The first time Katherine Saubel of the Cahuilla tribe flew over
her homeland in the deserts of southeastern California, she
exclaimed,
”
Oh! Look at all that food!
”
This is probably not the same response most of us would have had
flying over a seemingly empty wasteland. But our worldview is,
well, worlds apart from that of native peoples practicing
traditional hunter-gatherer ways of life.
By Jeff Winkler
The first time Katherine Saubel of the Cahuilla tribe flew over her homeland in the deserts of southeastern California, she exclaimed, “Oh! Look at all that food!” This is probably not the same response most of us would have had flying over a seemingly empty wasteland. But our worldview is, well, worlds apart from that of native peoples practicing traditional hunter-gatherer ways of life.
While in our culture the grocery store is a safe and reliable way of obtaining food, it’s not much fun. On the other hand, supplementing the sights, sounds, smells and textures of a hike with the flavors of the wild lands around us can make for an educational and fun experience, enrich our sense of connection to the places we live in, and free us from the bounds of technology.
If the American desert prompted such a ravenous response, imagine how the people of the Yokut and Ohlone tribes must have felt about living in the lush environs of what is now Henry W. Coe State Park. The park is situated in the “mixing zone” between the cool, moist Pacific and the warm, dry Central Valley. The resulting varied climate, coupled with diverse geology, supports many types of habitats in close proximity, resulting in a great diversity of plants and wildlife.
The Native Americans recognized this abundance and made the area their home for millennia. The chief staple for these peoples was the acorn. One of wilderness guru Tom Brown’s “big four” edible plants, all acorns are edible if properly prepared, and according to Brown, a handful of acorns has “as much nutritional value as a pound of hamburger.” While you can find acorns from the white oak and blue oak that taste good enough to eat raw, those from the black oak and live oaks should be chopped and repeatedly leached in running water to remove the bitter tannic acid prior to eating.
Pine trees, another of the big four, have many edible parts. The needles can be chopped and boiled for a nice tea that has more vitamin C than orange juice. Open the cones next to a fire to get to the savory nuts. Heck, you can even eat the inner bark if you’re in a pinch, though I haven’t tried this with the dominant pine at Coe, the gray pine.
Ever wonder why your dog eats grass? It never fails to make us giggle, but it seems they are on to something. The fact is that almost all bladed grasses are edible (stems, leaves, roots, seeds and all!) and contain nutrients that you (or your dog) may not get elsewhere. A variety of fresh grass-shoots mixed with miner’s lettuce – a common low round-leafed plant found throughout the South Bay for most of the year – can make for quite a nice salad.
While many wildflower petals may be tasty, I think it is better karma to leave the flowers for everyone to enjoy, rather than selfishly consume them for very little food value. Besides, picking wildflowers is prohibited at Coe and most parks. As an alternative, the blossoms of wild mustard, radish, nasturtium, onion and oxalis – all introduced species – are very good in salads and are common in the Bay Area. Some parks actually encourage consumption of non-native plants such as blackberries, and sanction seasonal foraging for traditionally gathered edibles such as mushrooms.
The wild supermarket of the Yokuts and Ohlones is still very much open for business, and contains well over 100 plants. Seeds from Lamb’s-quarters, tarweed, evening primrose, bear clover, chia and red maid were ground into flour. You can see the bedrock mortars used for just this task at Lion Spring, a short hike from the Coe Park visitor center. The bulbs of mariposa lilies (always a lovely flower to encounter), soaproot and brodiaea were roasted and eaten. Buckeyes were carefully prepared and eaten when other food sources were low.
Before you set out to sample nature’s bounty, go on a guided edible-plant walk and become familiar with the edible plants in your area. As you begin foraging, remember these rules: 1. If you are not absolutely sure it’s edible, don’t put it in your mouth; 2. When trying something for the first time, eat only a very small quantity; 3. Harvest with wisdom and respect and leave the rest for the critters.
While many parks discourage or prohibit collection of plants or plant material, some experimental nibbling here and there on the trail probably won’t have a significant impact on the environment, and can only serve to make you a more respectful patron. But it often depends on what, where and when you plan to forage, so it’s probably a good idea to check in with a ranger first.
For a more thorough understanding of how to select and prepare wild edible plants of the Bay Area, I highly recommend “The Flavors of Home” by Margit Roos-Collins. Tom Brown’s “Wilderness Survival” dedicates many pages to learning how to survive on wild edibles and details a safe process for determining if something is edible. “Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants of California” by Jeff Callegari and Keith Durand also comes highly recommended.
Jeff Winkler is a volunteer ranger at Henry W. Coe State Park.
