Everything is Food

Everything is Food Edible Plants by Stephen Watts

Here is a selection of some edible and useful plants growing in abundance around the Sheffield area. I apologize for not including photos – I recommend proper identification from someone who knows the plants although many good books are around and the internet is bound to have photos.

I have tried things which I mistook for edible and it has resulted in me discovering some of the most foul tastes known to humanity! (I have also found some of the best…)

I believe we all have instinctive knowledge embedded in our mind which tells us what is edible and what is poisonous, but often that instinct is hard to find (uncover) purely since most of us haven’t grown up around plants, so a level of caution is always a good thing when trying something new in your diet.

As we gradually reconnect to plants the instinct becomes uncovered and we can trust our own judgment. One thing: if it tastes horrible it’s not likely to be edible and welcomed by the body. The title for this article (Everything Is Food) is just saying that everything contains gifts, for body, mind and soul.

This writing is focused on those edible gifts of nature which are free and easily accessible to all. The greatest free gift of plants is oxygen. Every time we breathe we are connected to all plant life on the planet and without that plant life there would be no human life. So as we breathe together sharing one of Natures finest gifts.

Here is a list of some of Natures other fine gifts which we can all share, and through sharing connect more deeply with ourselves, one another and the universe.

Latin names have been included to aid identification. Avoid picking from very polluted atmospheres (busy roads etc)

There are loads more fascinating useful edible plants out there. Personally I feel I’m only at the first step. I would love to hear from anyone who’s really into foraging in Sheffield (England, UK) and their spots/areas and the way they use plants.

If you want further information on identification, where I gather plants and at what time of year you can email me at maxsalad@googlemail.com

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