I spent an informative and enjoyable two hours exploring the Quinte Conservation Area today in a small group led by Tamara Segal of Hawthorne Herbals. She walked us around the Creekside Loop Trail and talked about a huge range of wild plants, some native, some European invaders, and their uses as both food and medicines.
Just for my own benefit, here's the list of plants we heard about: wild sorrel; wild grape; wild strawberry; mullein; motherwort; plantain; nettles; wood nettles; garlic mustard; sumac; linden; ground ivy; parsnips; wild geranium; burdock; elecampane.
I had no idea that parsnips have become naturalised here - I've not spotted them in the wild before, but they were all over the place at the conservation area. Because it is a conservation area, we didn't actually do any harvesting, but I know quite a few of these plants are growing around our place and will now keep an eye out for the others!
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