We are so excited that you are joining us on your foraging journey in Alabama (and the surrounding area). In this post, you’ll find resources to help you get started both as a forager and a member of the club!
The Facebook Group
The Alabama Foraging Club Facebook Group is primarily where our online interactions take place. From sharing photos of foraging finds for identification, event notifications, and small club forays- to in-depth discussions on foraging topics, this is the place to be! If you missed joining the group, you can do so by clicking the button below!
What if I'm not on Facebook?
If you are not on Facebook, don’t worry about missing any events. We share all upcoming classes, forays, etc. to our email list. If you aren’t sure if you are subscribed, you can click the button below to sign up. If you are already signed up, it won’t double add you, don’t worry!
What to do in the group?
Anything foraging related is fair game! Many of the photos that we get are identification requests, but there is so much more that’s possible. Questions like:
- How can I be sure that I’m practicing ethical foraging?
- What’s the best season to forage dandelion roots?
- Where am I likely to find wild gourmet chanterelles?
- Why would I want to forage for lion’s mane mushroom?
Make a Post
If you received this email from joining the group then you were most likely recently tagged in a welcome post on the Facebook group. A great way to get started with the group is to comment what you are most excited to learn about foraging on that post!
Rules
Please take a moment to read the rules in the group to keep conversations kind and foraging related. They can always be found on Facebook in the group, but for your convenience, we’ve shown them below.
- Be kind and courteous
We are all learning and we are all beginners! Treat everyone with respect and remember to ask questions before forming judgments! - Foraging Related Posts
This group is focused on Foraging specifically in the Alabama area. Posts not relating to foraging or peripheral activities (herbalism, cooking) are not allowed. - Sources Encouraged for Informational Posts
Myths spread easily and are difficult to stop. We are passionate about getting the facts correct! Therefore, we encourage linking a source along with an informational post. - No, “Is this edible?” posts
This may come as a surprise, but we would encourage you not to ask for direct edibility requests. Why? Typically these posts look like a picture without any context and the text, “is this edible?”. This could potentially lead to complicated situations if a mistake is made. Instead, please only ask for identification OR make a post that is specifically covering use for a plant/mushroom that you have already identified. Once you have the ID of a specimen, it is easy to research edibility! - No Promotion without Permission; No Spam
Promotion of personal projects or businesses are allowed, but please admins a message asking permission first. If I do not receive a message, your promotion will be removed. Spam is never allowed.
Notifications
We all get bogged down by notifications we don’t want on Facebook, here is an article that explains the different options. If you don’t select “All Posts” there is of course a chance that you’ll be missing posts, especially if you haven’t engaged with the group in a long time. If you are worried about getting irrelevant notifications, know that we spend a lot of time to ensure that the only posts appearing are relevant to foraging.
Inviting New Members to the Group
For whatever reason, when directly inviting a person to the group, Facebook doesn’t show them the group questions which means they’ll miss this post. That’s why, we recommend sending them a link to the group page, instead of inviting them directly. Link to the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/alabamaforagingclub
Asking for Identification
Learning identification of new plants and fungi is one of the most exciting activities for foragers and we want to help! When posting photos for identification, it is important to provide clear and clean photos from multiple angles in order to get the best results. For herbaceous plants, this means getting shots of details such as: opposite or alternate leaf growth, the leaves themselves, flowers and flower details, etc.
For mushrooms, my friends over at Alabama Mushroom Society have done a great write up on how to get the best results when looking for mushroom identification. You can find the article here.
I am a beginner where do I start?
Foraging is exciting every step of the way, but it is definitely possible to find yourself overwhelmed at the start of the journey. We certainly felt this way, but we don’t want you to! So, we created some resources to give you a jump start. Links are below:
How to Start Foraging
Want to find the very first step for your foraging journey? We wrote this article just for you! It’s packed with helpful information and a clear guide to your first steps with foraging.
We compiled a list of resources (field guides, videos, article, etc.) that have been most helpful to us. We actually use everything that is recommended so you can be sure it is helpful!
Getting caught with a fine for foraging where prohibited on public land is not fun. To make things more interesting, rules vary from land to land and are often difficult to find. We spent some time compiling and decoding regulations for several different kinds of public land around North Alabama, from Wildlife Refuge to National Preserve! (The tools to find what rules are enforced for each public land entity are applicable throughout the state and country)
If you are foraging on public land, this article is a must read!
Learning is so much more fun when spent with a community of shared interests! We have a great time going on foraging and plant walks together and all learn so much! See our events calendar for upcoming hikes and where they will be held.
Thank you
Thank you for your interest in the land, in forming a relationship with nature through use, and wanting to further your own foraging journey. I can assure you, you are in good company!
-Jesse
Feral Foraging and the Alabama Foraging Club
