Hiking and Foraging
Our family turns every outdoor adventure into a foraging opportunity. We keep at least one hiking pack and a set of foraging tools in each vehicle. The kids have a blast and are often the first ones to start finding edible flora.
Hiking
Don’t go hiking or foraging unprepared. Even for a well seasoned hiker plans can go wrong. Better to be over prepared than under. Proper attire is important. Good structured and supportive boots can save a rolled ankle and a pack large enough hold the essentials plus extra is a good idea. Have at least a basic first aid kit, a flashlight, matches, snacks and plenty of water.
Opt for a good quality supportive hiking shoe. Columbia is a brand I like but there are many to choose from.
Like shoes choose a pack that is good quality and supportive. I prefer to have space for a water bladder or too so I chose a large bag.
First aid kit is just one of many items that you should pack with you. It doesn’t have to be fancy even a simple kit has the necessities in it.
Foraging
I personally prefer mesh collection bags, especially when we are specifically going for mushrooms so we continuously drop spores as we forage. You should always try to cut rather than break. Any knife will do but foraging knives are angled to make the job a little easier. On some plants only certain parts are edible. That could be the petals or blooms, the stalk or leaves or the roots. To get to the roots you will need a shovel.
Mesh bag for dropping mushroom spores but it is also good for other foraging.
Curved blade knife designed to make slicing stalks easier and a brush for cleaning.
Collapsible shovel with a pick in a convenient belt pouch for digging up roots.
