Wildcrafting Stillwater by Stacy

We’re so excited to be hosting local foraging expert, Jackie Dill, in a program titled “Wildcrafting Stillwater” on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. 

Jackie will discuss how to locate and harvest edibles, herbs and mushrooms that grow in the Stillwater area.  She’ll also discuss delicious dishes and household products, like laundry soap, that can be made with items you find.  She’ll even tell us how to locate material to use in crafting and share examples of the crafts she has constructed.

When I first spoke with Jackie, I asked her for some easy recipes, as I thought I’d try my hand at one or two for the program.  Jackie suggested making an easy and lemony tea from Sumac.  The first thing I envisioned was how much trouble I’d be in for serving up a tray of poison-ivy-like cocktails to our library guests, but she assured me that it is NOT that type of sumac.  It turns out that there is a poisonous sumac with white berries and an edible sumac with red or purple berries which is also known as “The Wild Lemonade Berry.”  I figured it might be best if I read some books or listen to Jackie’s presentation before trying out any treats on anyone.

If you’d like to read up before or after the program, we have a display on foraging and using foraged items.  The display is located near the Help Desk and the books are available for checkout.  Some of the items include:

   “Backyard Foraging: 65 familiar plants you didn't know you could eat” by Ellen Zachos covers identifying useful plants, harvesting etiquette and ways to prepare and eat the items found.

  “The Feast nearby: how I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on $40 aweek)” by Robin Mather is a charming semi-memoir from a recently unemployed food-journalism veteran featuring delicious recipes using foraged edibles. 

 “Hunt,gather, cook: finding the forgotten feast” by Hank Shaw discusses the virtues of filling the dinner table through hunting, fishing and foraging overlooked and underutilized wild foods.

 “The wild table: seasonal foraged food and recipes” by Connie Green helps readers identify numerous wild delicacies, and then provides step-by-step preparation and cooking techniques for many recipes, including several signature dishes from noted chefs.
 

If you’ll be attending the program, there will not be handouts, so please be sure to bring a notebook and a pen so you can take notes.  To find out more about foraging locally, visit Jackie’s site at http://www.oklahomawildcrafting.com/.  For more material on the subject, stop by and ask a librarian!