It is customary in urban areas to purchase fresh produce in stores. The fruit and vegetables in stores are typically of an ample size, attractive in their appearance and still fresh. But what people may not know is that some plants can be harvested in the wild. Those who are interested in an alternative to store-purchased produce can research the option to buy wild edible plants of California (forage California).
Commercial produce is traditionally conspicuous in its healthy appearance and large size. This may deter people from trying to supply their own fresh produce from other sources. Some produce in stores looks so good that it seems unnatural. But the consumer should bear in mind that it is produced using commercial agricultural methods.
Commercial farmers use industrial-level techniques to cultivate their produce. They harvest tons at a time and they employ commercial methods. These methods are not available to the layperson and so you can't grow store produce in your back yard. This makes the comparison a waste of time.
Another issue is genetic modification. GM crops are not uncommon these days, and, once again, the use of natural seed or natural species is not going to produce the fruit and vegetables that you see in the store. These crops have been engineered to look like that and sometimes the purpose of the engineering is to give them a purely cosmetic effect, such as lasting color or the unnaturally prolonged appearance of freshness. This is cosmetic and is pursued for marketing purposes.
Picking wild plants is a route that some people take in trying to supply their own produce or simply in experimenting with alternative sources of vegetables and fruit. If you decide to do this, there are some questions that you should answer as you do.
You should decide on which plants you want to harvest. The obvious issue is that of toxicity. Some plants are poisonous, and not all of them are lethal. A poisonous plant may not necessarily be lethal - it may simply induce terrible symptoms, or it might be nasty to eat. Some plants are also nutritionally useless, i. E. They provide you with no nourishment.
Mushrooms, particularly, are dangerous to people if you do not know which ones to pick. As a rule of thumb, the more colorful or striking the mushroom, the more poisonous it might be. But this is not a hard and fast rule and you should always research mushrooms (or any plants) properly before you consume them.
The other consideration is that of legality. Some wild areas are protected reserves, while certain plant species are also legally protected. You should never harvest plants which are legally protected. The law attempts to preserve these species and you should not disregard it.
You can now buy wild edible plants of California through the following website. To learn more about forage California, visit this informative page at http://livingwild.org.
