Will Endres of Will’s Wild Herbs led our group of curious foragers through the Duke Forest on a beautiful Friday afternoon.  For years, many of us had trampled on and brushed by the plants in our back yards and nearby forests, ignorant to the richness around us.  But with with Will’s guidance we sniffed, tasted, and documented the edible/nutritional and medicinal properties of many plants that we once referred to as “weeds”.

We began in an area similar to normal backyard turf.  Here is Will distinguishing between clover and other similar-looking plants.

We also passed into the woods nearby and over to an area similar to a pasture or meadow.  Here the plants were very different and we learned about the seasonality of herbs and the best times in their life-cycles and the best times of year to harvest them.

After our taste test of nature with Will, we jumped back into the woods to learn the secrets of flint and tinder.

Jack demonstrated his exceptionally apocalyptic fire-making skill–without matches.  Then we each gave it a try…and we were basically pros and did not even know it.

Watch out zombies.  So much for no electricity.  All we need is tinder and flint.

Success.