It was about 3 years ago today that my now fiance, Clay, took me on our first date. To be honest, I had completely forgotten that we had even made plans, until I got to my place and he was waiting outside, ready to take me to go pick wild parsnips.

I want to let you in on a little secret. There’s a plant that grows in our region, and it’s not quite so popular. Many people go to great lengths to cut it down, spray it, and curse its very existence. However, my family loves this plant, and I’d like to convince you of it’s greatness too. The plant I’m talking about is Autumn Olive, or Eleagnus Umbelatta.

During our Children’s Foraging Class, the kids learned a variety of different edibles. We talked about Wild leeks, and the kids even got to all take a taste of trout lily, a sweet and tender leaf of the forest, that typically grows in the same landscape among leeks.