Making homemade soap will bring you back in time. There’s nothing like the scent of freshly made, scented soap. There’s an art to it since you can use whatever herbs or combination of herbs you want! I first made soap as a kid with my […]
Cattail shoots
If you’re interested in knowing one plant you could potentially live off of, look no further than cattail. It’s easy to identify, abundant, and you can eat all parts of it. There is at least one part of cattail edible any month of the year. […]
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Stuffed Dock Leaves
Dock is a fairly common, perennial weed introduced from Europe. Found in most states in the Unites States, you’ll also find it in New Zealand, Australia, and many other countries throughout the world. It’s in the buckwheat family, Polygonacea, and often called cushy-cows, butterdock, kettle […]
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Dandelion fritters
Dandelions are everywhere and most people at least vaguely know how to identify them. The most common look-alike in our area is Cat’s Ear (Hypochaeris radicata), but it is also edible. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is frequently confused as well, but the flowers are a blue-purple, […]
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Pine Needle Tea
Pine needles are bursting with Vitamin C all winter long and can help keep your immune system up and prevent scurvy even in the worst of winters! Please do not use loblolly pine needles (3 needles), as they contain a chemical that can cause long-term […]
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Chickweed Salad
Chickweed is a sprawling plant with opposite, roundish leaves that can cover the ground like a carpet if allowed. And it’s all edible! Please leave a comment below!
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About the Founder
Tracks and Roots has been many years in the making. The seed was planted when I was 17 years old and knew simply that I wanted to spend my life in the woods, studying nature, writing, and practicing survival skills. Perhaps my dream wasn’t concrete […]
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Berries (are SO expensive at the store! A great way to reduce your reliance on the grocery store and save a ton of money is to harvest wild blackberries. When looking for them , observe vacant properties, fence lines, and edge habitats in your neighborhood. […]
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Pokeweed
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a common wild edible plant in Easter United States, the Midwest, the Gulf coast, and scattered through Western United States. It’s often found in pastures, along the edges of forests and trails, and along fences. Identification: Identifying pokeweed is fairly simple. […]
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Plaintain
Broadleaf Plantain (Plaintain major) is a very common weed throughout the United States and all over the world. There are several types of plaintain and all are edible. It’s an easy plant for new foragers to learn since there are no poisonous look-alikes.
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Mulberry
Mulberries (Morus spp.) are very common in certain parks, yet it’s surprising to me how few people actually know about them and how often they are called “junk trees.” They will drop the fruit on cars, making a huge mess in the early summer, but […]
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Elderberry Fritters
Elderberry (Adoxaceae Sambucus canadensis and Sambucus spp.) is an awesome plant for every wildcrafter to know! You may have heard of or even bought cough drops, cough syrup, or an immune booster made from elderberries. It actually does speed up the immune system and reduces […]
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Purple Dead Nettle
Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum) is a common weed in most yards in the United States. It is both edible and medicinal – and most people have no idea this powerful is right in their own backyards! With its ability to fight skin imperfections, It […]
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Yarrow
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is one of the most important wild medicinal herbs you need to know! It was used during the Civil War and the Revolutionary War to heal wounds. Identification Leaves: Compound, ornate, feather, and downy leaves. They are very soft to the touch […]
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Foraging Introduction
Location Pick a location that has not been sprayed with pesticides and that you are allowed to forage on. Most parks do not allow foraging, so your backyard is best or a friend’s yard if you have asked permission first. Identification Make sure you are […]
