>>2520044>Do anons have experience foraging?I got into it last year to have something to do while in nature. It's been very fun.
Get a book that is specific to your region. It should have a few things:
* a structure you can intutitively understand: Some are ordered by family, some by habitat, some by leaf type. As long as it makes sense to you and you can look something up quickly it's good. If you can't, it's bad. Stay away from alphabetical ones.
* Good pictures: You should have pictures that show the relevant parts of the plant in such a way that you can reliably feel confident the picture is the actual plant you are looking at. If the pictures are ass, so is the book. Don't buy it.
* A mention of uses for any given plant: This can be medicinal, or culinary, or historical. Personal preference, but it should mention how to use them
* Poison lookalikes: Any plant in this guide should have a section that states what other plants look like the one you are looking for, how to tell them apart and if the lookalikes are poisonous or not. If this information is missing, do not get the book.
* Good formfactor: Also personal preference. Smaller is better to carry, but means either less information or worse organization. Bigger means nicer pictures and more info, for more weight and bulk. It should at the very least fit into a backpack, at best into a pocket.
* Seasonal calendar: Bonus if there's a calendar showing what's in season each month
Then just go outside and start foraging. I read the book when I got it once, but forgot 95% of the info instantly. Then when outside I try to identify plants and think of how to use them. You will grow your knowledge slowly. Favorites of mine are hazelnuts, elderberry/flower, blackberry, wild garlic, rose hip and wild oregano, but there's so much more.
