Lesson 5: Wildcrafting

 

Overview

 

Although it may seem logical to assume that any crop harvested in the wild should qualify as organic, in practice "wild" areas are highly variable and may be subject to contamination. Roadsides can be contaminated with heavy metals and soot from vehicle exhaust, for instance. Many railroad embankments and power line rights-of-way are sprayed with herbicides periodically. As a result, wildcrafted crops must meet organic regulations if they are to be sold as organic.
 
The list of crops for potential wildcrafting is long and varied. Some of the more common are mushrooms, tree nuts and wild rice. Certain types of algae used in organic food processing are harvested from natural lakes in southern Oregon. Non-food crops like prairie plant seed can also be wildcrafted.
 
Strong markets exist for a wide variety of wildcrafted, native annual and perennial herbs. This is the type of wildcrafting I'll be talking most about here.
 
 

wineberry

Wineberries and other wild fruit can be included in an organic wildcrafting plan. (Photo: TRI)