Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, April 17, 2021

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Mountain View News Saturday, April 17, 2021 
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Mountain View News Saturday, April 17, 2021 
CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 
WHY I WROTE MY BOOKS 


“Foraging Wild Edible Plants of 
North America” 

[Nyerges is the author of many foraging books, including “Foraging Wild Edible Plants of 
North America,” “Guide to Wild Foods,” and others. He has also been teaching ethnobotany 
for many years, in the field and classroom. Information about his books and classes is available 
from www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com. 

After the release of my first book (“Guide 
to Wild Foods”) in 1978, I was contacted by 
Stackpole Press in Pennsylvania who want


ed to know if I could write a cookbook for them, based upon 
“Guide to Wild Foods.” Of course, I said yes. 

So I took the plants from my book that are most common over 
most of North America, and began compiling all my recipes, as 
well as testing new ones. In addition, I added various stories 
about cooking on the trail, and the types of gear and condiments 
you should always carry if you want a good meal. Then 
I spent considerable time trying to come up with catchy names 
for the various recipes. The result a year later was “Wild Greens 
and Salads.” The book sold a few thousand copies a year and 
was never re-printed after the first edition. 

Nearly 30 years later, I’d started writing foraging books for the 
Falcon Guides. They were aware of my previous cook book, 
and wondered if I could revise it with full color photos and lots 
of new information. Of course, I said yes. 

I worked for another year to update the text, to delete some 
plants and to add new ones. Also, I once again spent considerable 
time coming up with catchy names to the recipes, usually 
recalling the first time I tried the recipe. This is somewhat ironic 
too, coming from a guy who hardly uses recipes, and generally just follows the basics of cooking that 
was taught to me by mother. For those who wonder if there is actually any food value to plants found in 
the wild, there is a chart at the end of the book detailed the nutritional analysis of many of the wild foods 
in the book, based upon the USDA’s “Analysis of Foods.” You’ll be amazed that wild foods are generally 
more nutritious than much of what you buy at the supermarket.

 
This revised book is called “Foraging Edible Wild Plants of North America,” focusing primarily on leafy 
greens for salads, soups, and other dishes. (I could eventually do a sequel to this, about all the wild nuts 
and berries that are found widely in North America, not just in a given locale.) 

I was really happy with the result, and the way the color photos turned out. It’s 211 pages full of wild 
recipes, and various ways to use wild foods, their nutritional value, and the ways to process the plants, 
with full color photos of every plant. The books has lots of interesting recipes. Those of you who have 
come to my wild food classes know the ways I prepared wild foods, so many of the recipes in this book 
will seem familiar. 

This was a very easy book for me to write, and it has lots of photos. I’m very happy to report that the public 
reception for the book has been so great that I’ve been asked to make a revised second edition, with more 
photos. 

Some of the recipes’ names incorporate some memory of when I first came up with that recipe: Chardon 
Crepes (from when I lived in Chardon, Ohio), Big Bend Breakfast (a cattail dish my brother and I cooked 
up in Texas), the David Ashley Special (a salad of wild greens devised by David, and I wonder if David 
even remembers this?), Crisptado Fantastico (my unique chickweed tostada), and many many more. 

EARTH BREAD 
Perhaps my favorite recipes are the Lamb’s Quarter recipes, because I use that plant nearly every day, both 
the leaf and seed. It’s a relative of the now-popular quinoa. 


Lamb’s quarter can be made into salads, soups, stews, and even 
bread when you use the seed. You might like my Earth Bread 
made from the seeds. From the reviews of those who have tasted 
it, some like it, some do not. 

According to the book, “I’ve served this Earth Bread to many 
foragers and have had mixed responses. A few people did not 
like it and said it tasted like dirt. There have also been ecstatic 
responses from people who found the bread ‘virile,’ ‘deliciously 
wholesome and amazing,’ and ‘primitive.’” You’ll have to try it for 
yourself and see what you think. 

This book also has an introductory section which includes photos 
of Dude McLean cooking a broth in a cut-out yucca bowl, 
and Pascal Baudar making a wild mustard, and Gary Gonzales 
showing a miner’s lettuce leaf. 

The cheapest way to get a copy is through Amazon. The retail 
is $22.95, and you can also get an autographed copy at www. 
SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com. 

