Urban foraging, is it safe?

[Bushwhacker]

I've always wondered how pollution would affect things, is it a cause for concern?
I'd also be wary of picking anything below waist-height for obvious reasons.

Living in the countryside, I avoid picking anything near a road, track, bridleway, footpath and the like.

 

[Nagual]

I think you've really answered your own question there if you avoid those obvious places then urban foraging should be fine. Take into consideration the potential use of chemicals such as pesticides as well, so be careful around maintained areas. Essentially the more remote and less maintained areas will be 'safer' than those regularly used. That said a little common sense when out and about along with a keen eye will let you know whats what.


Nag.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I can't imagine there being many places away from roads and footpaths.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Hmmm, plenty of opinions on this one then!

Does anybody practise it?

 

[xylaria]

I have always classified myself as an urban forager. Some of the best foraging is along byways. The hedgerows including the understory provide some of the widest selection of wild food there is.

I take certain precautions. I won't pick from the verges of the A50 even though they are rich in food, and I won't pick from the wetland at the base of the old landfill site. I know some plants are better at storing heavy metals others, sea buckthorn and bulrush I am lot more picky on, than say apples and blackberries. I am not picky on idea that some animal might of peed on plant either. I eat wild fungi and I know the likes of horse mushrooms are there because of animal waste. They are infections that can caught be from fox pee but is fox going pass through a field of tesco cabbages and not cock his leg?, so whats the difference between that and wild sorrel. We wash veggies for reason, and we have easophils (sp? immune cells that batter parasites).

The world is not sterile, Mother Nature has cooties, I just like to sit close enough to see them.

 

[Bushwhacker]

The landfill/heavy metal problem was something else I was trying to get at, does anybody have a method of testing soil or something like that?

With regards to foxes peeing, I would avoid any prominent areas like a mound or tree stump. Foxes tend to use spots like this to mark their territory.

 

[crazydave]

funny I remember watching some tv chef wallah and he went out with another chef to pick wild rocket and herbs from an old factory site. its possible to find allsorts out there.

 

[xylaria]

One of my favorite places is some old coal board land, on side of the hill. I avoid pottery sites as they tend to contain cadmium and lead. I find out more from local history sources than anything; Museums libraries and old people.

I am not bothered about getting poisoned by pollution, to be realistic I smoke, I drink, I have bad joints and take medication that is likely to burn a hole in stomach sooner or later. I am not going to get pregnant again, so i am not dumping whats in my body fat onto the next generation. I am far likely to pop my clogs to cancer or internal bleeding than anything I eat. At least I know where my food is coming from, where as supermarket cabbage could be grown next to M1 sprayed with chemicals and be down stream from Drax and various landfills, and still be legally sold.

 

[luddy]

The best urban foraging I just did was when I pulled into a lay-by on the Barnstaple road, and found a carrier bag full of apples........easiest picking ever.

Since petrol went unleaded, roadside pickings are better than they used to be, but I always wash food from roadsides, ditto dog-pee height.

The best places are abandoned gardens, canal sides and cycle paths.

 

[FerlasDave]

anyone know anything about eating animals from urban areas?

my area is quite wooded and 'countrysidey' but its still a town. i always see squirrels in my garden and my air rifles egging me on for a free meal but is the meat safe to eat?

 

[Toddy]

My most accessable foraging is along an old mineral railway line that led to a Victorian gasworks. It's now a nature walk, and it leads into two forested areas and a lot of very mature hedgerows around factories and the like.
I'm careful but not paranoid.

I don't gather bullrushes or watercress from the burn though, I just don't quite trust the water enough for that.

Pigeons, rabbits, squirrels, ducks, are all commonly taken from around here and no one seems to be suffering any
If the squirrels are feeding on your bird food ( mine certainly do ) then I don't see why they shouldn't be good eating.

cheers,
Toddy