toxic False Parasol, foraging USBs and DVDs, and the Green Deane forum.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-420-august-25th-2020/

419

Last Sunday’s foraging class — Haulover Canal — was a hot one with a lot of walking.

Tallow Plums, Foraging Classes, Goldenrod, Saw Palmettos, White Spiderling, Sumac, foraging DVDS & USBs,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-419-august-18th-2020/

418

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-418-august-11-2020/

There is probably some Syzygium in your kitchen.

Bunya Bunyas, Syzygiums, Chanterelles, Cactus Tuna, Sugarberry, Doveweed, Isabelline, foraging DVDs and USB, the Green Deane Forum…

417

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-417-august-04-2020/

Wild mints can be prima donnas.

Horsemint, Russian Thistle, Foraging Classes, Goldenrod, Swamp Mallow, foraging videos, Green Deane Forum, Pindo Palms

416

With apologies this newsletter is starting with the foraging class schedule.

Wild Grapes, foraging class schedule, Pepper Vine, Podocarpus, Country Wine Update, Sumacs, Saw Palmettos, Foraging Videos, Green Deane Forum, Black Gum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-416-july-29th-2020/

415

July is passing and that means many different things to foragers depending upon your location on the rotation.

Forked-tendril grapes, pindo palms, cactus, foraging classes, the false roselle, barnyard grass, strawberry guava, foraging DVDs & USB, the green Deane Forum,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-415-july-21-2020/

414

It’s called Pandanus and Screw Pine and a lot of other names as well.

Pandanus Grass, Smilax walteri, Foraging Classes, Knotweed, Pineapple Weed, Tamarind, Toe Biters, foraging videos on USB, and the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-414-july-14th-2020/

413

Is it time to rethink Magnolias?

Magnolias, Foraging Classes, Podocarpus, Florida Wine, Bread and Beer, Foraging Videos on USB, Green Deane Forum, Strawberry Guavas

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-413-july-7-2020/

412

First an apology to those who showed up for a class last Sunday at Haul Over Canal to find, like me, the road closed.

Chamberbitters, foraging classes, Grapes, Magnolias, videos on USB, Green Deane Forum, and Bacopa

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-412-june-30th-2020/

411

What can be said about the Jambul Tree?

Jambul Tree, Foraging Classes, Morning Glories, Boletes, Poke Sallet, Tindora, Foraging Videos on USBs, and the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-411-june-23-2020/

410

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-410-june-16th-2020/

Sugar maples are famous for their syrup but how many species of trees can you actually tap?

Tapping trees, grapes, foraging classes, American Beautyberries, Creeping Fig, Richardia, videos on USBs and the Green Deane Forum

409

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-409-june-9-2020/

There’s an old song “what a difference a day makes.”

Mushroom class, foraging classes, Natal Plum, Surinam Cherries, Foraging videos on USBs, the Green Deane Forum.

408

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-408-june-2-2020/

Yellow ponds, that’s how I think of it, or in some places, yellow rivers.

American Lotus, Jack in the Pulpit, Black Cherries, a toxic lily, Chinese Tallow Tree, Foraging Classes, Maypops, Videos on USBs, and the Green Deane Forum.

407

In the realm of plant populations there is endangered, threatened then rare.

Candyroot, American Lotus, Foraging Classes, Eggs, USBs and the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-407-may-26-2020/

406

This was a “Prunus” foraging week.

Chickasaw Plums, Indigo Milk Cap, Black Medic, Foraging Classes, Cattails, Foraging Videos, Podocarpus, Wine Making, Blue Porter Weed, Green Deane Forum, Wild Pineapple.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-406-may-19-2020/

405

We are in between mushroom seasons, so to speak.

Boletes, Society Garlic, Gopher Apples, Foraging Classes, Foraging DVDs/USBs, Botany Builder #28, Maypops, Toxic Cherry Laurel, Cochineal Dye, and the Green Deane Forum.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-12-may-2020/

404

This week’s debatable question is “can you eat elderberries raw?”

Elderberries, Grapes, Common Plant Names, Redflower Ragweed, Fakahatchee Grass, Ground Nuts, Foraging Classes, Foraging videos, Wild Coffee and Coralberry, the Green Deane Forum.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-05-may-2020/

403

Now is a good time to go looking for blackberries.

Blackberries, Pineapple Guava, the Bacopas, Foraging Classes, Foraging Videos now on USB drives, Eastern Coral Bean, Coquina, Green Deane Forum, and Cotton

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-28-april-2020/

401-402

At one time there were just Opuntias.

Cactus, Gopher Apples, Deerberries, Foraging Classes, Mushrooms, Foraging DVDs, Persimmons, Avocados, Paper Mulberry, Pawpaw, Smartweed, Green Deane Forum and YUCK!,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-april-14-21-2020/

400

Watercress grew in a ditch behind an apartment complex I lived in near Sanford, Florida…

Watercress, Wild Garlic, Marlberries, Chokeberries, American Nightshade, Chamberbitter, Green Deane Forum, Donations, DVDs

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-7-april-2020/

399

Blossoming this time of year is the Eastern Coral Bean, sometimes called the Cherokee Bean.

Eastern Coral Bean, Sea Blite, Foraging Classes, Pineapple Guava, Foraging DVDs, Variegated Mahoe, Australian Pine, Bananas, Green Deane Forum, Donations, Making Wine

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-31-march-2020/

398

If you have an established ivy gourd…

Ivy Gourd, Swinecress, Foraging Classes, Cashews, Henbit, Purslane, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Donations, Basswood,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-24-march-2020/

397

A common blossom that’s easy to identify is the wild violet.

Violets, Seablite, Loquats, foraging classes, Redflower Ragweed, Latex Strangler Vine, Green Deane Forum, Donations, DVDs, Ivy Gourd

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-17-march-2020/

396

Fireweed/Burnweed has a flavor chefs love.

Fireweed/Burnweed, Clover, Foraging Classes, Waning Weeds, Fungi, Creeping Cucumber, Bacopa, Pennyroyal, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Donations

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-10-march-2020/

395

A few newsletters ago it was mentioned the Mulberries were in blossom.

Mulberries, foraging classes, Pawpaws, Time Change, Dandelions and False Dandelions, Winter Plants and Wintergreen, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Donating, and foraging photo #19

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-3-march-2020/

394

Species in the Rumex genus can be difficult.

Rumex, Foraging Classes, Citron Melons, Loquat, Clover, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDS, Donations,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-25-february-2020/

393

What are those white blossoms?

Plums, Hawthorns, Pawpaw, Foraging Classes, Blewit, Wild Garlic, Plantagos, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Donations, Botany Builder #38.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-18-february-2020/

392

It’s time for my annual warning about Butterweed

Butterweed, Bulrush, Foraging Classes, Wild Pineapple, Red Powder Puff, DVDs, Creeping Indigo warning, Green Deane forum, donations,

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-11-february-2020/

391

Most trees in the Pea Family are toxic but not all of them.

Eastern redbud, Cattails, Pines, Foraging Classes, Coquina and Mole Crabs, Acorns, Plantagos, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-04-february-2020/

390

While driving through the middle of the peninsula this week I noticed Lambsquarters in their most common seasonal place: Citrus groves.

Lambsquarters, Foraging Classes, Passifloras, Doveweed, Axils, Jelly Fish, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Donations

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-28-january-2020/

389

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-21-january-2020/

Cladonia is a large genus of edible but not tasty lichen.

Lichen, foraging classes, Botany Builder 28, Wild Lettuce, Removing Invasive Species, Botanical Names, Black Medic, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Donations

388

It’s rather obvious that wintertime foraging varies where you live.

Winter Foraging, Chickweed and edible friends, Foraging classes, Sublimed sulfur, A cheap foraging book, Details and Solanum Americanum, Oyster Mushrooms, DVDs, Donations and the Green Deane Forum.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-14-january-2020/

387

Eastern Gamagrass, aka Fakahatchee Grass, is an edible you don’t see and then you do.

Eastern Gamagrass, Ivy Gourd, Foraging Classes, Teas, Botany Builder #10, Carpetweed, Donations, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-7-january-2020/

386

There’s no reason to buy mustard greens now.

Wild mustard and radish, Butter and Ruby Boletes, Foraging Classes, Edible Blossoms, Surinam Cherries, toxic Creeping Indigo.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-31-december-2019/

385

It’s a good time to mention the toxic Butterweed and Rattlebox.

Butterweed, Foraging Classes, Roses, Hawthorns, Euell Gibbons and Nutrition, Rattlebox

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-24-december-2019/

384

Plants give you something to look forward to especially if you know where and when to look.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-17-december-2019/

Wild Garlic, Chickweed, Goosegrass, Sow Thistle, Stinging Nettles, Dandelions, Sycamore, Foraging Classes, Tar Vine, Desert Horse Purslane, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Go Fund Me, Urban Crawl

383

Mother Nature can be fickle and it’s almost always tied to weather.

Grapes, Swinecress, Silverthorn, Foraging Classes, False Hawk’s Beard, Jelly Ears, Botany Builder #31, Cactus, the Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Go Fund Me

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-10-december-2019/

382

Pyracanthas are furious in the fall.

