Wild Edibles: A Practical Guide to Foraging, with Easy Identification of 60 Edible Plants and 67 Recipes

Often I get a book who's cover looks promising, then open the pages and it's crap (copy and paste or not at all helpful.BUT, BUT, BUT - this book was such a good read that I got through the first half of the book - because the stories in the beginning about the author's life, how he got interested in wild edibles, and his family on a hiking trip really hooked me as a story line. This young man really put an amazing amount of effort into the writing of the book, testing plants (which he knows already from a lifetime of research), and the photos are incredibly clear, easy to discern, and sharp enough to use as a very valuable field guide.IF you are at all interested in foraging, trying wild edible plants, and are hesitant about picking the edible versions, run (don't walk) to get this book now. While it's not the cheapest book on the market, it is not the most expensive either. It IS WORTH every penny.

I bought one book through amazon because Sergei Boutenko was going to give a lecture at my local health food store. I really enjoyed the book and am just thrilled with all the information piled into it. There are a ton of pictures to accompany each plant for easy identification and some very intriguing recipes. If you are into foraging and edible weeds, this is a must read and a very valuable resource. In fact, I love it so much I bought a second at the lecture from him to give away on my blog!Also it has inspired me to go out foraging more but has led me to the realization that I don't have to go too far - there are many weeds just waiting to be tried right outside my backdoor.It's worth mentioning that this is NOT an all-inclusive list. It visibly states on the book that it includes 60 plants. This is a great place to start for foraging novices/intermediates and the interesting recipes (mallow leaf wrapped avocado? yum!) and plant information make it valuable for the expert.

I've spent some time reading up on this topic, and I think Sergei's book is a good choice for the beginner. I spent an hour or so with it, and was able to identify sow thistle and wild mustard growing in my backyard (instead of weeding, I had some as sides with dinner!). A lot of this, I think, has to do with how well it's written, and which plants he's decided to include. I got more out of that hour with his book than I had previously from several hours online reading up on this on my own.People have complained about some of the images, and maybe there are specific cases where the images could be clearer, but to me, the plants seem to be well documented: there are several shots of the particular plant (the whole plant, close ups of the flowers, leaves, other notable features, etc.). Some of these (most?) of these photographs appear to have been taken out in the field, but that hasn't presented a problem for me. In addition, all plant entries have "ID Tricks" to help you in identifying plants before eating them for lunch.The book opens up with things to *NOT* eat, which is probably high on your list of things to look into, and I thought it was smart to include that at the start.I do recommend it this book to anyone interested in the topic, it's gotten me off to a quick start.

Love the Boutenko's family contribution to raw food. Of all the wild edible books, this ranks near the top. Well done, great pictures, good tips. The only I thing I would change is that a lot of it was redundant in the description. It felt like (and probably was) a copy and paste job. But overall, worth the money and I would recommend it for the layout, great pictures and quality information.

What a wonderful book! I saw the movie first on FMTV and ordered the book as soon as it finished. I knew there are lots of edible 'weeds' but didn't want to attempt to forage until I was absolutely sure of non-toxicity. Sergei is informative, knowledgeable and very cute! The book is very well illustrated,with lots of clear photographs of the plants. It's printed on very lovely paper - which I enjoy as a tactile person. It has lots of clear written information, a comprehensive glossary and index and nice drawings of leaf types. I would love Sergei to make a field book to take out with me, this one is too nice to get mucky. A definite must for gardeners and outdoor peops. Who knew there is so much free food out there?

It didn’t have the safe weeds chart in the book.

This book was a game charger for me in the way I take care of my yard. I examine every plant that grows in my yard and determine whether it is beneficial or poisonous. I do not see weeds! I have discovered so many medicinal and edible plants. I have learned to harvest the unwanted plants that would spring up every year and now I look forward to discovering them. I've created beautiful wild edible garden areas in my yard as well as medicinal gardens. My health, energy, recipes and diet has benefitted from this book!

Everybody should have this book. You will learn something new about wild edibles. If you want to know more, get the book! It is a fantastic read.

I had purchased this for a friend! He wanted to get into foraging and was thrilled with this book.

Wow! My best purchase in years! Well written and contains very detailed information of the nutritional content of each plant. I have started with a salad adding various plants from my garden and it is absolutely delicious. I am forever changed and will always see weed from a totally different perspective. Nothing edible will go to waste from now on. Thank you very much for this book.

Well researched, packed full of great guidance, nutritional advice, pictures and recipes. It's one of the best for those of us who love eating what nature itself provides, untampered with. It's a confidence booster!

great practical easy to read and understand. Get out there and start foraging people. its amazing what is around that is edible, enjoyable and nutritious. highly recommend. would be applicable to most parts of the world as weeds are almost universal just the growing seasons out of whack from Tasmania.

Great book if you're a beginner. I've enjoyed foraging this spring thanks to this interesting guide. It's easy to read, the illustrations are clear and the plants to forage a must try.