Photos: Courtesy of Berkshire Food Journal

Our friends at Berkshire Food Journal recently brought to our attention “Farmed & Foraged,” a weekend’s worth of foraging-related events that included the seeking, identifying, eating and purchasing of wild edibles. All locally-growing in western Mass, of course.

The event, which incorporated eight wild food walks cleverly named “Where the Wild Things Are,” came and went in May. But forager leader Russ Cohen, a professional environmentalist and wild foods enthusiast, made a remark in the accompanying video that stuck with me. “….[O]rganic farms are great places to forage…so my advice is to talk to the managers of local organic farms and see if they would mind [your]…doing some of their weeding for them,” he said.

Hmmmm. 

Granted, we each have a To Do list peppered with home-related tasks (two on mine: edge and weed all my garden beds; organize the attic!). But visiting a local organic farm and weeding — i.e., foraging for wild edibles for your dinner table– should fall into a category all its own. It helps the farmer, feeds you and builds community. You now have a stake in that farm, a richer relationship with it than you did when you pulled in.

All this reminds me of doing the dishes at someone else’s home. It doesn’t feel like work. It feels like fun. Social, and gratifying. So, why not? Give your local farm a call, listen to their parameters and give it a try. Weed and savor, eating well.

Listen to the full interview with forager Russ Cohen.