Pyrachanthas Chinese and Siberian Elms, Silverthorn, Foraging Classes, Drymaria, Botany Builder #30, Magnolia Blossoms, Ginkgo, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me, Pollination in a word, and Remembering Nefertiti

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-3-december-2019/

381

This time of year two wintertime foragables come up, one quite esteemed the other barely edible.

Henbit, Wild Geraniums, Foraging Classes, Chickweed, Horse Nettle & Tropical Soda Apple, Bananas

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-26-november-2019/

380

wild Mustards and radishes, Toxic Water Hemlock, Smartweed, Foraging Classes, Golden Rain Tree, Skunk Vine, Scat Contamination, Lady Bugs, and Lion’s Mane

Many foraging books are what I call “Ohio-centric.”

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-19-november-2019/

379

Dandelions, Seaweed, Foraging classes, Jellyfish, Wax Myrtle Berries, the Stinkhorn and Jack O’Lanterns, Mustards and Radishes, the Green Deane Forum, Donations, and foraging DVDs

Dandelion blossoms, ten pounds of sugar, and two cakes of bread yeast became my first batch of wine.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-05-november-2019/

378

Edible Mushrooms, Foraging Classes, Tie Change, Blue and Red Sages and Oakleaf Flea Bane, Chinese Elm, Christmasberries, Wild Mustards, donations, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.

Unusual rains last week coaxed more life out of several edible mushroom species that were seasonally put to bed a month ago.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-29-october-2019/

377

Cucumber Tree, Paul Dreher, Sida, Turkey Tails, Foraging Classes, Palmate Leaves, Richardia, Perennial Peanut, Caesarweed, Botanical Names, Donations, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.

Foraging is treasure hunting for adults

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-22-october-2019/

376

As is often the case one can walk past edible species many times and not notice them.

Cinnamon, Dragon Fruit, Foraging Classes, Sumac, Persimmons, Yellow Pond Lily, Donations, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-15-october-2019/

375

The fruiting of species can be a mystery.

Cocoplums, Simpson Stopper, Coconut borer, Southern Wax Myrtle, Foraging Classes, Ringless Honey Mushrooms, White American Beautyberries, Wood Oats, Donations, foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-08-october-2019/

skipped a week, wordpress down

374

Panicum is a very common group of edible native and non-native grasses in Florida and North America.

Panic Grass, Aromas, Plant Pronunciations, Foraging Classes, Purslane, Pindo Palm Wine, Donations, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-24-september-2019/(opens in a new tab)

373

It’s the time of year to talk about Saw Palmetto berries.

Saw Palmettos, Tallow Plum, Foraging Classes, Wild Apples, Elevation, Donations, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum

Newsletter 17 September 2019

372

Seagrapes are coming into season.

Seagrapes, Doveweed, Foraging near roads. Foraging Classes this week, Black & Sweet Gums, Isabelline and Mushrooms of the Gulf South.

Newsletter 10 September 2019

371

Newsletter 03 September 2019

Labor Day used to mean more than hurricanes threatening the east coast from Florida to Maine.

Labor Day, Creeping Fig, Foraging Classes in spite of Hurricane Dorian, Liatris, Poke Weed, Yellow Pond Lilly, Poke Weed, Mosquitos & Beer, Lawns Aren’t Green, donations,

370

It’s the time of year when Horsemint is easy to find.

Horsemint, Cocoplums, Natal Plumbs; Mushroom, Chitin, Arsenic and Insects; Stevia and Ragweed, Foraging Classes, Railroad Tracks, Goldenrod, Go Fund Me

Newsletter 27 August 2019

369

I never receive mail about Lion’s Ear.

Newsletter 20 August 2019

Lion’s Ear, Brazilian Nightshade, Foraging Classes, Sida, Gopher Apples and Tallow Plums, White Chicken of the Woods, Go Fund Me, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.

368

The Water Hyacinth is blooming and no doubt many people are irritated by that.

Newsletter 13 August 2019

Water Hyacinth, Milk Cap Mushrooms, Foraging Classes, Kudzu, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Go Fund Me, and I need a webmaster.

367

Bunya Bunya get no respect

Bunya Bunya, Red Spiderling, Goldenrod, Sugarberry, Foraging Classes, Horsemint, Sweet Gum/Black Gum, The False Parasol: A mushroom to avoid, Green Deane Forum, Russian Thistle and railroad tracks, Foraging DVDs, Go Fund me, and I need a webmaster.

Newsletter 6 August 2019

366

What’s in season to forage? Many species now perhaps because of unusual weather pattens this year.

What plants can you forage for now, what mushrooms can you forage now, foraging classes, Blue Porter Weed, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me

365

It’s common yet uncommon, that is, not rare but you don’t notice it too often.

Hawthorns, American Lotus, Upcoming foraging class schedule, Chanterelles, Burgoo and Loblollies, Donations, the Green Deane Forum, foraging DVDs

Newsletter 23 July 2019

364

One more abbreviated newsletter with schedule because I have been teaching out-of-state.

Newsletter 16 July 2019

Newsletter 23 July 2019

363

Newsletter 9 July 2019

This and next week’s newsletters (July 9 & 16, 2019) are abbreviated because…

362

One would think that with a name like “Barnyard Grass” one would find the species in barnyards.

Barnyard Grass, Strawberry Guava, Seaside Gentian, Spanish Needles, Toxic polypore, Foraging Classes, Teaching in South Carolina, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum, foraging DVDs

Newsletter 2 July 2019

361

Yes it is edible but….

The other White Chicken-of-the-Woods, Two-Leaf Solanum, Norfolk Pines and the Bunya Bunya, Foraging Classes Florida, Foraging Classes South Carolina. Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum, and foraging DVDs

Newsletter 25 June 2019

360

Ground cherries locally tend to have two seasons, spring and fall.

Ground Cherries, South Carolina Foraging Classes, new food crops, Florida Foraging Classes, the Winged Yam, Passion Flower, the toxic Cherry Laurel, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum, foraging DVDs

Newsletter 18 June 2019

359

Yellow ponds, that’s how I think of it, or in some places, yellow rivers.

American Lotus, South Carolina Foraging Classes, Local Foraging Classes, the toxic Atamasco Lily, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Juniper Berries, Go Fund Me, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, the Chinese Tallow tree

Newsletter 11 June 2019

358

From a foraging point of view it was a very berry weekend starting with Coastal Ground Cherries, Physalis angustifolia in Port Charlotte.

Ground Cherries, Cassine, Marco Island, Classes in South Carolina, Foraging Classes Florida, How Safe Is Foraging, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum, DVDs

Newsletter 4 June 2019

357

The first time I ever saw red poppies growing was in Athens on my first visit to Greece

Corn Poppies, Impatiens, Smartweed, Mushroom Update, Foraging Classes, Botany Builder #28 Echinate, Blue Porterweed, Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me, DVDs, and Wild Pineapple

Newsletter 28 May 2019

356

If you were starving and came upon a patch of cattails you would have great cause for celebration.

Cattails, Kudzu, Acorns, Lantana, Foraging Classes, Gopher Apples, Go Fund Me, and foraging DVDs

Newsletter 21 May 2019

355

The American Nightshade is a much-maligned plant

American Nightshade, Ground Cherry, Blueberries et cetera, Carolina Bristle Mallow, Foraging Classes, Juniper Berries, Donations, the Green Deane Forum, foraging DVDs

Newsletter 14 May 2019

354

There’s an odd kind of mulberry here in Florida.

Basswood (The Linden/Lime Tree) Chestnut Bolete, Foraging Classes, Kudzu, Wild Pineapple, Winged Yam, Foraging DVDs, Ivy Gourd, Donations, Gamagrass/Fakahatchee Grass, the Green Deane Forum

Newsletter 7 May 2019

353

There’s still time to look for Sea Blite, a seasonal salt-tolerant species that’s here this month, gone next month

Sea Blite, Sugarberry, Foraging Classes, the Mahoe, Partridgeberry, Marlberries Revisited, DVDs, Donations and the Green Deane Forum.

Newsletter 30 April 2019

352

By April Stinging Nettles are usually gone for the season.

Newsletter 23 April 2019

Stinging nettles, Green Mushrooms, Suriname Cherries, Wild Garlic, Foraging Classes, Miner’s Lettuce, Confederate Jasmine, Florida Pennyroyal, Redvein Abutilon, DVDs, Go Fund Me, and the Green Deane Forum

351

If you are in the habit of eating wild mushrooms

Newsletter 16 April 2019

Five Edible Wild Mushrooms, Pineapple Guava, Eastern Coral Bean, Forestiera segregata the Florida Privet, Weekly Foraging Classes, Wild Edibles and locations they like, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, and Go Fund Me

350

Watercress/Wintercress grew in a ditch behind an apartment complex I lived in…

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-09-april-2019/

Watercress, Wild Garlic, Upcoming Foraging Classes, Marlberries, Chokeberry, Making You Own Vinegar, Usnea, DVDS, Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me, A Leafing Hickory

349

Tallow Plums are something of a botanical mystery.

