Douglas Kent - Foraging Southern California

This book is dedicated to a fantastic clan of foragers: the Dunne family (Debbie, Peter, Shannon, Connor, Declan, and Kieran) and the faculty, staff, and students at the Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Cover and book design by Jonathan Norberg

Edited by Brett Ortler

Cover images: Prickly Pear Fruit, front cover by Lynda Disher/shutterstock.com; Wild Strawberry, back cover by Sarah2/shutterstock.com

Photo credits:

Photos identified by page in descending positions a, b, c, d, e, f

All photos copyright of their respective photographers.

Alex Bairstow:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Foraging Southern California: 118 Nutritious, Tasty and Abundant Foods

Copyright 2020 by Douglas Kent

Published by Adventure Publications

An imprint of AdventureKEEN

330 Garfield Street South

Cambridge, Minnesota 55008

(800) 678-7006

www.adventurepublications.net

All rights reserved

Printed in China

ISBN 978-1-59193-915-3 (pbk.); ISBN 978-1-59193-916-0 (ebook)

Photos identified by page in descending positions a, b, c, d, e, f

Used under license from Shutterstock.com:

A Cotton Photo:

DANDELION

This book started out as a love affair, morphed into a tragedy, and eventually (and luckily), evolved into a hopeful story.

Foraging is fantastic fun. It is a whimsical delight best shared with others. And that is the genesis of this bookoutdoorsy fun with family and friends. The story turned tragic when I realized that many of the plants I would have harvested and recommended just a decade ago should no longer be foraged. Like many other native plants, their numbers are dwindling, and they are losing their competitive advantage amid a changing and challenging environment.

Californias natural environment is in peril. While we lead the nation in enterprise and economy, we also lead in the number of extinct, endangered, and threatened aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals.

But there may be a glimmer of hope: Maybe we can graze ourselves to a better future. We just need to rely more heavily on the nature that we createwe need to eat the weeds. By foraging with this guide, you might be able to help.

Eating the weeds isnt just good for our regions ecological health, it is absolutely great for your personal health. Many of the species are superfoods with an impressive nutritional content, boasting many health benefits.

This book lists 118 species in Southern California. A majority of the plants and animals in this book are non-native and thrive because of human influence. Consuming these species might reduce some of the pressure on native species. While there are native plants in this guide, all are widespread and cosmopolitan (as easily found in the wild as in a residential landscape).

Foraging Southern California has been designed to engage and inspire first-time and intermediate foragers. It does this by:

• Organizing the species by harvestable quality. You shouldnt have to read an entire book for a salad. A goal of this book is to quickly lead you to what you need to know.
• Packing an abundance of goodness into this guide. Berries and seeds, flowers, and roots are some of the edibles included, as well as kelp, crawfish, and even snails (they are delicious).
• Providing multiple pathways to identification. We want to make sure you have success. Foraging Southern California provides detailed descriptions, full-page photographs, and comparisons of look-alike species (poisonous or not).
• Lastlyand importantlyproviding all the information on poisonous and look-alike species. This guide goes to great lengths to ensure your personal safety.

So take a walk, jump on a bike, or head to the beach; any activity provides an opportunity to nourish yourself with the natural bounty of Southern California. Foraging for these species can improve your health, change your outlook, and even help our environment.

NOTES

Southern California is defined as everything south and east of Santa Barbara. This includes the Channel Islands, the southern part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. Practically speaking, a majority of the species in this guide can be found throughout California. This book focuses on plants that follow people, and humans are everywhere.

Additionally, only four of Southern Californias eight islands are included. The other four are either too remote or have restricted access. The islands included are Catalina, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel. The islands not listed are San Clemente, Santa Barbara, San Nicolas, and Anacapa.

The maps were produced via a great deal of personal experience and by cross-referencing with two primary sources: Calflora, a nonprofit that catalogs and maps Californias native and invasive plants (calflora.org), and Sunset Western Gardening Book (Oxmoor House, 2012). With that said, the range maps are necessarily approximate, as the data sources for some species range from sketchy to nonexistent at times.