Foraging in North America ― The Top 12 Plants to Seek Out

Learn to identify, collect, and prepare edible plants!

Step into your backyard, garden, or nearby green space, and harvest an abundance of free, nutritious, and organic greens, tubers, and fruits. Foraging in North America introduces you to 12 widely accessible wild plants that can be gathered safely. Compared to cultivated garden plants, these wild edibles require no care, are hardier, and are amazing sources of nutrients.

Throughout much of our history, wild plants were the mainstay of human diets. They were rich in micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals that nurtured good health and strong immune systems. Foraging in North America is a simple guide that introduces readers to those foods—including such overlooked superfoods as dandelions, lambs quarters, and nettles. Not only will you learn how to find those wild edibles and more, but expert forager Tom Anderson also shares tips on best practices for collecting and even some ideas on how to prepare your finds for the table.

Foraging is also an excellent family activity. It helps children to learn about the natural world while simultaneously giving them the satisfaction of contributing to the household. Bring this photo-illustrated quick guide on your next outing. It can be tucked into a daypack, camping cook kit, glove compartment, or back pocket.

For over thirty years, Tom Anderson has lived in the farm that was built by his great-great-grandfather. After earning a degree in wildlife biology, he was the first Chisago County Parks director and worked as a naturalist for the Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center and the Science Museum of Minnesota. For fourteen years, he wrote an award-winning column called “Reading Signs” for the Chisago County Press newspaper. He also received a national award for “best feature” in a professional periodical from the National Interpretive Association. Tom’s first book was a collection of essays entitled Learning Nature by a County Road. It was followed by a book titled Black Bear: Seasons of the Wild. Tom is also the author of a series of regional books, Things That Bite: A Realistic Look at Critters That Scare People. He writes freelance articles for various magazines and Minneapolis’s Star Tribune newspaper, and he contributes content to Minnesota Public Radio.