Newsletter 2 April 2019

Tallow Plums, Wild Garlic, Blueberries and relatives, Toothache Tree as a source of pepper, Foraging Classes, Eastern Coral Bean, American Nightshade, Soon it will be mushroom season, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Go Fund Me.

348

A few newsletters ago it was mentioned Mulberries were in blossom…

Newsletter 26 March 2019

Mulberries, Creeping Cucumber, Coco-plums, Foraging Classes and a new location, toxic Butterweed, Suriname Cherries, Green Deane Forum DVDS, Fermenting Spiderwort, Go Fund Me…

347

Pawpaws can be among the most difficult and easy wild fruits to find.

Newsletter 19 March 2019

Pawpaws, Eating Grass, Foraging Classes, sickening Tropical Sage, Wisteria, Gladiolus, Raceme vs Spike, the Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Go Fund Me.

346

With an impossible scientific name and strong aroma Fireweed is often over looked by the foraging community.

Fireweed, Mayflowers, Lilacs, Pussy Willows, Foraging Classes, Mistetoe, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Go Fund Me, Drying Loquats

Newsletter 12 March 2019

345

Most foragers know Smilax tips are edible.

Newsletter 5 March 2019

Smilax berries, Marlberries, Daylight Saving Time, True Thistles, Coquina & Mole Crabs, Botanical Names, Foraging Classes, the Green Deane Forum, DVDs, and Go Fund Me

344

Heads up, literally: Loquats are ripening.

Newsletter 26 February 2019

Loquats, Blackberries, Mulberries. Maypops, Creeping Cucumbers, Dollarweed, Strange Time of Year, Foraging Classes, Eau de Rodent, Turkey Berry, Toxic Tomatoes, the Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Go Fund Me,

343

Lamb’s Quarters… Fat Hen… and where to find it.

Newsletter 19 February 2019

Lamb’s Quarters, Citron Melons, Last Average Frost Date, Maple Seeds, Eastern Red Bud, Pink Tabebuia, Loquats, Pawpaws, Surinam Cherries, Cocoplum, Wild Mustard, Wild Radish, Blackberries. Agaricus campestris, Foraging Classes, Go Fund Me, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Plantago rugelii

342

The Western Tansy Mustard is one of our shortest-lived winter-time forageables.

Newsletter 12 February 2019

Western Tansy Mustard, Bittercress, Micro-Mustards, Black Medic, Foraging Classes, Florida Herbal Conference, Doveweed, the Larch, Tulips, Go Fund Me, Green Deane Forum, DVDs,

341

Going north to forage is always pleasant this time of year.

Newsletter 5 February 2019

Wild Garlic, Black Cherry vs Laurel Cherry, Elderberries, Foraging Classes, Lawns Aren’t Green, Florida Herbal Conference, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs

340

Yeah… that’s a mouthful…

Male Pine Cones, Poorman’s Pepper Grass and Maca, Perennial Peanut, Foraging Classes, Seaweeds, Dandelions, Nicker Beans, Florida Herbal Conference, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, and Trametes lactinea.

Newsletter 29 January 2019

339

An often overlooked wild edible is Bulrush.

Newsletter 22 January 2019

Bulrushes, Candyroot, Florida Pennyroyal, Sow Thistle, Wild Pineapple, Florida Herbal Conference, Calliandra, Foraging Classes, Blewits, Magnesium Deficiencies, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me, Spanish Cherries

338

Newsletter 15 January 2019

A common blossom that’s easy to identify is the wild violet. It’s cultivated brethren is the pansy.

Violets, foraging mistakes, upcoming foraging classes, the Florida Herbal Conference, Bauhinias, False Hawks Beard, Green Eyes, Florida Privet, foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me, Swinecress, Stink Horns, and Lawns Aren’t Green.

337

Newsletter 08 January 2019

There are Plantains that look like tough bananas and there are Plantains that are low and leafy plants.

Plantains/Plantagos, Fleabane, Goji Berry, Sycamore tree, Sublimed Sulfur, Richardia, Foraging Classes, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me.

336

Newsletter, 01 January 2019

Newsletter, 01 January 2019

Making their winter debut are our stinging nettles and they might have the second-worst nettle sting on earth.

Stinging nettles, Sow Thistles, Chickweed, Foraging Classes, Podocarpus Mystery, Hen Bit, the “Bills”, Wax Myrtle Berries, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me

335

Newsletter 18-25 December 2018

Newsletter 18-25 December 2018

Newsletter 18-25 December 2018

A winter edible you should be scouting for is Galium aparine, or Goosegrass…

Goosegrass, Jelly Ears, False Hawk’s Beard, Roses, Nickerbeans, Christmasberry, Dandelion, Lemon Bacopa and it’s evil bitter sister Water Hyssop, Foraging Classes, Pinellas County, Foraging Videos, Go Fund Me, Green Deane Forum, Thistle Seeds, 8th Annual Urban Crawl

334

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-11-december-2018/

Pyracanthas are furious in the fall. Their brilliant red berries stand out in every landscape

Pyracanthas, Gingko, Chickweed, Hibiscus, Bauhinia, Foraging Classes, Death By Apple Seeds, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Go Fund Me, can you ID the edibles?

333

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-04-december-2018/

Both the Chinese and Siberian elms have several edible parts.

Chinese and Siberian elms, if an animal can eat it, West Indian Chickweed, upcoming Foraging Classes, Passiflora lutea, the Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me, Foraging videos, and oaks

332

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-27-november-2018/

Foragers benefit from bad ideas.

Silverthorn, Little Mustards, Creeping Cucumber, Foraging Classes, Go Fund Me, Wax Myrtle, Green Deane Forum, Indian Pipes, Foraging Videos,

331

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-20-november-2018/

The seasons are changing and so is the foraging with a shift into not only fall but winter plants.

Christmasberry, Sugarberry, Foraging Classes, Carpetweed, Beefsteak Polypore, Go Fund Me. Green Deane Forum, Foraging videos

330

Common plant names can be so misleading.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-13-november-2018/

Silk Floss Tree, Pandanus Grass, Sand Spurs, Stinging Nettle, Foraging Classes, Chicken of the Woods, Go Fund Me, Foraging DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum

329

We don’t have the opportunity to often use the word “windfall”…

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-november-06-2018/

Chinese elm, pines and inner bark, jellyfish, wild oaks and sea purslane, foraging classes, personal notes, donations, DVD and the Green Deane Forum

328

The tree is easy to find but is it edible?

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-30-october-2018/

Golden Rain Tree, Daylight Saving Time, Back Yard Foraging and Pets, Foraging Classes, Smartweed, Go Fund Me, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum

327

Learning about edible wild plants seem intimidating at first.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-23-october-2018/

Ringless Honey Mushroom, Foraging Class Schedule, Morning Glories, Go Fund Me, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum,

326

Our Sumacs are happy.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-16-october-2018/

Sumacs, Persimmons, What is Edible? Foraging Classes, Perennial Peanut, Sea Grapes, Go Fund Me, Green Deane Forum, foraging DVDs,

325

This might be a good time to write about Yellow Pond Lilys.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-09-october-2018/

Yellow Pond Lily, Papaya and Castor Beans, Sida, Turkey Tails, False Turkey Tails, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Go Fund Me, Green Deane Forum.

324

Is it edible? Yes, no, maybe…

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-2-october-2018/

Chinese Tallow Tree, Caesarweed, Horsemint, Oyster Mushrooms, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum.

323

Seasons can be subtle

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-25-september-2018/

Seasons, Jambul Tree, Mushrooming, Saw Palmaettos, Foraging Classes. Toxic Caterpillars, Foraging Videos, and the Green Deane Forum.

322

It was on the side of the bike trail, half squished.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-18-september-2018/

Persimmons, Ringless Honey Mushrooms, Bananas, Foraging Classes, Peppervine, Foraging Videos, Green Deane Forum,

321

In the backwoods of Maine where I grew up Dogwoods were small.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-11-september-2018/

Kousa Dogwood, Canna, Ground Cherries, Cocoplums, Foraging Classes, Foraging DVDs, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum, OMG!, Carpetweed, Indian Pipes

320

In the olden BC days… before computers…

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-04-september-2018/

Fall foraging, foraging classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Go Fund me, Creeping Fig

319

Still unpacking from my road trip (which is my excuse for this shorter-than-usual weekly newsletter.)

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-28-august-2018/

Mushroom class, foraging class in South Carolina, Foraging Classes, Kudzu, Radium Weed, DVDs, Go Fund Me, the Green Deane Forum

318

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-21-august-2018/

This is an abbreviated newsletter

Foraging class schedule for August and September 2018

317

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-14-august-2018/

Bunya Bunya get no respect in countries where people have plenty of food.

Bunya Bunya, Norfolk Pine, Black Gum, Sugarberry, Erect Spiderling, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Foraging Classes, Go Fund Me,

316

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-08-august-2018/

There’s an old phrase: “Sometimes you have to bow to the absurd”

Chanterelles, Black Trumpet, Sumac, Foraging Classes, Horsemint, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Go Fund Me,

315

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-31-july-2018/

Putting on black fruit now is the much-debated Peppervine, Ampelopsis arborea.

