Bay Nature

EDIBLE PLANTS OF THE BAY AREA: (Fall Session – Fruits, Roots, and Nuts)

The indigenous peoples of California knew more than a little about utilizing the abundance of food resources around them, both plant and animal. Happily, some of this knowledge has been retained, and with a little effort there are many ways of utilizing native foods that will appeal to our modern palates! The first part of the day will consist of a lecture/slideshow highlighting many of the more common (and lesser known) wild edible plants of the region. Unique identification characteristics of the chosen plants will be highlighted in order to eliminate any confusion with less savory/toxic look-alikes. Plant family characteristics, harvesting/preparation methods, wildcrafting ethics, and basic nutritional profiles of the plants will be covered as well. The later half of class will be spent preparing and sampling a number of tasty wild foods. Acorn, California bay seed, and pine “nut” processing will be a part of the afternoon activities. Although certainly not fast food, wild edibles are nutrient dense and are found in surprising abundance around the cities of the bay area.