Foraging in So-Cal - PaleoHacks.com

Foraging in So-Cal

2012-10-17T18:41:45Z

As part of my transition to Paleo, I'd really like to get into foraging. This seems to be more than a bit of an uphill battle on my little island of Paleo. Any Hacks out there in the northern LA area got a lead on foraging? Anyone got a lead on gettting a lead on foraging?

Answer by Sara S. for Foraging in So-Cal

2012-10-17T20:32:20Z

When I lived in SoCal I would often forage on (horseback riding) trail rides in the summer: oranges, pomegranates, anise or fennel, and others that I'm not remembering.

In Boston, there are classes on walking tours of edible plants: maybe you can find something similar in your area?

Edited to add: Oh! And I almost forgot the olive and carob trees that we had around.

Answer by Diane for Foraging in So-Cal

2012-10-17T23:31:39Z

You have two choices for foraging in So Cal. The urban kind and the wild kind.

For the urban kind, the rule is if the tree is hanging over a fence or in a public area (like the parking strip), the fruit is fair game. Look for alleys. Look for street trees (loquats are a frequent street tree). Look for crows. They know where the fruit and nuts are. Seek out neighborhoods that had orchards in the 60s and 70s. Go for a ride on a bike path and look for trees hanging branches over a backyard fence. Take a walk in an older neighborhood.

For the wild kind, you can either forage empty lots for wild greens like mustard or plantain elongata, or you can find these greens on hiking trails at lower elevation. Higher elevations can provide wild mushrooms and fiddleheads but you'll have to fight off a lot of knowledgeable hunters for these goodies. There are other less palatable wild plants. Get a good book on native edible plants to learn what they are, or take a class.