Peppervine, Pindo Palms, Foraging Classes, Americaln Lotus, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Where the wild food is.

314

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-24-july-2018/

Our foraging class in Port Charlotte this past week was above and beyond if you like fruit.

Cocoplums, Jambul Tree, Mangos, Ground Cherries, Foraging Classes, Fermenting Mushrooms, Blue Porterweed, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum,

313

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-17-july-2018/

Millions of dollars and many decades have been spent trying to eradicate the edible pictured above.

Latex Strangler Vine, Beefstake Polypore, Sugarberry, Foraging Classes, Eastern Gammagrass, Purslane, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Lawns Aren’t Green,

312

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-10-july-2018/

Lobsters… no, not the kind from the sea but the woods: Lobster mushrooms.

Magnolias, Lobster Mushrooms, Foraging Classes, Carpetweed, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Bacterial Considerations,

311

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-3-july-2018/

There’s a wonderfully aromatic plant that prefers to hide most of the year.

Horsemint, Tallow Plum, Orlando Mushroom Group, Pecan Truffles, Foraging Classes, and DVDs

310

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-26-june-2018/

Podocarpus does not, as they used to say, have an attitude.

Podocarpus, Simpson Stopper, Orlando Mushroom Group, Foraging Classes, Jack In The Pulpit, Green Deane Forum, and foraging DVDs.

309

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-19-june-2018/

Paper Mulberries are related to bread fruit.

Paper Mulberries, St. John’s Mint, Black Gum, Podocarpus, Poison Sumac, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Blue Porterweed

308

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-12-june-2018/

Sorting out Morning Glories, Maypops and plants with cyanide, a Bolete with no name, Foraging Classes, Eating Little Red Bugs, the Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs,

307

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-05-june-2018/

Yellow ponds, that’s how I think of it…

American Lotus, Black Cherry, Foraging Classes, Toxic Atamasco, Milk Caps. The Old Man of the Woods, Green Deane Forum, Chinese Tallow tree, foraging DVDs,

306

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-29-may-2018/

Yucca is not Yuca. Or said another way: YOU-ka is not YUK-ka.

Yucca, Matchhead, Oaxaca Lemon Verbena, Doveweed, Ficus Racemosa, American Nightshade, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Eastern Hemlock

305

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-22-may-2018/

The Orlando Mushroom Group (OMG!) met Sunday for their first fungal foray of the year.

Orlando Mushroom Group, Pawpaws, Foraging Classes, Pregnancy and Plants, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Go Fund Me, and Chanterelles.

304

Spiderworts got me in trouble once

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-15-may-2018/

Spiderworts, Pond Apples, Sea Oxeye, Foraging Classes, OMG mushroom hunt, Go Fund Me, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Botany Builder 26,

303

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-08-may-2018/

Not all of botany is settled.

Grapes, Ivy Gourd, Eastern Gamagrass, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Go Fund Me, the Orlando Mushroom Group,

302

Sea Purslane and Purslane are not the same species

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-01-may-2018/

Sea Purslane, Sargassum, Morning Glories, Foraging Classes, Foraging DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Orlando Mushroom Group, Go Fund Me, Jack in the Pulpits,

301

The American Nightshade is poised to fruit heavily.

https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-24-april-2018/

American Nightshade, Blackberries, Orlando Mushroom Group, Common Fungi of South Florida, Foraging Classes, Ivy Gourd, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Go Fund Me,

