235. Foraging in the Woods

Being out in the woods is something I love. I love knowing all the types of plants and animals that exist there, though observation seems to be more my thing. Still, foraging for types of foods in the woods has always really interested me. I spend hours in late summer just hiding in the trees picking huckleberries and that seems like heaven to me. Right now I’ve noticed the locals are picking mushrooms and I think it’s about time I went out and picked a few.

Getting out in the woods to forage for some types of foods is not anything that’s necessary these days, but it really is a healthy thing to do. You get more nutrition out of things in nature just like you get more out of organic produce that is grown sustainably than you do the produce that is farmed on a large-scale basis with insecticides and herbicides. So there is that, but it takes a great deal of time to get out and forage, especially if you have work to do. But that’s probably why I do love to go out in the woods foraging for mushrooms or huckleberries. I’m away from all those pressures out in the fresh, pure scented air enjoying every little plant and bird that I see.

I really think the exercise and escape is good for the soul, so going out in the woods for any reason is good. But the fantasy of being completely self-reliant, or at least thinking you could be, is also a great way to relieve pressure and just enjoy nature. It’s a huge American ideal in our mythology, in what people have done, and the long line of historical writings. So to get out and enjoy nature and bring a little bit of that home for dinner is a very pleasant thing. A few mushrooms in your pasta, or a huckleberry cobbler or muffins make the combination of being at home and in nature mutually satisfying. And trying new ways of getting some nutrition is also satisfying and healthy. Rosehip tea blended with a little black tea warms you up and protects you from sickness. I’ve put crushed Douglas Fir needles into Christmas tree sugar cookies just for authenticity and a bit of a vitamin C boost. Some of it is just experimentation, but foraging in the woods satisfies my soul.