Description
Book SynopsisTake a walk in the woods with Mike Krebill. When Mike tells you a story about his experiences with a wild plant or mushroom, you’re getting far more than guidebook data – you’re getting a lifetime’s worth of keen observing, experimenting and, sometimes, close calls.
Mike is one of America’s most acclaimed foragers and wild food educators, a living encyclopedia of all things wild and edible. A Forager's Life is about a life spent in nature and in the classroom – from the thousands of wild edible forays with adults and young people, to the legendary Euell Gibbons and the first Earth Day, to the rise of today’s great foraging wave, a wave that is bringing city folks and country folks together in search of that most basic of life’s pleasures: wild foods.
It's about waking up to the natural world, with the nurturing help of great mentors along the way. At its heart, it's the story of a natural-born teacher who never stopped being a curious little boy, and who knows how to appeal to the curious kid in all of us. That’s what earned him multiple awards during his long career as a middle-school science teacher, environmental educator and naturalist.
Are there recipes? Yes, lots of them, all kid-tested and kid-approved. You might like to try the Queen Anne's Lace pancakes, for starters.
Trade Review"When times are stressful, as these are, people instinctively do two things: take to their kitchens and go out into nature. They can also be armchair enjoyers of other people’s adventures. One of America’s most respected foragers and wild food educators, Mike Krebill, writes of a lifetime spent in nature and the classroom in A Forager’s Life. While not a traditional field guide, everything about the plants and mushrooms mentioned within is as accurate as if it were. Beyond the pleasures of foraging for edible wild plants, Krebill scatters delicious and sometimes surprising wild food recipes throughout the book. These include: Grandmother Krebill’s Hickory Nut Cake, Queen Anne’s Lace Pancakes, Mulberry Ice Cream Soda, Chanterelle Frittata, Spiderwort Soda, Clover Flower Spoonbread, Wild Grape Jelly, Hen of the Woods Jerky, Soft Persimmon Cookies, Sumac Rubber Candy and more. – Michele Atkins, The Paris Post-Intelligencer
"Mike Krebill's anecdotes, useful insights, delightful recipes and helpful resources will help to explain the wonderful world of foraging. Think of this type activity as a sport or hobby, but also know as well that the ability to forage can be a survival imperative." – The Graine Thumb, Virginia Master Gardener Association
"The narrative is broken up by recipes, lists, and images. In my case, I was eager to see what foraged botany starred in the 21 recipes. I own at least a dozen wild food books, and Krebill's recipes are unique to this tome. They include Queen Anne’s Lace Pancakes, Clover Flower Spoonbread, Sumac Black Raspberry Lemonade, and Hickory Nut Sandies, among others. . . . I was drawn into Krebill’s storytelling. First, about his cousin trying to defy poison ivy to reach a generous stash of hickory nuts but then finding himself hospitalized with an angry rash. And second, when a middle school class was chowing down on a particularly delicious fried puffball and suddenly discovering wriggly little creatures inside. Both serve as warnings to newbies…pay close attention to the project whether gathering or cooking." – Paris Wolfe, The Herb Society of America Blog
"A Forager’s Life contains nibbles of wild wisdom from a man with an unmatched passion for teaching and discovering wild foods. Here, Mike guides us down trails of memories that have shaped his experiences in a lifetime exploring wild edibles....Mike will continue to inform and inspire countless more students to unearth their own passion for foraged flavors." – Chelsea Ewen Rowcliffe, naturalist and foraging instructor
Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION PART ONE:
I Was Always a Curious Kid Chapter 1: A Tennessee and Iowa Childhood
Chapter 2: The Great Outdoors: Scouting, School…and a Mentor Who Changed Everything
Chapter 3: At Cornell: Discovering My Future
Chapter 4: The Naturalist Years: Learning and Teaching How to Read Nature and Ask the Important Questions
PART TWO:
Kid Tested, Kid Approved Chapter 5: Teaching Middle School Science: Let the Experiments Begin!
Chapter 6: More Stories, Small Catastrophes and Cautionary Tales: In the Classroom and on the Trail
Chapter 7: Old Students Check In: You Never Know Whose Life You’ve Affected
PART THREE:
My Top 10 Foraged Edibles and What They’ve Taught Me Chapter 8: Autumn Olive
Chapter 9: Black Raspberry
Chapter 10: Black Walnut
Chapter 11: Dandelion
Chapter 12: Morels
Chapter 13: Oak (Acorns)
Chapter 14: Persimmons
Chapter 15: Puffballs
Chapter 16: Shagbark Hickory
Chapter 17: Sumac
PART FOUR:
Walking Softly: Practical, Sustainable Foraging Chapter 18: The Native American Way of Foraging Stewardship
Chapter 19: Where to Avoid Foraging and Why
Chapter 20: Foraging No-No’s
PART FIVE:
The Great Foraging Wave: It’s Here, It’s Happening All Around Us Chapter 21: Today’s Trends and Leaders: The Festivals, the New Mentors, the Meet-Ups, the Foodies and Chefs
Chapter 22: Where This is Taking Us: a Hopeful View
APPENDIX:
Glossary
Recommendations for Learning More (Field Guides; Apps; Foraging Instructors; Websites; Blogs; Facebook Groups; Meet-Up Groups)
Foraging Events
Shops/Stores
Videos/YouTube singles and series
WILD RECIPES:
NOTE: One or more of Mike’s wild food recipes will appear at the end of each chapter:
Chanterelle Frittata
Homemade Wild Pizza
Nicci’s Black Walnut Microwave Fudge
Fruit Soup
Acorn Dippin’ Sticks
Clover Flower Spoonbread