Newsletters in chronological order
29 November2016: https://www.eattheweeds.com/newsletter-6-december-2016/ Issue 235: What do you see #25, Beautyberries, Simpson Stoppers, Wild Pineapples, Where To Find Wild Edibles. Foraging Classes, A possible edible shrub? Bananas, Foraging DVDs and the Green Deane Forum
22 November 2016: Issue 234 Dandelions, Goji Berries, Wapato, Foraging Classes, Foraging DVDs, the Green Deane Forum
15 November 2016: Issue 233: Chinese Elm, Wild Lettuce, Horsemint, Smartweed, Beautyberry, Brazilian Pepper, Winged Sumac, Foraging Classes, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum,
08 November 2016: Issue 232. Cucumber Weed, Honey Mushrooms, Creeping Cucumber, Tallow Plum, Christmasberry, Foraging Classes, Green Deane DVD, and the Green Deane Forum.
01 November 2016: Issue 231: Edible Wild Radish, Deadly Water Hemlock, Peppery Smartweed, Crushed Acorns, Foraging Classes, DVDs and the Green Deane Forum
25 October 2016: Issue 230: Tropical Almond, How Kids Learn, Foraging Classes, Dove Plums, the Green Deane Forum and foraging DVDs.
18 October 2016: Issue 229: Do you need to know the botanical names? Morning Glories, Persimmons, Yam A, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum, DVDs, Acorn Bread.
11 October 2016: Issue 228: Harvesting windfall, is the ground polluted? the Green Deane Forum and foraging DVDs
04 October 2016: Issue 227: Carpetweed, foraging and bacteria, foraging classes, the Green Deane Forum, and foraging DVDs.
27 September 2016: Issue 226: Acorns, Creeping Fig, Jewels of Opar, Foraging Classes, Ft. Desoto, Chaya, Green Deane Forum, foraging DVDs.
20 September 2016: Issue 225: Hackberry – Sugarberry, Kudzu, Skunk Vine, Foraging Classes, Persimmons, Green Deane DVDs and the Green Deane Forum.
13 September 2016: Issue 224: Water Hyacinth, Panic Grass, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Pindo Wine, the Green Deane Forum
06 September 2016: Issue 223: Learning how to forage, what’s in season now, foraging classes, Green Deane DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.
30 August 2016 was a fifth Tuesday. No newsletter was published.
23 August 2016: Issue 222: Beautyberries, grapes, Pindo Palm, Simpson Stopper, Horsemint, Saw Palmetto, Persimmons, Maine Blueberries, milkweed pods, foraging classes., DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, medicinal and edible mushrooms.
16 August 2016: Issue 221: Horsemint, Pindo Wine, Begonias, Goldenrod, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, Beautyberries,
09 August 2016: Issue 220: Black Cherry, Black Gum, Black Pepper Vine Fruit, the North American Ebony, persimmon, foraging classes, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum.
02 August 2016: Issue 219: Pindo Palms, White Boerhavia, Water Hyssop and memory, Hackberries, Foraging Classes, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, and Wild Grpaes
26 July 2016: Issue 218: The Jambul Tree, Norfolk Pine, Hairy Cow Pea, Magnifying Glass, Foraging classes, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum, and Simpson Stoppers.
All data on site between April 16 and June 8th were lost because of Hostgator’s incompetence. That included many newsletters.
12 April 2016: Issue 203: Finding Pawpaws, blossoming Eastern Coral Bean, fruiting Mulberries, the Mahoe, Partridgeberries in Florida! Upcoming foraging classes and ForageFest, the Green Deane Forum and DVDs.
5 April 2016: No newsletter because of hacking attempt.
29 March 2016: Issue 202: Ivy Gourd or Tindora, Bidens alba, Fermenting, Loquats, Foraging Classes and DVDs.
22 March 2016: Issue 201: Linden Tree, Fermenting Spiderwort, Avocado Seeds, Foraging Classes, DVDs
15 March 2016: Issue 200: Identifying Garden Weeds, Loquats, Butterweed, New Class Location, Upcoming Foraging Classes, the Green Deane Forum, Foraging DVDs, 200th Newsletter!
8 March 2016: Issue 199: Garden weeds, finding edible weeds, Western Tansy Mustard, Foraging Classes, Sow thistles, Green Deane Forum and DVDs.
1 March 2016: Issue 198: Florida Herbal Conference 2016, Poor Man’s Pepper Grass and Maca, Foraging Classes, Seaweed, Free Mustard Seeds, Green Deane DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum.
23 February 2016: Issue 197: The Eastern Redbud and Chickasaw Plum, Wild Radishes and Mustards, Earthskills and Florida Herbal Conference 2016, Upcoming Foraging Classes, Free Mustard Seeds, Green Deane DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum.
16 February 2016: Issue 196: Sow Thistles, Thorns, Spines and Prickles, the Green Deane Forum, Foraging Classes. Florida Herbal Conference, Free Mustard Seeds, Green Deane’s DVDs.
9 February 2016: Issue 195: Silverthorns, Plantagos, Foraging Classes, Florida Herbal Conference, Foraging DVDs, free Red Mustard seeds.
2 February 2016: Issue 194: Tulips, Mustards, Dandelions, Doveweed, Florida Herbal Conference, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Videos, Free Mustard seeds, and the Green Deane Forum: Did you ever eat a larch?”
26 January 2016: Issue 193: Eastern Gamagrass, Florida Herbal Conference, Sea Blite, Queen and Pindo Palms, Opuntia and Nopales, Foraging Classes, Green Deane DVDs.
19 January 2016: Issue 192: Silverthorn, Sheep’s Sorrel, Free Red Mustard Seeds, Stinging Nettles, Henbit, Chickweed, Foraging Classes, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum
12 January 2016: Issue 191: Roots revisited: Ivy Gourd. Wild Teas. Foraging Classes, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.
5 January 2016: Issue 190:Stinging nettles, Purslane, Oxalis, Mystery Root, Foraging classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum.
29 December 2015: Issue 189:Goosegrass, Christmasberry, Natal Plum, Yaupon Holly, Bananas, Nicker Bean, Ground Cherry, Sea Purslane, Sea Blite, Coral Berry, Gracilaria, CLasses, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum
22 December 2015: Issue 188: Ringless Honey mushrooms, Deer Mushrooms, Tamarind, Mahoe, Tropical Almond, Fifth Urban Crawl, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum,
15 December 2015: Issue 187: Silverthorn, Peppergrass, Chickweed, Foraging Classes Green Deane Videos, the Green Deane Forum, fifth annual Urban Crawl.
8 December 2015: Issue 186: Wild lettuce, Osage Orange, Ginkgos, Cashew Trees, Pineapple Guava, Turk’s Cap, Foraging Classes, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum.
1 December 2015: Issue 185: Tropical Soda Apple aka Horse Nettle, Henbit, Stork’s Bill and Cranesbill,
24 November 2015: Issue 184; Chickweed, pomegranate peelings, pines, homemade mustard, foraging classes, the Green Deane Forum, and DVDs
17 November 2015: Issue 183; Seaweed and Lichen, where to forage, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum.
10 November 2015: Issue 182:Wild Drinks, a book review; Wax Myrtle Berries, Wild Radish, Foraging Classes, the Green Deane Forum, and DVDs
3 November 2015: Issue 181:Black gum, Seagrapes, Doveweed, Foraging near Roads, Classes, Green Deane Forum, and Videos.
27 October 2015: Issue 180:Foot fruit: Podocarpus and Cashews, Sandspurs, Pony Foot, Foraging Classes, the Green Deane Forum and Videos
20 October 2015: Issue 179:What is a Ceiba and how do you say it? Partridgeberry, Ringless Honey Mushrooms, Red Bays and Magnolias, Laurel Wilt, Pellitory aka Cucumberweed, Foraging Classes, and the Green Deane Forum
7 October 2015 no newsletter published because site had to be backed up because of hackers.
6 October 2015: Issue 178:Tallow plum, White Beautyberries, Sumac, Sea and Wood Oats, Cactus and Nopales, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum,
29 September was a fifth Tuesday, no news letter published then.
22 September 2015: Issue 177: Frost, and ripening vegetables and fruit, Foraging Classes, the Green Deane Forum
15 September 2015: Issue 176:Purslane and a look-alike, Pepper Vine, Upcoming Foraging Classes, Heartwing Sorrel, Green Deane Forum,
8 September 2015: Issue 175: 18 edibles along the Seminole-Wekiva Trial, Foraging Class Schedule, and the Green Deane Forum.
1 September 2015: Issue 174: Kudzu, wild apples, mountain foraging, upcoming classes, the Green Deane Forum
18 and 25 August, no newsletters as Green Deane was on vacation hiking in the Carolinas.
11 August 2015: Issue 173:Horsemint, Foraging along railroad tracks, Goldenrod, Swamp Rose Mallow, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum.
4 August 2015: Issue 172:Ripening grapes, saw palmetto fruit, Yellow Anise, Green Maypops, Large Boletes, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum.
28 July 2015: Issue 171:Citron Melons, three edible mushrooms; Blue Lactarius, the Old Man of the Woods, and Chanterelles. Lone Star Ticks and Armadillos in the news, Foraging Classes and the Green Deane Forum
21 July 2015: Issue 170:Tasty Tamarind, Tropical Almonds, the lesser-known Silk Bay, Foraging Classes, The Green Deane Forum, Are the Seasons Changing?
14 July 2015: Issue 169: Are all Portulacas edible? Which yam is it? Elderberries. Foraging Classes. Taking a Bee Hive Home, and The Green Deane Forum.
7 July 2015: Issue 168: Paper Mulberries, Pindo Palm, Yaupon Holly, The Timucua, Pawpaws, plant books, upcoming foraging classes, the Green Deane Forum.
30 June 2015: Fifth Tuesday, no newsletter.
23 June 2015: Issue 167: Sea Blite, Glasswort, Creeping Fig, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum.
16 June 2105: Issue 166:Laco-fermenting, toxic Atamasco Lily, Smilax, Sword Ferns, Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum,
9 June 2015: Issue 165: Latex Strangler Vine, American Lotus, Dock Seeds, foraging mistakes, early season Podocarpus, Reishi mushrooms, foraging classes, Green Deane Forum
2 June 2015: Issue 164: Ivy gourd, Honey Mushrooms, Wild Food Plants of Hawaii, Classes, Green Deane Forum.
26 May 2015, no newsletter because of hackers.
19 May 2015: Issue 163:Gopher Apples are blossoming as are Groundnuts. Candyroot is getting showy, Blueberries are ripening. The Simpson Stopper has three kinds of leaves. Wild Coffee and Coralberry Confusion, Upcoming Classes, and the Green Deane Forum,
12 May 2015: Issue 162: Watercress, Wild Garlic, Upcoming Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum, Botany Builder 28, Does anyone want to guess?
5 May 2015: Issue 161:Wild Pineapple, Ground Cherries, Horsemint, Three kinds of wild grapes, upcoming foraging classes, Botany Builder 27, edible Pluteus petasatus, the Green Deane Forum
28 April 2015: Issue 160:Blackberries, Pickling Betony roots, Elderberry, Smilax, Juniper Berries, Upcoming Classes, Green Deane Forum, What Do You See #24.
21 April 2015: Issue 159: Distance and Elevation, Paper Mulberry, Red Mulberry, Basswood, False Hawk’s Beard, Upcoming Foraging Classes, Green Deane Forum, Botany Builder #26,
14 April, 2015: Issue 158: Pineapple Guava, the Tallow Plum, where to look for edible plants, upcoming foraging classes. the Green Deane Forum, and What Do You See #23
7 April 2015: Issue 157: ForageFest 2015, Lantanas, Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses, A Beginner’s Guide of Edible Florida, foraging in Port Charlotte, non-edible Nicker Beans, foraging classes, the Green Deane Forum, and What Do You See #22
31 March 2015: Issue 156: Is it time to reassess Nuphar roots? Identifying the Simpson Stopper. Foraging Instructors. What ’s in Season, Foraging Class Schedule, Green Deane Forum, What do you see #21.
24 March 2015: Issue 155: Mulberries, Wild Cucumbers, Edible Palms, Sea Rocket, Which Blueberry? Green Deane Forum. Upcoming Foraging Classes, What Do You See #20.
17 March 2015: There was no newsletter.
10 March 2015: Issue 154:Paw paws, Pennyroyal, Dandelions, Green Deane Forum, Foraging Classes, Daylight Saving time, What Do You See #19
3 March 2015, Issue 153: Florida Herbal Conference 2015, Turpentine Pines, Banning Mulberries, Foraging Classes, the Green Deane Forums, Bird Peppers, and What Do You See #18
24 February 2015: Issue 152: Eastern Redbud, Plums, Limequat, Foraging Classes, Seasonal changes and Mulberries, Florida Herbal Conference, Green Deane Forum, and What Do You See #17.
17 February 2015: Issue 151: Pepper Grass, Wild Geraniums, Paper Mulberry, Foraging Classes, Guest article: Bees, Butterflies, and Moths, Florida Herbal Conference 2015, the Green Deane Forum, and Winter Buds10 February 2015: Mystery diced root, Florida Earthskills 2015 is history, Florida Herbal Conference 2015 is next, foraging classes, Green Deane Forum, the 150th newsletter.
27 January 2015: The Wax Myrtle, Mustards & Radishes, Hairy Cowpea, Green Deane Forum, Earthskills 2015, Florida Herbal Conferece 2015, How Ungreen of Us.
20 January 2015: Goji berries, Plantagos, Black Medic, Green Deane Forum, Earthskills 2015, Florida Herbal Conference 2015, and Chain of Contamination
13 January 2015: Poorman’s Pepper Grass, Creeping Cucumber, Bulrush, Green Deane Forum, Earthskills 2015, Florida Herbal Conference 2015, classes, Wild Pineapple, Creeping Indigo warning, Calliandra haematocephala, What Do You See #16.
6 January 2015: False Hawk’s Beard, Roses, Earthskills gathering, 2015 Florida Herbal Conference, Foraging Classes, Pellitory, Goosegrass, Less Money More Weeds
30 December 2014: New Year Leaves, Bauhinias, Pansies, Classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, Earthskills Conference, Florida Herbal Conference, Janus, the Roman God who looks both ways, 4th Annual Urban Crawl.
23 December 2014: Are cattails really that good? Is the Moss Rose edible? FORAGER! Classes, DVDS and the Green Deane Forum.
16 December 2014: Sycamores, Wild Mustards, When a Description Doesn’t Fit, Upcoming Classes, Green Deane DVDs, The Green Deane Forum, Florida Herbal Conference
9 December 2014: Wild edibles in downtown Savannah, Georgia, Pyracanthas, Ginkgop, Swinecress, Henbit, herbalism vs foraging, upcoming foraging classes, Green Deane DVDs, and the Florida Herbal Conference.
2 December 2014: The Cabbage Palm, Sow Thistle, Weeds vs. Cultivated Crops, DVDs, Green Deane Forum, and the Florida Herbal Conference.
25 November 2014: Pellitory, Usnea, Thanksgiving, foraging classes, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum and the herbal conference.
18 November 2014: Persimmons, Indian Pipes, Cactus fruit, Lantana, foraging classes, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum and the herbal conference.
11 November 2014, no newsletter as Green Deane had dental surgery.
4 November 2014: Making Vinegar, Marlberries, Wintercress, Florida Herbal Conference, Upcoming Classes, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
28 October 2014: Ground Cherries, Cocoplums, Simpson Stopper, Elderberries, Lemon Bacopa, Bananas, Lactarius Indigo, Upcoming Classes, DVDs, The fourth Florida Herbal Conference, and Florida Gulf Coast University.
