Fall Foraging in Franklin!

These wild edibles were found in Williamson County, TN local parks at the end of October and beginning of November:

Harlinsdale Park:

I have been to this park many times but on this trip, the Curly Dock and English Plantain looked the healthiest that I have ever seen. 

Curly Dock

English Plantain

Perilla aka Shiso Skeletons.  Find these and you will find the plant next year.

These are Tartarian Honeysuckle berries.  They are everywhere and tempting to a new forager.  Do NOT eat them.  They are poisonous to humans! If you squeeze one, you will see that they are actually quite nasty.

Winstead Park:
 

Black Walnuts

Black Walnuts everywhere!

One of two bags of Black Walnuts collected.  I love the smell of these.

Cleaning Black Walnuts is a job.  I wore two pairs of gloves together and still managed to stain my hands.

Honey Locust Tree with pods and seeds.  Young green pods and seeds can be eaten raw or cooked.  They taste like raw peas. The young pods can also be dried and ground and used as a flour.  The beans in these pods above can be roasted and ground and used as coffee.  That would taste like bitter chocolate. They can also be soaked (several days as they are hard) and boiled and used like beans.

Juniper Berries are what is used to make gin.  They are also a popular flavoring for meat and many German dishes.

Wild Bradford Pear Fruit.  Yes, they are edible!