cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/25223247

A Meadowview, Virginia, research center spearheads the effort, and more than a dozen experimental, large-plot plantings on state public lands have not only survived but reached maturity. Lesesne State Forest in Nelson County, for instance, holds about thirty acres of natural, second-growth woods anchored by seventy-foot-tall American chestnut trees that are more than sixty years old—and produce delicious wild nuts that few living people beyond foresters and researchers have ever tasted.

“We don’t go out of our way to advertise this fact,” says Scrivani, “but the public can now hike in and walk through natural groves of healthy [American chestnut trees] and forage for nuts for the first time in nearly a century.”

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First, I located some trees with white or yellow resin. Don't use the liquid fresh stuff, the hardened one isn't sticky and smells better.

Then, I used the can opener tool on my knife to chip it directly into my bag

Try to not hurt the tree and only remove a bit on more trees instead of massacring a single one.

Look at how much I collected in not even one hour!

The resin was still full of needles, moss, bark and whatever.
To refine it, I put it into a sock/ mesh/ whatever with a stone in it.

Then I threw it into bubbling hot water.

After just a few minutes, the resin liquified and drooped out of the mesh.

When cooled down, it sunk to the bottom

I then scraped it off the pot. It was surprisingly easy!

Finally, I put it onto paper towel to let it dry. You can easily touch it, it isn't sticky at all.

Uses

• As incense. It has similar capabilities as frankincense (Boswellia sp.). It's calming, is great for meditation and smells great!
• As ointment for wounds
• As antibacterial chewing gum
• And much more!

Invidious link

Sort of like a River Cottage. I liked it and am in Tasmania.

For those not in the know, SBS is mostly a publically funded broadcaster in Australia

https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/a-girls-guide-to-hunting-fishing-and-wild-cooking/season-1

Probably need a VPN of you did want to watch it

I've had an abundance of chanterelles recently and decided to share what I've been doing with them.

Cooking chanterelles is easy, I start by tearing them into evenly sized strips (they're stringy like chicken) and throwing them in a saucepan by themselves to boil off all the water. (Adding a bit of water at the start to cover the bottom of the pan lets you start it on high heat without burning them)

While the water boils off I start making Mexican yellow rice to serve on the side. I don't have fancy ingredients like saffron but turmeric, cumin, garlic, oregano, and a chicken stock cube gets the job done for me.

When the chanterelles are ready I add a bit of oil with onions and poblano peppers cut into strips, and season with cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic, and paprika (salt and pepper to taste). Cook that on high heat and stir until the texture of the veggies is just right. I stop stirring and let it burn a little while melting some cheese on top at the end.

And here is the result:

You can get some tortillas or just eat it as-is, it's delicious either way. Goes well with salsa or hot sauce. I've made this probably 5 or 6 times in the past month because I keep finding more chanterelles and I will never get bored of it.

Still would love to hear some more ideas on how to cook chanterelles, because I will probably find even more soon lol.

I have long thought the birds were beating me to the ripe currants we pass on our morning hike. But yesterday I was close enough to my dog to catch her foraging them!

I have suspected her foraging for a few weeks, I was visiting my sister on our family farm, there are wild wolf berries (goji) between her house and the farm house. And she saw the dog eating berries off the bushes.

There were some good ones this morning.

With lemm.ee's closure imminent and no replacement community for !foraging@lemm.ee I decided to open this community!

Welcome to !foraging@slrpnk.net