Eating The Ozarks

07/02/2026

Did you know that the Daylilies are Edible?

Daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) are a common urban and feral wild edible. They are easy to grow, they need very little to do well. Right now the flowers are in bloom making them easy to find. Raw, they remind us of butter lettuce, so toss flowers in salads, or fill them with cheese for a beautiful appetizer. The petals when dried can be used as a thickener in soups.

The un-opened flower buds can be eaten raw, sautéed and pickled. The tubers are a wonderful starch potato-like substitute containing inulin (which is a prebiotic). We prefer to harvest them in the early Spring, or late Fall. You can also make use of the early green leaves before the plants are in bloom!

06/15/2026

Did you know that Lambsquarters Chenopodium album) is our native ancient quinoa? The leaves, seeds and root are edible and packed full of nutrition! Just ONE cup of greens, contains 73 percent vitamin A and 96 percent vitamin C! It is also a fantastic source of Iron as well as 8 essential amino acids including, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. We love making Lambsquarter quiche, spanakopita, scrambled eggs and more. You can add the mild greens into just about any dish from pasta to banana smoothies. It’s certainly in my top 3 favorite wild greens!!!

06/12/2026

Mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) are blooming! These trees have been used medicinally for thousands of years, with their flowers, bark, and leaves all having unique benefits. Traditionally, the flowers and leaves are brewed into tea, while the bark is decocted or powdered. Known in China as the "Collective Happiness Bark," the bark has been used as a mood enhancer. It’s also rich in antioxidants and tannins, the powdered bark doubles as an excellent styptic and wound healer. They’re considered invasive here in North America, brought here in the 1700s by a botanist. This is a tree I’m always thankful to gather and make tea and medicine from.

To make Mimosa Flower Tea, simply place mimosa flowers in a cup with hot, nearly boiling water. Steep for about 5 minutes, strain, and add honey to taste.

Happy foraging friends!

06/10/2026

It’s almost that time again to make Sumac Powder! It reminds me of to***co and lemon juice combined. It’s the best ‘native’ Tajin! Sumac is a spice typically used in Middle Eastern cooking (Za’atar spice). It’s easy to tell apart from poison sumac, which is a vine that has white berries! All red berried sumacs are edible. In my area of the Ozarks we have Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica) in the late spring early summer and now both Smooth (Rhus glabra) and Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum) ripening now. If you’re really lucky you’ll also find Staghorn Sumac!

To make spice: Sun-dry or dehydrate berries, then add dried berries to a coffee grinder and sift out seeds. It’s wonderful as is sprinkled over hummus, yogurt, and more. I love to add fresh sumac powder with lemon juice and olive oil for an easy salad dressing, meats, corn on the cob, and even Melon!

Happy foraging friends! Like, follow or subscribe to stay updated.

06/08/2026

I am oh-so grateful!!

You may not even be noticing the abundance of wild food growing all around us—but after hearing from Rachael West, you won't be able to miss it. 🍄‍🟫

West is an author, forager, educator, and community food advocate based in the Ozarks. She is the founder of Eating The Ozarks, a platform dedicated to reconnecting people with local food, wild plants, and seasonal living.

West joined us on the National Mall for the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, celebrating "The Ozarks: Faces and Facets of a Region." This summer, she is sharing her knowledge again in workshops with the Folklife Marketplace.

Starting at just $15, her workshops explore how to forage responsibly and confidently throughout the year, as well as how to make your every own homemade elderberry syrup. (Did you know that Missouri is the largest producer of elderberries in the United States?)

Sign up for Rachael's programs today, and explore all of the workshops being offered this summer: https://s.si.edu/4vxf3DH

Auto-generated captioning is provided for online workshops. ASL interpretation and other services are available upon request.

Photo by Shannon Binns, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives


Ozarks Alive Missouri Folk Arts Program

05/04/2026

I’ve been invited to attend the Smithsonian Folklife festival in DC again this year!!!