Last year, when I attended a wild foods walk at the Wild Food and Herb Market in Carrboro, I learned from the amazing community herbalist and wild foods enthusiast, Kim Calhoun. that some of those weeds proliferating in my yard and garden are both delicious and nutritious. Freebies from Mother Nature. I had heard that chickweed made great pesto, but that seemed too good to be true.
During a short walk on the wild side, Kim validated the chickweed story and gave me a whole new perspective on the bounty growing all around us. She showed us the familiar chickweed, dandelion and speedwell thriving just a few steps away, confirming that chickweed and dandelion are great for salad and pesto, and speedwell has medicinal properties.
It’s important to properly identify plants before consuming them, Kim said (a magnifying glass and illustrated guide are useful tools). Avoid areas that may have been treated with pesticides or harmed by roadway run-off or other toxic substances. And, before harvesting, be sure to thank the plant, and don’t pluck more than you need.
A week later, I got down on my knees in my garden patch to thank and pluck three cups of the chickweed that had proliferated there since I harvested my sweet potatoes in the fall. A few minutes later, I was savoring the fantastic Chickweed Pesto I made from Kim’s recipe, reprinted below with her permission.
If you want to learn more about edible wild foods and herbs, I highly recommend that you connect with Kim and consider signing up for one of her wild food workshops, walkabouts or field studies, offered throughout our area, where you’ll get to forage, learn about medicinal and helpful plants and trees, and maybe even make wild greens pesto.
She has a Winter Tree Exploration class series starting this Tuesday, October 28th. More about this series after the recipe!
Kim’s Recipe:
Participants in Kim’s Winter Tree Exploration can expect to deepen their awareness and connection with our largest plant friends: the trees! In this field study the class will visit various local environments to explore ways to identify trees in the wintertime. Kim will also cover the edible and medicinal properties of trees, ethical gathering, and preparation, while enjoying many hands-on activities. The class runs from 1-4pm each Tuesday for six weeks and costs $71.25.
Class for ages 14 and older. Class size is limited. Register in person or by phone at CCCC in Pittsboro: (919) 545-8044. 6-week class (21 hours) costs $71.25. More info on Kim’s website.
Learn more about Kim Calhoun at her website, AbunDance Healing Arts.
This article adapted, with permission, from Sustainable Grub.
