We were advised of this course, laid on by Tracy Armbruster of Villiersdorp, in aid of Hermanus Waldorf School. So we booked, only to find our Blogger was booked, too, so we went down together, along with a friend and her daughter. We convened at Fernkloof Nature Reserve, the well known and exceptionally well organised facility which stretches all the way from the top of the mountains to the beach, through the built-up area This website gives a good idea http://fernkloof.com/history.pdf, and many of the best 'hits' we get when researching our Sunday Flowers, are from Fernkloof.
Signing in:
I said to Mike Ingles on the right, 'You can tell who in the family does the cooking!'
Tracy first took us through the gardens of Fernkloof itself, past Tulbaghia or Wild Garlic (see http://sundayflowerwalks.blogspot.com/2014/03/washed-out-flower-walk.html to see them in flower):
.... past Fleabane, Confetti bush, to Wild Sage, Bloublom Salie, Salvia africana - coerulea shown here:
Tracy was well prepared with all the relevant information on the plants, whether taken in as food or applied externally. She was particularly enthusiastic about the Aloes, many of which are extremely useful. Here she is talking about the Pigs Ear, Cotyledon orbiculata, going on to the Aloe ferox (left below), saying you can cut off a lower leaf and fillet it and eat it! I notice only now the Fan Aloe, Aloe plicatilis, (also featured in the Washed-out Flower Walk mentioned above):
It was not surprising Tracy pointed out Sour Fig, Carpobrotus edulis, the leaves of which can be eaten (we tried!) and cut and smeared over various ailments:
But the surprises started coming with what up till now, have been garden pests! I think I must throw away the weedeater! Ribwort, Tongblaar, Narrow-leaf Plantain or Plantago lanceolata, which grows prolifically in our driveway! One of the Afrikaans names gives but one clue to its medicinal uses: oorpynhoutjie! But apart from that, uses include bee-sting, wound-dressing, blisters (if caught early on and a leaf wrapped around the toe), eczema, blood flow, glandular, liver and chest complaints and clearing the body of parasites. Chopped leaves in dog food cured Tracy's dog of an asthma-type ailment. It has iron and silica amongst other elements. Tracy reminded us always to harvest sustainably, take a few leaves at a time! The seeds can be cooked and eaten. Wow! And it was a nuisance! There is a wider-leaved version, Plantago ovata.
On to another plant which grows very well in the driveway, Wild Lettuce, Hypochaeris radicata or (hairy) cat's ear, also false Dandelion, which it looks similar to. Tracy said it is but a poor substitute to the real Dandelion, which has no hairs on the leaves. Its taproot can be pulled up, dried and roasted as a coffee substitute. I'd have to go outside in the dark now for a photo!
Close by we found Goosefoot, a 'problem' elsewhere on our farm. Also called Lamb's quarters, Chenopodium or Wild quinoa. Supposed to be as rich in calcium as drinking milk. It is high in oxalic acid and should be avoided unless cooked with arthritis sufferers. Otherwise it can be eaten raw.
We made our way out of the Gardens and down the street, looking along the borders and in empty plots. Having now seen examples of the plants inside the Gardens, it was easier to pick up examples of Fleabane and most of the others we had seen. It all shows that good food grows under our noses!
Tracy got excited about Purslane or Portulaca oleracea, which is high in Omega 3 fatty acids which she doesn't otherwise have in her diet, not being a fish/meat eater. It can be grown as a ground cover, but the whole plant can be eaten in a salad, prepared like Tzatziki, stir fried or cooked in soups and stews. It has also been known to cure otherwise operable appendicitis!
Along a garden wall we found Wilde dagga, Leonotis leonorus, also known as Lion's tail. Good for detoxing, coughs, colds, diabetes, tumours and eczema. The dried leaves can be smoked as a remedy for epilepsy:
At this stage, Tracy explained the difference between infusion, which is to bring the leaves, etc in water to the boil and then to leave to soak, and decoction which is to bring to the boil, then simmer for about five minutes, then to leave to soak for another five minutes.
On the way we nibbled on Eugenia berries, looked at Num-num bushes (one is going to give the water-meter-reader problems soon with its spikes!), with their berries, best eaten peeled, and Wild Mustard:
Closer to the sea we came across a herb garden planted outside a garden wall, including this Alyssium. It's of the Mustard family and the seed pods have the same spicy bite as other mustards. They can be used like radishes in salad and horseradish with meat.
The flowers can be eaten.
Sure enough, we came across real Dandelion, the Superfood which made Tracy wax lyrical! There is no hair on the toothed leaves, which stimulate digestion if eaten before a meal, they flush the liver and kidneys, the Vitamins including A, and Phosphates are easily assimilated in the body. The leaves can be eaten raw, the leaves and roots dried (not in the sun!) and saved for later.
Down at the seaside we came across Dune Spinach, Tetragonia decumbens, the leaves of which we ate and found a bit salty-tasting:
Further along, Sow thistle, Sonchus or hare-lettuce, the leaves of which can be eaten. They are also rich in Omega 3, but don't eat it if you're pregnant, it brings on menstruation! It has similar properties to the Dandelion:
No foraging course would be complete without Nasturtium..... leaves, flowers and seeds!
Crossing a bridge over a river, Tracy pointed out the Cat tail reeds nor Typha. She pointed out the need to be sure of the quality of the water they grow in, but said the seed heads can be eaten like mielies! She dug out a root to show the edible rhizomes, which are a useful source of carbohydrates, most of what we had seen up to then was 'greens'. The new shoots can be eaten when they're a couple of inches long:
Further along we came across berries on the Milkwoods. The sap of the tree when you pick the berry is close on super-glue, but the berries have a pleasant taste if nibbled on:
Back up Poole Street (My Dad's General in the war and boss in Cologne thereafter!) we found beautiful Wild Peach, Kiggelaria africana with fruit bursting open to spread the seeds:
We made our way back to Fernkloof, quite a climb, by which time we were hungry! Tracy treated us to delicious slices of a roll she had made with pesto and all kinds of wild ingredients:
She admitted she had bought the bread!
The party broke up, but the five of us had not seen enough! From the picnic area, this Sugarbird was visible gorging on a protea. Look at the length of that tail!
We walked further up the hill to the Visitor Centre. Along the way, we found some familiar fynbos. Saltera sarcocolla:
What we originally thought was Pink helichrysum, but which is in fact Phaenocoma prolifera:
And this which looks like Aulax with long growth past the flowers:
We weren't sure about this Mesemb:
But at the Visitor Centre, all was revealed! On display are examples of many of the plants which are in flower at the moment; a very impressive display! Sure enough a Mesemb; Erepsia anceps:
March lily Amaryllis belladonna (not surprisingly!), many kinds of Erica, a brunia and their Protea cynaroides is more advanced than ours here.
It was interesting to see they showed two kinds of Erica plukenetii, this one penicellata:
... and this one, plukenetii var plukenetii:
On the way back to the car, we noticed Metalasia plants, muricata?
and a single example of a Bulbinella, but which one?
and near it, also on its own, a Drimia media or jeukbol. Whether the bulb brings on itching or cures it, is unclear!
Tracy showed us much more! I've only scratched the surface of all she told and showed us. But the message is clear; good food is under our noses, and often regarded as a pest!
:-) A
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