All Things By Jeff Brown 

"More Americans have died from guns just since 1975-including suicides,murders and accidents(
1.5 million)-than in all the wars in the United States history,dating back to the revolutionary 
War(about 1.4 million). No one is spared. In a typical year, more children from infancy 
through 4 years old are fatally shot in the U.S.(about 80) than police officers (about 50 or fewer) 
When Europeans lose their tempers, they punch someone. Americans pull out a handgun. Foreigners 
express road rage by cursing:a driver in North Carolina expressed his by firing shots into 
another car, killing a mother of six." 

Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR 

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR!!! 

Every time you let your gardener use the leaf blower you are disturbing your neighbors in a ¼ 
mile radius. That’s how far the whining awful noise travels. 

This noise pollution that ruins the quality of life in this town can only be stopped if you the 
person, the neighbor, who allows this will stop it. 

The city council has done nothing though they have discussed it numerous times. Many towns 
across the US have banned them. 

Ask your gardener to use a broom or rake. If it costs a bit more don’t you think it is worth it to 
stop disturbing your neighbors .Does every leaf have to be picked up. 

Does the air have to be polluted with the smoke, dead insects, and dried fecal droppings from 
the blowing. Every week 100's of gardeners come into our town and some days one hears the 
blowers for hours.The gardeners protect themselves from the disturbing noise and pollution 
they make as they wear their noise protectors and masks.Do we have to spend the day with our 
windows closed? 

Please be a good neighbor and put a stop to this in our town. Only YOU can do it!!!
Thanks George M. 


THOMAS & TWYLA, 
Father/Daughter Duo 

These two are just gorgeous! 
If you love fluffy, long-
haired felines who are very 
sweet, they are for you! Both 
will require much attention 
to being groomed by you in 
order to keep their fur shin


ing, soft, and mat-free. Thomas, the regal looking dad, is 
all soft shades of gray, while Twyla, his pretty daughter, 
has a white chest and white boots. Both love to hang out 
in their comfy cat tree.Born 2018 & 2019. See video on 
our website. More pictures, adoption information and 
application on our website at the Teen/Aduls Cats page at www.lifelineforpets.org. 


Pet of the Week 

Nine-year-old Papa is multi-faceted – he loves 
people and gets so excited around other dogs,
but he also has a mellow side. He enjoys being 
outdoors, but his calm demeanor is well-suited 
for an apartment. This well-rounded pup has 
been described by his foster parent as “sweet and 
well-behaved”. He’s also extremely photogenic – 
Papa has it all!

 The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog 
adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and 
age-appropriate vaccines.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary 
health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal 
Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with 
information about how to care for your pet.

 View photos of adoptable pets and schedule a 
virtual adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.
org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and 
new adoption appointments are available 
every day at 5:00 p.m. for the following day.

 
Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by 
phone calls or email. 

FREE ANIMAL HOSPITAL NEEDS YOUR HELP! 

HeyO' Sierra Madre! How ya'll doing? 

Your lovely local 501c3 non-profit, Free Animal Doctor, could use some stuff if you have it 
and don't need it! Plus a volunteer! Here are the deets (as the kids say, the kids from 20 years 
ago): 

1) Towels. When we do Spay/Neuter clinics we put towels in every metal cage to make it more 
comfy. We also clean up with them. So if you have used towels you don't need, we need 'em!
They can be stained, frayed, even a small hole here or there, just as long as they are clean. Put 
them in a plastic trash bag, and drop them under the mailboxes at 70 E. Montecito Ave... we 
cannot get enough towels! Love 'em!! 
2) Portable canopies. Our big canopy got destroyed in the windstorm. We have a small one, 
but we could use one or two more. It's to shade our staff and clients when they come to the 
Spay/Neuter clinic and have to stand outside. Got one you don't use? We'll use it every weekend! 
Comment here and we'll connect. 
3) Wanna volunteer? We need help checking pets in on Sundays and Mondays. We have about 
20-25 people show up at about the same time, and we need to quickly process paperwork and 
get their pets safely into the clinic for surgery. 
It's 730am until about 930am on Sundays and Mondays at Gate 7 of Santa Anita, right off 
Baldwin before you get down to the mall. You don't have to volunteer every day, but a couple 
times a month minimum would be good. There is a minor bit of training involved, and you 
get much better at it with experience, so we are looking for a bit of a commitment if you wanna 
help. Let me know, again, comment and I will arrange for us to get in touch. THANKS!! 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com