Foraging for wild local produce in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park may seem like a strange idea, but it’s an adventure that’s worth taking. On a recent four-hour foraging tour of the park, led by “Wildman” Steve Brill and his daughter Violet, a group of about 40 of us were led into the less traveled areas of the park, where we found fragrant herbs, edible roots, and sturdy greens. While not all of the wild plants we found were practical for cooking, it was a fascinating experience to discover new flavors and possibilities.
Interestingly, our hunt was not limited to food, as we stumbled upon a variety of medicinal plants that could soothe ailments such as mosquito bites and poison ivy. As foraging for food has grown in popularity, it has largely left behind the benefits of discovering traditional medicinal plants. Although these plants lack the scientific backing of modern pharmaceuticals, they have been used for centuries by different cultures to support various aspects of health. For example, dandelion, a weed with diuretic properties, is commonly foraged by people in Chinese, Russian, and Latin communities in the U.S. to support kidney and urinary tract health.
While the use of medicinal plants for health support remains a debated topic, many experts recommend using them only for minor ailments. It’s crucial to learn the correct dosage and to correctly identify plants to avoid dangerous lookalikes. Beginner foragers should stick to easy-to-identify herbs such as dandelion and violet.
Upon opening my bag of foraged goods at home, I discovered a black birch twig that was still redolent of wintergreen. Coincidentally, this was the one smell I had craved during my 38 weeks of pregnancy, but medicinal ointments containing wintergreen oil are not recommended for pregnant women. However, it was fascinating to learn that teething babies are given black birch twigs to chew, as the low-dose wintergreen oil acts as an analgesic and soothes their pain. Foraging for medicinal plants is an adventure that offers glimpses into the magical healing powers of nature.
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