21 October 2014: Roses, Book Review: The Wild Wisdom of the Weeds, upcoming foraging season, classes, DVDs, and the Green Deane forum.
Oct 7and 14 no newsletter because Green Deane attended an out-of-state memorial service.
30 September 2014: Date Palms, Mushroom Season, Red Tide, Foraging Classes, DVDs, Green Deane Forum.
23 September 2014: Is Portulaca pilosa edible? Gopher Apples, What’s in Season, Class Schedule, DVDs, the Green Deane Forum.
16 September 2014: The Tallow Plum, a neat way to clean tunas, looking for yams, the beautyberry is happy, upcoming classes, DVDs, and the Green Deane Forum
9 September 2014: The passion fruit, where is it safe to forage, the Jambul Fruit, Puss Moth Caterpillar, Classes, DVD, and the Green Deane Forum.
2 September 2014: Sumac, Bananas, Cana, Old Man of The Woods, Podocarpus, Answer to What Do You See #16, Green Deane Forum, DVDs.
26 August 2014: Pine nuts, wild cucumbers, hiking in North Carolina, foraging classes, What Do You See #16, Green Deane Forum and DVDs.
19 August 2014: No newsletter, Green Deane hiking in the Carolinas.
12 August 2014: No newsletter, Green Deane hiking in the Carolinas.
5 August 2014: No newsletter, Green Deane hiking in the Carolinas.
29 July 2014: Bunya Bunya, Ganoderma mushrooms, upcoming classes, where to find the strangler latex vine, the Green Deane Forum and DVDs.
22 July 2014, American lotus, Fifth Annual Mushroom Intensive, Portulacas, Foraging Classes, The Green Deane Forum, and Podocarpus
15 July 2014, Black Cherries, Strawberry Guava, Horsemint, Basswood, Mushroom Workshop, White Indigoberry
July 1st and 8th, no newsletter as Green Deane was on vacation.
24 June 2014: Drehear Park, Jambul, Purslane, Classes, DVDs, changing servers.
17 June 2014: Chickasaw Plums, the deadly Water Hemlock, a Monsoon of Mushrooms, the answer the What Do You See #15, upcoming classes, the Green Deane Forum and DVDs.
10 June 2014: Jack In The Pulpits, Seasonal Changed, Podocarpus, Junipers, What Do You See 15, Answer to What Do You See 14, Foraging Classes, the Green Deane Forum, and DVDs.
3 June 2014: No newsletter because of attempted hacking.
27 May 2014: Memorial Day and the Corn Poppy. Where do you forage? What Do You See #14.
2o May 2014: Discovering Chaya; a new loop; Florida’s Wild Edibles, a book review; classes and DVDs.
13 May 2014: Caloric staples: Cattails, Kudzu, Acorns; Seasonal Changes; “Giant Hog Weed” on the Green Deane Forum; Upcoming Foraging Classes; DVDs; What Do You See 13 Answers, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
6 May 2014: Blackberries, the Water Hyacinth, Of Butterflies and Bees, What Do You See #12 and 13, Green Deane Forum and DVDS.
29 April 2014: Fifth Tuesday of the month. No newsletter published that date.
22 April 2014: Wild Garlic and Onions, Fleabane, Surinam Cherries and Mulberries, What Do You See 12, the answer to What Do You See 11, the Green Deane Forum, Classes and DVDs.
15 April 2014: Florida pennyroyal, Pawpaws, A new edible Redvein Abutilon, Birds and Loquats, What Do You See #11, answer to What Do You See #10, upcoming classes, DVDs
8 April 2014: Mulberries, Magnolia Vinegar, Surinam Cherries, What Do You See 10, answer to What Do You See 09, Upcoming Foraging classes, Book Review: Foraging With Kids, DVDs.
1 April 2014: The Tropical Chestnut, the Eastern Redbud, Miner’s Lettuce, Upcoming Foraging Classes, What do You See #09, answers to What Do You See 08, Book Review: Guide To Wild Foods And Useful Plants, DVDs, Barbie…
25 March 2014: Finding “wild” edibles, Wild Cucumber, Basswood, Black Medic and Hop Clover, Upcoming Classes, Brevard Botanical Garden Plant sale, What Do You See 08, answer for What Do You See 07, and DVDs.
18 March 2014: Golf courses revisited, rain brings the mushrooms, spring greens are putting on, got an article for the newsletter? Classes, DVDs, What Do You See #07, answers to #06, Birmingham Plant Sale, Book Review: Foraging & Feasting.
11 March 2014: Finding wild edibles, Dandelions, False Dandelions, Time Change, What Do You See #06, Spring is Here, Upcoming Classes, DVDs, Guest Articles Request.
4 March, 2014: Winging it with maple seeds, Turk’s Caps, Florida Herbal Conference 2014 is history, how to avoid the toxic Cherry Laurel, What Do You See? #05 and the answers to #04, looking for a travel trailer and holding classes in west Florida and beyond.
25 February, 2014: Sheep Sorrel, mystery mushroom, upcoming classes, Botany Builder 39, What Do You See? #04, Answer to What Do You See 03, DVDs and close encounters of the slithering kind.
18 February 2014: Nettle season, the evergreen Water Hyssop, White Clover, Boletes, our guest article: Plant Nutrition, upcoming classes, the Florida Herbal Conference nears, What Do You See #3 and the answer to What Do You See #2,
11 February 2014: Blewit Mushroom, Wild Garlic, Botany Builder #38, Plantago Power, Guest Article: Is it really Global Warming? What Do You See #2 and last week’s answer and more all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
4 February 2014: What is White Snow? The Silverthorns are fruiting. Which Ganoderma is it? Botany Builder #37. What Do You See #1, and new feature. EarthSkills gathering Florida is this week, Florida Herbal Conference is this month, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
28 January, 2014: Cooking up mustard roots, Botany Builder #36, why doesn’t epazote freeze? Class Schedule, EarthSkills 2014, Florida Herbal Conference, DVDs, looking for Mr. Good Transportation, and guest writers.
21 January 2014: Tansy Mustard, Swine Cress, Botany Builder #35, Part II of guest writer Dewayne Allday’s To Shroom or not to Shroom, EarthSkills 2014 gathering, Florida Herbal Conference 2014, and upcoming foraging classes.
14 January 2014: Start looking for Silverthorn fruit, Henbit, Amaranth and Bitter Cress in local garden, Botany Builder #34, guest writer Dewayne Allday, To Shroom or not to Shroom, EarthSkills 2014 gathering, Florida Herbal Conference 2014, and upcoming foraging classes,
7 January 2014: Plantagos are ready for harvesting, Chickweed by Heather Pierce with recipes, Botany Builder 33, How safe is foraging? Class schedule, the Florida Herbal Conference, and Green Deane’s DVDs.
31 December 2013: No newsletter published that date.
24 December 2013: Vibrant chickweed, abundant pellitory, eat your Christmas tree? The Third Annual Urban Crawl with violet recipe, the common sow thistle, Botany Builder #32, Bottled scallions and the Green Deane Forum, what is foraging? upcoming classes and DVDs,
17 December 2013: The Green Deane Forum, the Tropical Almond, Botany Builder 31, Over Foraging, ETWs Archive, Mushrooms to be found, three thefts, Green Deane DVDs.
10 December 2013: Wild Radishes and Mustards, Juniper Berries, Amelia Island, Egan Creek Greenway, The Blue Heron Inn, and Botany Builder #30: Peltate. From the Archive: Is this Plant Edible?
3 December 2013: Sow thistles are sprouting, the wild lettuce is up. How many raw elderberries should you eat? The Silverthorn is in blossom, swinecress will soon be here, and Botany Builder #29.
26 November 2013: Strangler Latex Vine still fruiting, seasonal Little Mustards, Stinging Nettles, Forest Kindergarten, a dear visitor, Florida Herbal Conference, Foraging DVDs, and Botany Builder #28: Lianas.
19 November 2013: Chickweed is back! Along with stinkhorns, train wreckers, making dandelion wine, walnuts in the news, Florida Herbal Conference, DVDs, and foraging instructor updates.
12 November 2013: Sargassum, other sea veteables, eating jellyfish, cooking with sea purslane, the wood oats alternative, classes, DVDs, Florida Herbal Conference and an insect invasion.
5 November 2013: The seasonal change is upon us and winter foraging should be picking up. There’s acorns to be collected, a yam blossom to see, and a luffa surprise. The Florida Herbal Conference is coming up, and shoveling snow all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
29 October 2013: No newsletter published that date.
22 October 2013: The Tropical Almond, Smartweed, Dudaim Melon, Polyporus Tenuiculus, Florida Herbal Conference, and Green Deane’s DVDs.
15 October 2013: A new edible, Perennial Pea; early-season cucumber weed; going out of season sea-grapes, persimmons, coco-plums, simpson stopper; begonias-hemlock, honey mushrooms, a calculating cat, Florida Herbal Conference, and DVDs.
8 October 2013: Black Gum, eating Anoles, the Green Deane Forum, Chestnut Bolete, 2014 Florida herbal conference, Green Deane’s DVDs, and 2000-year old seed sprouts.
1 October 2013: Sumac’s in season, persimmons, saw palmettos, creeping cucumbers, three iffy edibles, trust, the genus Lactarius, language and grazing.
24 Septemner 2013: Ever eat a Norfolk Pine? Snacking on Hairy Cowpeas blossoms. Dare you eat a Saw Palmetto berry? Persimmons are coming into season. Sign up early for the Florida Herbal Conference. Recent rains will stimulate mushroom sightings. Change in the newsletter policy. DVDs as selling.
17 September 2013: Cereus fruit, ground nuts, 5,000 questions, upcoming classes, herbal conference, my mystery mushroom, DVDS.
10 September 2013: Remembering wild apples, the aroma of wild plants, coming to terms with botanical names, a purslane recipe, the Florida Herbal Conference and DVDs,
3 September 2013: Blooming horsemint, Kudzu, classes, Ganoderma curtisii, make a berry picking bucket, upcoming conferences and DVDs.
27 August, 2013: Blossoming Coral Vine, Eastern Gamagrass, Grapes, Foraging Classes, Rattlesnakes, Poison Sumac, and Puffballs
20 August 2013: Podocarpus and fruit wines, thank you cards, class schedule, DVDs, and for what it’s worth.
13 August 2013: Fireweed is gourmet? Pindo Palms, Bitter Gourd, native grapes, Mt. Washington, Blueberries, persimmons, upcoming foraging classes and a common toxic mushroom the Green Parasol.
6 August 2013: Osage Orange, Saw Palmettos, foraging teachers, upcoming foraging classes, seasonal mushrooms, and how we love our pets.
30 July 2013: Getting Cereus about blooming cactus, the Monadas for medicine and spice, DVDs, our native Anise trees and remembering Dick Deuerling.
23 July 2013, Where to look for weeds, Pineapple weed, Toe Biters, 2 million views, DVDs, and a tribute to mom, Mae Lydia Putney Jordan.
9 July and 16 July 2013 no newsletter due to a death in the family.
2 July 2013: The tasty Bunya Pine Cone, natal plums, willows, botany builder, classes and your pick for a new vegetable.
25 June 2013: The orange Paper Mulberry, the orange Hackberry, Green Deane’s DVDs, Environmentalism, upcoming classes, and the Tree of Heaven all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green
18 June 2013: Chickasaw plums, ivy gourd, the false roselle, toxic daturas, hand lenses, classes, and who’s manipulating whom?
11 June 2013: Getting food out of the Chinese Tallow Tree, harvesting young wild yams, pickled Betony root, the deer are raining what? And upcoming classes.
4 June 2013: The maypops and pawpaws are putting on fruit, yucca are blossoming, black cherries are ripe and the black nightshade berries are ripening. That and a new class location, Seminole-Wekiva.
28 May 2013: Sea purslane, sea oats and wood oats, a profusion of coco-plums, easterngammagrass and how to eat cicadas
21 May 2013: The Prunus are a fruiting, the winged yam, where to find sea blite, should you eat Black Medic, Smilax are in blossom, and new video about Wild garlic/Onions.
14 May 2013: No newsletter that week
7 May 2013: Blackberries, Lemon Bacopa, Surinam Cherries, Basswood, Linden Tree, recent articles and the city of Winter Park spraying cattails because they are not aestheticallypleasing in the park.
30 April 2013: How to tell sow thistles apart, creeping fig, lawns, and why can’t I eat this?
23 April 2013: The sweet aroma of the candyroot, the surprising relative of the Hairy Cowpea, Barnyard Grass, the Rose Apple and releasing bio-controls.
16 April 2013: St. Nicholas Monastery and Tropical Almonds, Pellitory Itch, Vacant Lots, Bamboo Cove, Botany Builder #26, and the calming effects of nature.
9 April 2013: Pawpaws are blossoming, are there any poisonous look alikes, the bugs are coming, cold weather, and $1.6 million for a frog phobia.
2 April 2013: The wild onions/garlic are fruiting, how to tell the edible Black Cherry from the toxic Laurel Cherry, toxicity in Elderberries, and more Grass is God rebellion.
26 March 2013: Finding fireweed, digging up betony roots, drying loquats, Botany Builder #25, Coppicing, Road Kill, and spreading seeds.
19 March 2013: The Queen Palm, changing weeds from edible to noxious, velvet leaf, crabgrass, Botany Builder #24, Samaras, New Articles, House Calls, Suriname Cherries, Nopales, and The Drunken Botanist all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
12 March 2013: Mulberries, Creeping Cucumber, Coco-plums, Smartgrass, Botany Builder 23, pinna, winter plant facts, time change, GD videos coming.
5 March 2013: Goosegrass, pawpaws, Christmasberry, Botany Builder 22 stipules, cultivating wild plants, Apps, Scrub jays.
26 February 2013: Sheep’s Sorrel, White Snow, new articles, shocking news about bees, the Australian Pine, hydrilla, and worms
19 February 2013: Loquats, poison hemlock, turkey berries, toxic tomatoes, conferences, Lake Woodruff, osage orange and turtle travails.
12 February 2013: The ever elusive chickweed, solar oven and nut sheller, the tale of two nettles, wild lettuce, more hard-headed government, new mushroom book, the Maslin technique, ragweed, upcoming classes and loss of habitat
5 February 2013: A close up of usnea, a likeable lichen. The silverthorn is in full fruit, find aromatic wild garlic, identify watercress. There’s also the Thistle Epistle, Frostbites, Mulberries, the herbal conference and up coming classes, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
29 January 2013: Smilax, non-edible nicker beans, seasonal eating, naughty knotweed, front yard gardening and decapitated grass, pool fish pond, and upcoming class schedule in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green
22 January 2013: What you can do with a wild wing yam, Florida Pennyroyal, a special Hawthorn you should know about, my latest videos and articles, is eating nutrition good for you? Don’t eat the rattlebox. Sugar Cane and winning environmental bar bets.
15 January 2013: Haulover Canal, Seablite, classifing plants, clovers, thistles, sow thistles, wild lettuce, Florida Herbal Conference, rising wheat prices.
8 January 2013: Maples are beginning to seed, find local Goosefoots, where the wild food is, the taste test, Florida Herbal Conference, microscopes, and Eugene Handsacker’s shell game

