Foraging for Wild Plants

 
People have used wild foods for food and medicine for millennia. Students will learn to never use any wild food for food or medicine until it has been positively identified. You will learn to identify some of the most common wild plants from around the world, some native, some not. Our focus will be how to to identify some of the most common and easily identifiable wild plants that you are likely to see in Southern California, plants which can be made into salads, soups, desserts, bread, and others that are useful for simple medicines. Many of the plants you will learn about were used by Native Americans not only for food, but for fire-making, tool and weapon making, and shelter. Legal and safety issues also will be discussed. Christopher’s book on wild plants by will be available for sale in class.