A forage for wild edibles

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

At Skinner’s Falls last Saturday, nearly 20 people showed up in the pouring rain to pick the brain of Nathaniel Whitmore, an herbalist trained in traditional Chinese medicine who also happens to know a whole lot about harvesting wild edible plants.

Some on the walk even picked a few plants to snack on, such as garlic mustard, a delicious weed with a mild garlic flavor.

“There’s such an abundance of plants here great for both food and medicine,” Whitmore said of the Upper Delaware River Valley. He has dedicated himself to the integration of Eastern medicine with the botanical abundance and healing traditions of the West.

“I guess I got started in this because I’m a bad gardener,” he joked.

Actually, it was Edwin “Taterbug” Tyler, a shaman from Milanville, PA who introduced Whitmore to the local school of wild edible plants and medicinal herbs. Taterbug died in December 2004, and in his memory, Whitmore will lead nature walks throughout the spring and summer at various locations of Wayne County.

Taterbug used to keep a stand near Skinner’s Falls, where he would sell wild plants to canoeists during summer.

“Taterbug introduced me, and I went on to study,” Whitmore said.

Walking on the New York side of the Upper Delaware, he shared his knowledge and experience of using local greens, roots, berries, nuts and mushrooms as well as medicinal plants like burdock or bloodroot, the white flowers of which had just begun to peak out of the earth’s soil.

And once the rain stopped, many took out their notebooks and recorded the information.

Whitmore talked about methods of preparing wild plants for meals, including one of his favorites, burdock. He water-sautés the root of the plant, which has a mild, distinct flavor, he said.

“When I go out I almost always cook whatever I pick immediately.”

He discussed the properties of other edibles discovered along the walk, like Japanese knotweed, wild rose and dandelion (both can be dried for tea), barberry and fiddlehead.

Commenting on the costly, often unhealthy diets many Americans keep, Whitmore said, “Wild plants don’t cost anything, they’re chemical-free, and you get exercise while foraging for your favorites.”

Whitmore has completed a significant amount of academic work in herbalism and is currently working with a doctor in Fallsburg, testing his own abilities to use medicinal plants as treatments for disease, or as tonics for milder symptoms.

Nature walks with Whitmore

Exploring wild edible plants and medicinal herbs of Wayne County

Saturday, May 21 at 9:30 a.m. at the Northern Wayne Community Library in Lakewood.

Saturday, May 28 at 10:00 a.m. at the Whitmore farm in Damascus. Learn about the first edibles and “blood cleansers” of the year.

Wednesday, June 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Wayne County Cooperative Extension. Start at the St. Vincent’s School parking lot.

Sunday, June 26 at 2:00 p.m. at Damascus Forest, McCubbins Road.

Thursday, July 7 at 6:00 p.m. at Apple Grove, Fair Avenue in Honesdale.

Saturday, July 16 at 10:00 a.m. at Salem Library in Hamlin.

Sunday, July 17 at 3:00 p.m. at Gamelands #159 on Route 371, north of Rileyville.

Saturday, July 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Whitmore farm in Damascus.

Wednesday, August 10 at 5:00 p.m. at Tanner’s Falls.

Saturday, August 27 at 10:00 a.m. at Damascus Township public land. Discuss Native American herbalism and healing.

Sunday, September 4 at 3:00 p.m. at Irving Cliff in Honesdale. Discussion use of herbs and other home-care practices for colds and flu.

A modest donation will be requested of participants. For more information call Whitmore at 570/224-0264.