1 January 2013: Chickweed, sublimed sulfur, herbal conference, Green Deane’s DVDs, Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses, Turks Cap, Oxalis, Violets, Plantagos, and the prime mistake foragers make.

25 December 2012: Christmas in Florida, identifying chestnuts, what about ground cherries, winter vines, the toxic Mexican Poppy, the annual urban crawl and natal plums, Canada’s maple syrup much-to-do,

18 December, 2012: How to tell a mustard from a radish. Which cactus pad should you pick? The February Florida Herbal Conference, a traditional urban crawl

11 December 2012: Finding sumacs, magnolia blossoms as spice, the Florida Herbal Conference, follow ups on pollination and Featherstonehaugh, fertilizer, Maygyver and Nefertiti.

4 December 2012: Finding Winged Yams, our little winter mustards, pollenating creatures, Florida Herbal Conference, the Green Deane Forum, Mushrooms a la David Spahr and Dr. Kimbrough, Alligators with marijuana and Featherstonehaugh, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

27 November 2012: The mustards of wintertime, how to sort out hollies, learning about mushrooms, growing weeds from seeds, dandelions, and the fate of Edward Archboldall all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.
20 November 2012: It’s holly season, and wild mustard time along with seasonal little mustards. Also in the newsletter: The Pond Apple, Florida’s Herbal Conference, Thanksgiving lore, wild pumpkins, Botany Builder 21 and faded underwear, all From The Village Green.

