CAUTION: Many wild foods have look-alikes, and some may be poisonous. Never eat any wild plant unless you are certain of its identity.
September means lasts and firsts. First days of fall, first cool nights. Last fresh tomatoes and other garden goodies. But with the transition of the season comes the bounty of the earth. This is the beginning of harvest season for fall planted crops, for livestock, and for so many natural foods. I have a few fan favorites to share this month, and I hope you can get out an find them!
Cattails
Cattails are a near perennial food source, offering up various parts of the plant at different times of year. The low water right now is giving ample access to these edge dwelling water plants, making it easier than ever to dig up the starchy rhizomes. They can be cooked and eaten in ways similar to artichokes, stripping the starches away from the fibrous outer sheath, or ground for flour that is a fantastic baking aid and thickener.
Asparagus
This one is a bit of a cheat, but still important! While September is not an ideal time to try to harvest asparagus, it is the perfect time to locate it! Long a homestead staple, and occasionally growing feral, search old farmlands and county roads(with proper permission) for the golden blaze that is the fall foliage of the asparagus. Broiled, grilled, or sautéed, asparagus is hard to beat. Come next spring you will be glad you did your September scouting and marked where to find the tender young shoots.
Raccoon
I can hear the peanut gallery already. But, given that we have a new “management” focused early season for raccoons in my state, it seems pertinent to make sure we have something to do with them. Raccoon has been common fare in much of the Midwest and South for generations, and lends itself well to both barbeque and the pressure cooker. A classic preparation is a brief pressure cook, followed by slow roasting with sweet potatoes. With no shortage appearing anytime soon, raccoon is primed and ready for a culinary comeback.
Walnuts
The bright green fruits, often a bit larger than a golf ball, have likely been falling already for a few weeks, but if you can beat the squirrels and bugs, wild walnuts offer second to none flavor in the fall. Throw on some gloves and old clothes to avoid the semi permanent brown staining that the husks always impart, and start picking up walnuts in piles under mature trees. Then you can either let the husks begin to rot and shed naturally, or use any number of dehusking, drying, and shelling methods before putting your hard earned walnuts in the freezer for storage. They can be added to your favorite baked goods, pressed for oil, and eaten as a quick snack.
September has no shortage of opportunities for foragers and things will only get better as the fall matures. Although summertime activities may be ending, the fall will bring new challenges and chances to get out there and try new things. Happy foraging, fishing, and hunting!
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