LECTURER: Dr. John Kallas

PROGRAM: "Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt to Plate"

Kallas, wild edible plants authority, instructor, researcher, and director of Wild Food Adventures, will present, “Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate,” April 18 at 7 p.m. at The Mountaineers Program Center. With degrees in nutrition, education, biology and zoology, Kallas is well armed to teach us all about wild foods.

Sure, most of us eagerly pluck juicy wil... More

LECTURER: Dr. John Kallas

PROGRAM: "Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt to Plate"

Kallas, wild edible plants authority, instructor, researcher, and director of Wild Food Adventures, will present, “Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate,” April 18 at 7 p.m. at The Mountaineers Program Center. With degrees in nutrition, education, biology and zoology, Kallas is well armed to teach us all about wild foods.

Sure, most of us eagerly pluck juicy wild blackberries, huckleberries and other fruits that grow in the Pacific Northwest. But how many of us scan the ground for sheep sorrel or miner’s lettuce? Can you tell a dandelion from cat’s ear? These common edible wild plants could add flavor, texture and nutritional value to any meal, indoors or at a campground.

Kallas says we’ve gotten out of touch with the plants around us, and lack the knowledge of how to use them. Native Americans and other cultures gathered wild plants as their daily food. They didn’t view wild plants as novelties, they just thought of them as food. Generations ago, parents passed this knowledge to their children. Especially farmers and others living close to the land held more knowledge about food plants and kept that within their families. But as we became more industrialized, this knowledge was no longer passed on and lost, Kallas says. “One way to look at it is that all wild foods are traditional foods.”

Wild plants can have many parts that are edible and tasty, such as leaves, roots and flowers. Some people look at knowledge about wild foods as something to use for “survival.” But Kallas is quick to point out that we can easily incorporate wild foods and their nutritional boost into our daily diets, and need not consider them survival foods. Best of all, he notes, some of these plants can be found in your yard or local neighborhood. I don’t know about you, but I’m already planning to transfer some of my expansive dandelion crop to my plate instead of the compost.

His latest project is writing the second volume in his Wild Food Adventure Series. The first volume, “Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt to Plate,” was published in 2010. The book features pictures of wild foods from seedling to mature plant. Kallas says his book reduces the fear of misidentification and shows you the path to great flavor. With this tool, anyone can head out and start on a wild food adventure.

Be warned: Kallas makes a convincing argument. There’s nutritious, tasty food all around us, just for the taking. He will open your eyes and your mind.

Public is Welcome! $5.00 donation at the door (Study Group members enter free).

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