How to eat weeds in Hawaii

Oahu-based public artist Gaye Chan once told me and Marko that we were part of her lost tribe. If by that she means we are into Free Stores, foraging free food, and eating weeds, then yes, we are!

Read Full Post »

Lei culture, plant culture, in Hawaii and Germany

Sorry so silent! I’ve been busy arranging flowers in Honolulu, Beacon (where another Urban Plant Researcher recently wed!) and the German countryside, sometimes into bouquets and more often into lei.

Mahalo to the Hui Hana Lei Ladies who taught me to make haku lei in my last month in Hawaii. If you’re on Oahu, please visit their annual lei-making class this Thursday. I just posted about my experience making lei with the lei ladies, and more about their class, here on my other blog, Local Color.

Read Full Post »

First walk in Lichtenberg, with nettles and a rainbow

We made our first urban plant expedition in Lichtenberg today. Yesterday, Sara and I moved into the Lichtenberg Studios in Berlin where we are in residence this week. Our first order of business today was to explore the neighborhood on foot and see what kind of plants, parks, flower shops, green spaces and other urban nature we might find. Here are some of the things we saw, smelled, observed, tasted…

Read Full Post »

Wild garlic in Berlin: it’s Bärlauch time again

Since spring is so early this year in Berlin, the Bärlauch (wild garlic) is already at the height of its season here. We went foraging yesterday at the Volkspark Pankow. Some Bärlauch tips I’ve posted earlier:

• Take an edible herb walk in Berlin: Post 1, Post 2
• Recipe ideas for Bärlauch (sandwiches, barley risotto)

What spring vegetables and fruits are coming in season where you are? What are you foraging?

Read Full Post »

Warsaw: Solidarność, jam and juice

Jam session in pictures, ©Pixxe.org

Warsaw foragers were almost foiled (unintentionally) by Solidarność protesters before convincing several marchers to save the day. Don’t miss this great post by Pixxe on an eventful fruit-preserving party. The fruit — including dogwood cherries, apples, pears and mystery fruit — looks delicious.

Read Full Post »

Berlin: Bärlauch, or, cooking spring

As I’ve mentioned, spring has felt massively delayed to many Berliners this year. Maybe our expectations have been warped by global warming, but it feels like we’ve been waiting, shivering at near-zero temperatures, on the brink of spring for ages. We’ve watched reports on TV about Germany’s beloved spring crop, white asparagus, whose harvest has been delayed for more than four weeks by the cold rain. Same for my favorites, bright pink rhubarb and Bärlauch, the tender wild garlic greens that Berliners forage in city parks, which both have been nowhere to be seen… until this week!

Read Full Post »

Berlin: Foraged juniper advent wreath

A 10-minute DIY project made with juniper branches and berries, trimmed from overgrown public plantings. I simply set four candles on a pie plate and distributed the greenery in an appealing way. Happy holidays, urban plants!

Read Full Post »

Elderflower season draws to a close

It’s been a wonderful spring for elderflowers in Berlin, their huge creamy white sprays appearing by the dozen on the simple green trees and shrubs that, until then, nobody had paid any attention to, like this low-growing specimen obscuring some graffiti. They perfumed the air around them, and the food and drinks of anyone who took the time to stop and forage.

Read Full Post »

Foraging Resources: Herb encyclopedia, purslane and hops

If you like beautiful books as much as I do, maybe you won’t mind that the Foraging Resource I’m sharing today is in German. And out of print. You see, I’d like to continue introducing edible plant resources that I personally use, even if they are specific to Berlin or in German, since those are the ones I know well. I hope they will inspire you to find your own favorite resources. Also, I’ll also share tips and info from them, giving you a peek into the books and websites, so you can benefit from them right here on this blog. Read on to look inside this book…

Read Full Post »

Berlin: Foraging season opens with edible wild plant walk

Can you feel it? The weather’s getting warmer and wetter. Winter’s on its last legs. Urban gardeners and foragers like myself are  itching to go planting and plucking plants all around the town. Since many readers come to this blog precisely for info on edible plants, a topic we’ve neglected this winter, I’m celebrating March and the approaching spring with a series on edible plant resources. Read on for more!

Read Full Post »