FI MessiahLifeways UnscriptedMagazine Spring2025 - Flipbook - Page 12
BACKYARD
FORAGING
R
ichelle Corty, an environmental educator
at Wildwood Park in Harrisburg, remembers
playing "Lewis and Clark" with her school-aged
friends during recess—a made-up game where they
imagined they were pioneers living off the land.
There were many inedible concoctions prepared
during their play-pretend adventures, she said,
but at a summer camp several years later, Richelle
learned how to actually forage edible plants from her
backyard—from dandelions to yellow daylily petals.
“I've always loved plants, and edible plants are my
ticket to reaching others and encouraging them to
want to know more,” Richelle shared. “Looking at
a plant is only so good, but eating it is a much
bigger draw.”
During a recent presentation at Messiah Village, she
did teaching and tasting, showing residents how they
can add cost-effective and sustainable variety to
their tables by foraging.
“Wild foraging often results in one small ingredient
you can add to other items you have in your kitchen
to diversify your diet and eat more locally, which is
especially important in this day and age where food
scarcity may become more of an issue and is certainly
a hot topic,” she said. “This might add texture, color,
and taste to your dishes. Growing your own produce
and foraging are centuries-old ideas.”
Messiah Village resident Jan Crouse
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