Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse (and other reasons for foraging): Viburnum, Jewelweed

August 24, 2019

Why forage? I wisecrack about surviving the Zombie Apocalypse--but I’m not entirely joking.

I grew up during the Cold War. In elementary school, we were taught to "duck and cover.” If the air raid sirens went off and the A-bombs began raining down, we were supposed to go into the halls, squat against the cinder block walls, and fold our arms over our heads.

Kathleen on the AT, near Killington, VT

Apparently the threat of nuclear attack made quite an impression on me. I spent much of my youth thinking apocalyptic thoughts, and planning survival scenarios. Where would I live? What would I eat?

As an adult, I’ve (mostly) grown beyond my survivalist fantasies, but I still see many benefits to knowing something about wild edibles. One of them: finding nutritious greens when you are miles from a store.

You may recall that Steven and I are section-hiking the AT. Many through-hikers (who are tromping from Georgia to Maine in one grand march) often subsist on nothing but ramen, pop tarts, and jerky. Wouldn't it be great to know that you could walk 2,000 plus miles, without having to carry all of your food on your back? That the world around you is abundantly offering up all the fruits and veggies you need to stay strong and healthy?

This last weekend, hiking a small portion in central Vermont, I came across familiar friends Plaintain and Bunchberry.

Viburnum, or Hobblebush, with ripe black berries

Vibernum berries were just beginning to ripen. It was great to see this phase of the shrub I otherwise know as Hobblebush. I sampled some of the ripe black berries, about the size of a blueberry; mild, slightly raisin-y tasting, but mostly seed.

The hero of the outing: Jewelweed. This is a plant I’ve loved since childhood. It is supposed to be a great topical antidote to poison ivy, bee stings, and mosquito bites. In late summer, it is pretty much rampant in any moist, shady area. I love its juicy, tender stems and soft, orchid-like flowers (which may be orange or yellow). But its best feature is its seedpod. It looks like a Lilliputian green banana. Gently squeezed, it explodes seeds, leaving behind a green corkscrew launcher.

See Steve waaaay off in the distance? These hillsides were entirely covered with Jewelweed

Pinching Jewelweed seeds kept my kids entertained for hours. But what I didn’t know then was that they make a very tasty trailside snack. Given their abundance, the exuberance with which the pods burst, and the yummy walnut flavor of the seeds, Jewelweed could make a very convenient addition to the hiker’s diet.

What would happen if you could not get to a store to buy greens and vegetables? What would you do if you couldn’t depend upon our usual food systems?

I wouldn’t want to be the one starving on the side of the road when there was edible food everywhere.

Hence: The Bounty Around Us.