Come Forage with FRANK!

There has been a lot of interest in our foraging habits since the article about us in Edible Magazine came out this spring.  It is foraging season in Dallas right now!  With the unusual weather patterns we’ve had over the past month, it’s shaping up to be an epic year for morel hunting in North Texas.

We are extending an open invitation to forage with us this Wednesday, April 1 at 4pm.  We will meet at the LB Houston Nature Trail “East Trailhead” off Wildwood Drive in Dallas, just north of the Trinity River bridge between 114 and Northwest Highway.  (We know that’s before the end of the business day, but if we wait until after rush hour, there won’t be enough light!)  The gravel parking lot is on the east side of Wildwood Drive, just north of the University of Dallas campus.  (Please note, there are gravel pullouts along Wildwood Drive if the parking lot is full.)  We will not wait longer than 15 minutes in the parking lot, so please plan to arrive on time!

Currently the weather forecast is sunny and warm, but we will forage even if there’s a light rain.  Please wear long pants, and a long sleeve shirt.  (There is thorny greenbriar and poison ivy in our woods!)  Sturdy footwear that can get muddy is highly suggested.  Bug spray (ticks are out!), water, and walking stick will be useful.   Bring a few cloth, mesh, or paper bags for any goodies we may find!  Be prepared to get sweaty, scratched up, and be picking twigs from your hair for the next few days.  And a change of shoes for getting back into your car is highly recommended.  (Ah, the joys of foraging!)

While we will not be covering large distances, there will be uneven slopes, mud, tangled, prickly vines, and thick underbrush, so those with limited mobility may prefer to stick to the trails and just absorb the info.  Feel free to bring a walking stick.

Morels are fruiting in the Dallas area this week, and we may or may not find any.  (Morel foraging is still not as popular here as it is farther north, but our urban parks are heavily visited!)  I can guarantee we will find SOME wild edibles, if only greens, but the chance for other wild mushrooms is fairly high due to the rain we’ve been having.  I will point out the appropriate trees to search under for morels, and you can search older-growth parks near your home the following weekend!

There will be no fee for the event, but we do request that you comment below in the comment thread indicating your RSVP so we can plan for how many may be coming.  You’ll be able to keep anything you find yourself as we scan the forest floor.

Come out and discover the joys of foraging for wild foods!

PLEASE NOTE:  NEVER EVER EVER eat a wild mushroom you cannot positively identify.  We have several species commonly found in the Dallas area that will cause certain death within 48 hours if ingested.  Invest in several fungus field guides (Mushrooms Demystified and Texas Mushrooms are among my favorites) and if you have even the slightest doubt about a mushroom’s identification, DO NOT EAT IT! The first rule of mushroom foraging is: “If in doubt, throw it out!”