Our food system is nothing short of stunning. Every day, vast amounts of fresh and processed food is trucked from farm to facility to store, all so we can have our pick of what to eat. There are no seasons anymore. There are seldom any shortages.

It’s easy to forget that a tomato is a seasonal crop when it is ever present in the store where it is January or June, but the simple truth is that tomato comes with a price. In order to be there in January, it must be flown from near the equator or warmer countries to get there.

Food miles aren’t the biggest way to cut down on your environmental footprint, but they do need to be thought about. Gardening is a great way to help reduce those food miles to almost nothing, but there’s also another way—wildcraft.

Wildcraft is the art of foraging for food that is found naturally in the area. In Washington state this might be the Morel mushroom. No matter where you are however, there’s probably a common food item waiting in your backyard.

Dandelions, lambs quarters, plantain and cattails are all examples of edible plants that can be found in the wild. By taking some of your food from the land, you can get a new appreciation for your diet, as well as reducing your food miles.

Tips to get started

It’s helpful to have someone experienced in wildcraft take you through the wild, especially for things like mushrooms where the wrong mushroom can have consequences. It’s also important to never take so much from any one area that the population won’t be able to recover.

It’s also important to think about where you are harvesting from. Your own backyard is a fine place to gather dandelions from—unless you regularly spray for pesticides. Be mindful of potential toxins in the environment, as well as the potential toxins the wrong plant may have.

Being a good steward of the planet

Wildcrafting isn’t just about reducing your impact on the planet. It’s also about learning to be closer to the environment you live in. When we see what is there to be eaten in our own area, it can be a powerful feeling and help us feel closer to nature.

It’s important when you are gathering from the wild to make sure you are being a good steward. If you’re gathering parts of a plant and not the whole plant, bring a pair of clippers to cut it with. It is easier for the plant to recover from a neatly cut wound than a twisted off piece.

If you’re harvesting from an area that is about to be demolished for construction, potting up a few important wild plants and moving them so they don’t all die can also be a way to give back.

Wildcrafting can be a wonderful choice for people who enjoy the outdoors and want to do good for the environment as well.