Seasonal Favorites

I'm not sure where September went? I had a few post ready to write and somehow it is now October. Of course, I gathered quite a bit, but I haven't processed most of it yet. So that said, let's do a little catch-up.

Basic leaf and berry structure of black chokeberry.

1. Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa (information)

One of my favorite landscape plants, Black Chokeberry has been beneficial to both my fall harvest as well as the large aggregation of unequal cellophane bees (information) that live in my yard. They love, LOVE, love this shrub and spend their last two months of life or so covering it and pollinating it. Thanks to these little native pollinators, my yields are fantastic each autumn. Thanks little bees!

Cold infusion, jam, and hot infusion of honey.

This is a plant known for health benefits. Yes, it has "choke" in the name which is mostly due to the astringency many of the berries carry (sometimes you luck out and one is palatable plain). In my mind, they're a perfect companion to elderberries or blackberries. The berries, when cooked, have that same deep berry flavor.

Last year, I mostly made syrups with it. This year, I'm exploring honey and jam. The hot method was fine, but not great. The leftover I decided to make into a jam and fill a tart, but it was too overly sweet. The meringue tart, bought from the grocery store, was sweeter than when I make them myself so that did not help. After taking a few days to dry out some berries, today is day one of a cold infusion. We'll see how it goes.

A local wild patch of riverbank grape.

1. Riverbank Grape, Vitis riparia (information)

I've found two really productive patches of riverbank grape nearby in two different areas. These are wild grapes: tart and seedy. They're fantastic on their own, although the seeds do take up a large section of fruit. I'm hoping to go harvest some soon, either to eat raw or make into a small bottle of jam, but if I miss out? That's okay, too. Sometimes foraging is just enjoying snacks on the trail. Besides, there is always next year. As it is, my Concord grape gave some fruits this year so I'm hopeful that with a little TLC it'll be even more productive next year as well.

Single black walnut with pin oak acorns.

I won't dive into these quite yet, but they're my favorite foraging goods: acorns and black walnut. I'm blessed that my neighbor has planted two black walnuts and two pin oaks right at our fence line (plus a maple). It makes it easy to go forage some each morning before the squirrels take more than they need (they fatten up enough at my feeder). I've been foraging acorns for more than a decade, closer to two now, and always experimenting with them. Each oak tree is different, and each acorn should be respected as such. What qualities I look for in live oak are not the same as in pin oak acorns. As for the black walnuts? It's been a few years, and I haven't foraged them with the same fervor, so I'll need to find my preferred way to open them up.

3. Sassafras, Sassafras albidum (information / pdf)

Another sneak peek into my future plans. An easy to identify tree, sassafras has a very controversial existence. On one hand, it is incredibly important medicine to many Native American tribes, and yet, on the other hand, a study of debatable design resulted in it mostly being banned for commercial consumption. I have theories on why, but it doesn't discourage me. There is some nearby and I'll be seeing what foraging I can do from it in the coming months or more.

Finch perched in common ragweed eating the seeds.

4. Common Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia (information)

Common ragweed, and ragweed in general, needs special mention here. The hay fever it causes has garnered it so many enemies, and yet, it is an incredibly beneficial and edible plant. A minimum, the seeds are a great source of fat. This is why, when I found it in my yard last year, I left it again for this year. It was smaller last year, and mostly dominated by the chipmunk family in my yard, but this year it is finch and cardinal paradise. So why not leave it for wildlife?

And I say this as someone who is highly allergic to ragweed. On the skin test I had, I reacted worst to ragweed. So no, I won't be foraging it. Unfortunately, my allergist and I agreed that's a bad idea, but I will be letting patches continue to grow in my yard. Ragweed is everywhere so what's a little extra so the wildlife in my yard can bulk up in fall to better survive winter?

A few species of goldenrod and so many pollinators.

5. Goldenrods, Solidago (information)

What else am I highly allergic to? Goldenrods. No the pollen doesn't travel on the wind like ragweed, but yes, you can still be highly allergic to it. If I get within two feet of a plant, breathing and sneezing are not great. Unfortunate but these, too, are wonderful for foraging and common in many tribal medicine concoctions, but my allergies and I agree that, once again, I should avoid it.

So why do I have a giant patch of three species in my yard? Why did I add a second patch of a different variety elsewhere in my yard? You know why: wildlife. It doesn't matter how many other native flowers I have planted or let take over, none of them are anywhere near as popular as my goldenrods. As long as I hold my breath when I go take a look and watch all the species of insects buzzing about, I'm happy to let it hang around for the few weeks it is in bloom.