13 November 2012: Going nuts with hickories and acorns;, Spanish Needle tea, good for some of what ails you, why bumble bees can’t fly, and the Florida Herbal Conference,

6 November 2012: Hackberries (Sugarberries) Fireweed, “bad” landscape trees, weighty issues, bikes, time and the 2013 Florida Herbal Conference, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

30 October 2012: Which came first, grains or tubers? Groundnuts, wild rice, armadillos, clouds, a follow up on snails and Oh Deer, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

23 October 2012: Oak trees are masting (dropping acorns) new articles, mushrooms, snails, turtles, False Hawk’s Beard, and more in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

16 October 2012: The winter greens of chickweed, bittercress and poor man’s pepper grass; Solanum americanum, when not to eat; solar oven update, Halloween rant, the impact of weeds, updated articles, the Untouchables, and ginkgo gastronomics.

9 October 2012: A new crop of sandspurs, confusing Poke berries and Elderberries, nettles for clothes, blue honey, new article about Pandanus, preserving fall foliage, cooking with pine needles and a cockroach eating contest.

2 October 2012: Pandanus and Ivy Gourd, digging sticks, growing zones and recording setting pumpkin.

25 September 2012: Chaya, confusing nettles, winter weeds, new articles, yams, the dangers of foraging, tales of a city lot.

18 September 2012: Fuzzy marbles, sweet and sour maypops, food and medicine, recently added articles, sumac hiar, vultures and belladona.

11 September 2012: Finding tart food, a look at sumac and the false roselle, a new herbalism book and resource, the Green Deane Forum, Sea-Grapes, and scorpions

4 September 2012: Get Gopher Apples while you can, Getting High, the effect of elevation on plant seasons, a yam for colder weather, a bike with no pedals, and is you cat making you ill?

14 August 2012: Maypops are coming into season; what do you know about cyanide; how to get rid of chiggers; Man of the Earth big root deep down; sorting out wild grapes, and earthworms.

7 August 2012: Eastern Gamagrass, Asian Clams, new articles posted, Creeping Cucumbers, Upcoming classes, Chinese Tallow Tree, Green Dean Forum, What’s the Buzz.

31 July 2012: Sea Purslane on the grill, when is a clover not a clover? What to do about spices. Archiving newsletters. Class schedule. Growing Patio Potatoes and yams. Fined for growing food and holding birthday party
all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

24 July 2012 : The Podocarpus is coming into season, grapes are early this year, where to hold a foraging class. my class schedule, making friction fire, is that really a strawberry and sonar sex… all in this week’s newsletter, From The Village Green by Green Deane

17 July 2012 : Coco-plums are in season, as is Silverhead. Why is Black Point in Maine called that and where does Bidens grow in Brazil? American Holly, scorpions, armadillos and how to make your own sourdough bread, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

10 July 2012: A flower that tastes like a mushroom, fear of foraging, nutrition, what is a pirogue, and my class schedule, all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

3 July 2012: Sorting out ground cherries, hairs on plants and why we need to know them, Class Schedule, an upcoming road trip, a great garden party, and Lichen In Space, all in this week’s Green Deane’s Newsletter, From The Village Green.

26 June 2012: Sorting out blueberries, or, how to figure out what the plant is. Is This Plant Edible and changing views on edibility. And upcoming classes all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

19 June 2012: What to eat strawberry guavas, which wild edibles should pregnant women avoid, are you collecting seaweed for supper? Lawn grass and code enforcement. Upcoming classes all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

29 May 2012: Surinam Cherries are ripening but they aren’t cherries. Firethorn berries are green but wait a few weeks. Botany builder #20. What’s barnyard grass? Visit the Green Deane Forum. Bicycles in the news. How to tattoo a banana, all in this week’s Green Deane newsletter From The Village Green.

21 May 2012: Pineapples that don’t exist, Guerrilla Gardening, upcoming classes and exactly what is the meristem stage? All in this week’s newsletter “From The Village Green” by Green Deane.

7 May 2012: Can Rescuegrass rescue you? Why forage and what are “naked” seeds? This an more in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green by Green Deane.

23 April 2012: Wild Garlic is heading, spurge nettles are rooting, sea blite is ready for picking, and eastern coral beans are showing you where they are. Did Green Deane actually get poison sumac and what did the spam filter catch? That and more in this weeks newsletter From The Village Green.

9 April 2012: Peppery smartweed, the “yuck” factor, kudzu, the winged yam, pennyroyal, budget cut benefits, and more in this week’s From The Village Green, Green Deane’s Newsletter.

2 April 2012: Where the weeds are. Going to a gym. Compound leaves. Rumex, Topi mambo, Water Lettuce, Duckweed, Edible Flowers Part 19, Classes, Green Deane Forum and “For What It’s worth” all in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

26 March 2012: What’s in and out of season? The Florida Herbal Conference. How do you find edible plants? Pictures or drawings? Upcoming Classes, and more in From the Village Green, Green Deane’s newsletter.

19 March 2012: Where to find papaws. Can you eat grass? Four new articles: Sida, False Roselle, Edible Flowers Part 18, Gout Weed. Can you eat tropical sage? Botany Builder #14, that and more in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green.

5 March 2012: The Eastern Redbuds are confused. A 30,000 year old flower? What might you do if you catch the flu. Sorting out the Perseas. Five new articles. Arrest made in burning down the world’s oldest Cypress. Class schedule. Green Deane Forum update, all in From the Village Green, Green Deane’s Newsletter

20 February 2012: Wild Radish is turning fields yellow, harvesting nopales, milkweed vine and the evolution of the garden, two new articles, a forum update, this week’s classes, and ducks, all in “From the Village Green” this week’s Green Deane Newsletter.

6 February 2012: The Green Deane Forum, a place to meet other foragers and share questions and successes, Brazilian Pepper, a staple that grows in teh shade, Botany Builder 14, Herbal Conferencem, Cliamate change. All in this Green Deane’s newsletter this week, From The Village Green.

23 January 2012: What to do with Brazilian Pepper. Tapping Trees a new way. What’s the difference between a tree and a shrub? Herbal Conference, and I didn’t know that all in this weeks newsletter From The Village Green.

16 January 2012: Persimmons and frost, saving weed seeds, Botany Builder #12, an herbal invitation, African bees and more in this weeks newsletter from Green Deane.

9 January 2012: The stinging dwarf is back, who is Sunny Savage? Passiflora, epiphany and manatees; new articles, what’s the difference between roots and rhizomes? Wild cucumbers, upcoming classes and the newsletter.

2 January 2012: Pigging out on swinecress. A prescription for walnuts? Snow. New articles on reeds, dahlias, nutrias and edible flowers part nine; Botany builder #10, classes, and how many wild edibles should you know, in Green Deane’s newsletter this week From The Village Green

26 December 2011: A yam what am a yam; peppergrass; Janus the god of gates; Did you know? New articles; Urban Crawl and upcoming classes; Botany Builder; a Christmas memory and more in Green Deane’s newsletter this week, From The Village Green.

19 December 2011: Chickweed is up locally. Here’s another good reason to forage. What does -ifera mean? Turtle Mound. Canna Island update. Wild Radishes, and more in Green Deane’s newsletter this week, From The Village Green

12 December 2011: Pellitory’s in season. How many apple seeds can you really eat? Botany Builder #7, monocots and dicots. Classes this week. Why are two wheels not part of the green movement? All in Green Deane’s newsletter this week From The Village Green.

6 December 2011: The controversy over Palmer Amaranth, Tools of the Trail, Poison Plant Handbook, Botany Builder, Did You Know, and upcoming classes, in this week’s newsletter From The Village Green

28 November 2011: Crowfoot Grass, A grass dictionary, Botany Builder: blade and margin; Thanksgiving.

21 November 2011: The Chinese Elms are fruiting, what about what the animals eat, a chickweed relative, what is a pappus, a look at a yellow passion flower and a bit of reminiscing in Green Deane’s latest newsletter, From The Village Green.

14 November 2011: Telling the difference between a wild radish and a wild mustard. How many wild edibles are there? What do you need to know to get started? Why cook bamboo shoots? Botany Builder and this week’s classes, all in Green Deane’s latest newsletter.

8 November 2011: Look alikes, tell the difference between edible elderberry and toxic water hemlock, discoveries found during this week’s class, what’s peltate?

31 October 2011: The Halloween and foraging connection…. Seedlings… I.T.E.M.-izing. Battery Acid and pokeweed. Rev7, the Botany Builder and more in Green Deane’s newsletter this week, From The Village Green.

24 October 2011: Fresh this week: The new website is up. Are you harvesting sumac berries now or young sow thistles? A “new” edible was found during our foraging class. What about genetically modified foods? What every runner or bicyclist should hear about. And did Green Deane really get poison ivy and how you can avoid it. All in Green Deane’s latest newsletter.

1 September 2010 Cost of food, paper mulberry, liatris, pokeweed, wasabi

1 August 2010 Watervine, Smilax, Does’t Grow Here, Pomegranates

1 July 2010 Jelly Palm, Cactus, Clockwise, Birch Allergies

1 June 2010 Why forage, How safe is foraging, Sea Blite, Ilex vomitoria

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