PSA: I learned that foraging for wild greens is basically free groceries if you know what to look for

Last weekend I was at a park in Portland and overheard this older guy telling his friend about how he picks dandelion greens and chickweed from his own backyard instead of buying salad mix. I thought he was joking but he showed me a handful and said it tastes just like arugula but with more bite. So I went home and looked up a few common edible weeds in my area using free guides online. Turns out there's a whole world of stuff growing for FREE that people just walk past. I tried making a simple salad with dandelion leaves and some wild garlic I found near a creek and it was actually really good. Now I'm thinking about learning more about safe identification before I go all in but has anyone else tried this and found a good free guide or app they trust for beginners?

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tyler61412h ago

Portland actually has some pretty strict rules about foraging in city parks, like you can get a ticket if you're caught taking stuff from park property. I'd double check if that older guy was on public land or his own yard. Also just a heads up, dandelion leaves get way more bitter once the plant flowers, so early spring is really the sweet spot for them. I use the PictureThis app for ID but always cross check with a second source cause it messes up sometimes.