My Favorite Foraging Tools

Spring is coming; she will be here before we know it, and with Spring comes a wonderous time for foraging wild medicinal plants. As tempting as it can be to stroll off into the forest barefoot and aimless, I always take a few things with me. Full disclosure, though, I am often barefoot even when I “should not” be barefoot. Whoops. Do better than me, guys.

First things first, when I go foraging, I need a bag to hold all my goodies. You want something easy to stash your goodies in. If you plan on foraging for more than one type of herb, then I would suggest bringing rubber bands to make bundles or smaller bags to store leaves or roots inside your backpack. I also like to head into the forest with an apron to quickly hold the things I need. I like this ORIGINAL UpBloom Harvesting and Weeding Apron for Gardeners - Perfect for Vegetables, Fruits, Herb Gathering, Berry Picking, Foraging, Mushrooms, Farmers Market, Eggs. I will include in my apron a field guide, a field notebook ( I love these), and my harvesting tools.

My pruners are the tool I reach for most often when harvesting leaves, stems, bark, or berries. You want something sturdy and dependable for the variety of materials you will encounter. I love FELCO pruners like FELCO F-2 068780 Classic Manual Hand Pruner F 2 because they hold up well and have a lifetime warranty. When harvesting roots, nothing compares to my Hori Hori Garden Knife. It is dependable, sturdy, and it is easy to string on my apron. The serrated edge can also be used to cut stems or scrape bark. Remember, this is a sharp tool, and caution should be used.

There are a few other things you want to ensure you have on hand or in your car when you head out foraging, such as: Good Hiking Shoes Flea and Tick Prevention First Aid Kit Water Emergency Food Phone Sense of adventure Gather your supplies, and when Spring comes, you will be ready to get out there, get wild and forage for some beautiful wild medicine.