wildcrafting
Gathering from nature
Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting plants, herbs, mushrooms, or other materials from their natural wild habitat rather than cultivating them.
The term implies sustainable, knowledgeable gathering—knowing what to pick, when, and how much to leave behind.
Wildcrafters collect medicinal herbs, edible plants, and craft materials: She learned wildcrafting from her grandmother, who knew every plant in these woods.
Expanding rapidly outward
- gatheringCollection of people meeting
- berriesSmall fleshy fruits
- nutsSeeds in shells
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
edibles · morels · chanterelles · ramps · fiddleheads · nettles · dandelions · huckleberries
Having healing properties
- tincturesMedicinal solutions in alcohol
- infusionsLiquids steeped with flavor
- salvesMedicated skin ointments
- poulticesMedicated dressings for inflammation
remedies · botanicals · ethnobotany · apothecary · healing · elixirs · bitters · aromatherapy
Capacity to endure indefinitely
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- overharvestingUnsustainable resource extraction
- regenerativeAble to renew itself
low-impact · habitat protection · biodiversity · ecosystem · permaculture · respectful · traditional knowledge · reciprocity
Books for identifying species
- botanyScience of flora
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
seasonality · look-alikes · edibility · toxicity · keying · leaf shape · growth patterns
mushrooming
Expanding rapidly outward
roots · edibles · morels · chanterelles · ramps · fiddleheads · nettles · dandelions · huckleberries · pawpaws
medicinal
Having healing properties
- tincturesMedicinal solutions in alcohol
- infusionsLiquids steeped with flavor
- salvesMedicated skin ointments
poultices · remedies · botanicals · ethnobotany · apothecary · healing · elixirs · bitters · aromatherapy · herbs
sustainability
Capacity to endure indefinitely
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- overharvestingUnsustainable resource extraction
regenerative · low-impact · habitat protection · biodiversity · ecosystem · permaculture · respectful · traditional knowledge · reciprocity
field guides
Books for identifying species
habitat · seasonality · look-alikes · edibility · toxicity · keying · leaf shape · growth patterns
wildcraftingfarming
Cultivating land for food
agriculture · gardening · cultivation · horticulture · industrial agriculture
wildcraftingfactory farming
Intensive livestock production system
monoculture · intensive agriculture · vertical farming · domestication
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