Suburban Foragers | Gather Together - We are a community of foragers and wild crafters who guide people in finding wild foods and medicines and using primitive skills.

Posted by Rockland Forager on Sep 19, 2012

Porcelain Berries are too pretty to eat

Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) was no doubt brought into this country from Asia as an ornamental plant, with little consideration for the ultimate consequences. I can understand people wanting to plant them, as the berries are quite spectacular, resembling speckled porcelain droplets of green, turquoise, purple, pink and white, with many tones in between. A large cluster of berries may not have any two berries of the same color or shade. These glistening orbs are set against a background of dark green leaves. They can be truly exquisite.

Posted by Rockland Forager on Sep 10, 2012

How to Survive the Hunger Games – Suburban Foragers’ Style – part I

The Hunger Games is about survival, but then so is life itself. The safest survival stores you can have, is knowledge. Those who can turn to nature for shelter, water and nourishment will stand a far greater chance of survival.

Posted by Rockland Forager on Sep 4, 2012

What to do About West Nile Virus? A non-toxic pesticide free natural solution

There's a big hoopla about West Nile Virus right now and I wonder what is really behind it. So few people have ever contracted it, and very few have died from it. In fact, you stand more chance of dying by falling off a donkey.

Posted by Sustainable Sachi on Sep 3, 2012

Hip Hop Hooray for Humulus lupulus!

Hops, like valerian, are a traditional herbal remedy for anxiety, restlessness and insomnia. You may be familiar with hops in association with beer brewing (where it is used as an anti-bacterial agent and for flavoring brews). I am simply happy to brew up a relaxing tea for those nights I have trouble winding down to sleep. When I decided to take an indefinite break from alcohol consumption, I swapped out...

Posted by arielle on Aug 27, 2012

Blog: What’s Up? Chicken Butt!! Meet our Free Range Backyard Chickens!

Meet our backyard chickens. So, why is it important to us to have chickens? Getting chickens was one step in becoming self-sufficient as a community.

Posted by Kevin Brennan on Aug 27, 2012

Blog: How to Raise Backyard Chickens in a Mobile Chicken Coop

More and more suburbanites decide to start raising backyard laying flocks every season and most people have little or no experience with farm animals. Last year I started my first flock after a winter of research and design on chicken housing and management systems

Posted by Chef Lisa on Aug 20, 2012

Recipe: Wild Black Cherry Sauce

WILD BLACK CHERRY SAUCE By Lisa Caccamise Makes about 3/4 cup 2 cups black cherries, no need to pull the stems as they will be strained out along with the pits. water to cover 1/4 cup sugar or more to taste 1. Add cherries and water to a medium pot and bring to a boil. 2. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, then uncover and simmer another 15-30 minutes or...

Posted by Rockland Forager on Aug 20, 2012

This Season’s Wild Edible Plant: Black Cherries

Black cherry (Prunus serotina) Every August, you can find black cherry trees covered in drooping clusters of shiny ripe fruit, like thousands of threaded beads. These cherries are smaller and more tart than the domestic varieties. They grow in elongated racemes and appear to be more like berries on little stalks. However, you will find that each “berry” contains an unmistakable cherry...