Identifying wild nuts, roots, berries and plants, many now commonly called weeds, and how to store them will be the focus of “Wild Edible Identification and their Historic Use as Wild Medicine”.

In this class, being offered by Wild Edible Instructor and Cornell Cooperative Extension Franklin County’s Master Food Preservation instructor Pat Banker, participants will learn science-based and safe ways to identify, prepare, freeze, dehydrate, and store wild edibles. Banker will also lead a tour of 4H Camp Overlook’s variety of wild edibles and how to identify them while giving a historic medicinal use explanation of many of the plants available. This is a hands-on class and participants are encouraged to dress for the weather.

Until the very early 1900s stores supplying dry goods, meats, canned goods, fruits and vegetables were small, community based, and usually operated by a single family. Before the big grocery stores appeared, rural people knew how to fill the pantry with canned, dried and pickled in-season foods to feed their families throughout the winter.

Participants in the class will also prepare a wild foods lunch utilizing canned wild game, fresh, frozen, canned and dehydrated plants from the wild. Instruction on how to make flour and breads from dandelions and red clover, jellies from wild flowers, teas from wild plants, stews, soups, and other additions to your cupboard and freezer will be covered.  Each participant will receive the booklet “Truly Wild Recipes”.

The full day class is being offered at 4H Camp Overlook, in Owls Head, N.Y., on May 9th, 2015 from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Cost is $75 per person or $65 for anyone who has completed a Food Preservation class offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information or to pre-register, contact Beverly Brady at the CCE Franklin office in the Court House, Malone at (518) 483-7403 or email bjb257@cornell.edu.

Photo of violet jelly courtesy Shannon Houlihan.