NATURAL NEWS

• In episode 3 of "Wartime Homefront Essential Skills," Scott Sexton, a foraging expert, joined Marjory Wildcraft and shared beginner-friendly tips to help novices safely harvest wild food, emphasizing safety and simplicity.
• Key guidelines include avoiding uncertain plants, steering clear of white berries/milky sap, skipping umbrella-shaped flowers (like poison hemlock), ignoring wildlife cues and introducing new foods slowly.
• Sexton recommended dandelions (entirely edible), wild onions/garlic (identified by strong scent), pine trees (for tea/flour/pollen), crown-marked berries (e.g., blueberries) and mustard-family plants (peppery leaves).
• This episode also tackled how water hemlock—often confused with wild parsnip—was flagged as extremely toxic; even a small root portion can be fatal.
• Sexton also explained why foraging fosters self-sufficiency and reconnects people with nature. Beginners should start with safe plants, follow rules and gradually build confidence.

• Avoid the unknown – "If you're not 100 percent sure, don't eat it."
• Beware of white warning signs – White berries and milky sap often signal toxicity (with rare exceptions like dandelions).
• Steer clear of "umbel" flowers – These umbrella-shaped clusters, found in deadly plants like poison hemlock, are a red flag.
• Don't trust wildlife – "Just because a deer eats it doesn't mean you can." Animals and humans metabolize plants differently.
• Start small – New foods can cause allergies or digestive upset. "Even safe plants should be introduced slowly."

• Dandelions – "No poisonous look-alikes exist," Sexton assured. With their toothy leaves, hollow stems, and sunny yellow flowers, dandelions are edible from root to bloom. Bonus: Their white sap isn’t toxic—it can even be used as glue.
• Wild onions and garlic – "Smell is your lifeline," Sexton emphasized. True alliums (onions, garlic, leeks) must smell strongly of their namesake. Dangerous imposters—like toxic death camas—lack the telltale aroma.
• Pine trees – Needles in tight bundles? You've found an edible pine. 
• Crown berries – "Look for a five-pointed 'crown' on the berry's underside," Sexton advised. Blueberries, huckleberries and apples often bear this mark, while toxic berries (like poison ivy) don't.
• Mustard family – Plants with four-petaled flowers and peppery leaves (like wild radish) are edible. Shepherd's purse even doubles as a wound styptic.
• Plantain – This weed's ribbed, parallel-veined leaves make it unmistakable. Young leaves add a mild tang to salads.

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