Dogwood "Cherries" that were left on my porch. Lovely flavor, texture, and color.

Linda Diane Feldt | Contributor

Even as the plants begin to die or go dormant, there is so much that can be collected! So I've been busy on twitter, and ready to share those observations here. If you want daily reminders of what nature is up to, you can follow me, or wait for the expanded tweets here.

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From the Cherry Dogwood, and edible fruit

Linda Diane Feldt | Contributor

I came home to a gift of Cornus mas fruit - from a Cherry Dogwood tree. Too tired to appreciate it totally, but I tried one berry and it was very nice.I had just had homemade cherry pie at a friends, still warm, so this was a great contrast to Cherry Dogwood. While they are great to just nibble, perhaps it would also be good as juice?

***** Picking up the last of the acorns. Many more seem to now have worm holes. And of course the squirrels are working hard to take them all.

***** I made cornbread with fresh ground corn and buckwheat flours. I added frozen service berries. The bag says Solstice 2008. They are from downtown, corner of Liberty and Ashley. Very yummy. I have to note that Dream on Futons was still in business when I picked them, I recall going in and asking permission from the store owner.

***** Plantain leaves can be ground with water and frozen (use food processor). Use later for cold sores, throat pain, if you bite your cheek. Plaintain is the common name - Plantago - the common wide leafed plant found in lawns, paths and driveways. Decreases pain, promotes healing.

***** Even that little bit of cold and frost can make the dandelion greens less bitter. Try some and see. Also improves the taste of rose hips.

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Ground Cherries, still not ripe.

Linda Diane Feldt | Contributor

Ground Cherries are still not ripe - they are full on green, only a few are yellow.

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Poisonous berries from Virginia Creeper

Linda Diane Feldt | Contributor

Wild grapes are ripe and edible. You need to be certain you can tell grapes from Virginia Creeper fruit which is toxic to kidneys.Of the toxic plants out there, many are dangerous because they contain large amounts of oxalic acid. Virginia Creeper berry is a current example.

Edible wild grapes, growing next to the poisonous Virginia Creeper berries

Linda Diane Feldt | Contributor

The first photo shows Virginia Creeper growing on a fence right next to Wild Grape. It would be easy to mix up the berries and the grapes, and very dangerous to do so. The Virginia Creeper can cause kidney damage, and you wouldn't notice until it was too late. The second photo of Wild Grapes has the grapes in the right place - clearly growing with the large grape leaves, distinctively different form the five leaved Virginia Creeper.

This is a good example of dangerous look-a-likes. Especially with berries, you need to know what you are doing before you ingest them. Michigan does have a lot of toxic berries out there, pretty and interesting, but not necessarily safe.

***** Finally got to taste some local paw paw, Asimina triloba, similar to mango and papaya, but it grows in MI. I now suspect an allergy to it, however. A few hours after I ate some, I was itchy around my mouth, eyes. i wonder if paw paw has chitinases, causes latex-fruit allergy. I feel this same sensation with Chyrsanthemums. I do have a mild latex allergy.

***** I keep noting Maple trees - thinking of who to ask to tap next Feb for maple sap to make syrup. I have friends with large trees. Good.

***** I recorded an interview for a WCBN show. I don't have the link to the recorded show yet, but will tweet it when I do.

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Barton Dam from Barton Pond

Linda Diane Feldt | Contributor

The sun and clouds and light were especially beautiful at Barton Dam last week. So I just have to include this photo. It is a wonderful park for seeing a variety of wild food, wild medicine, and just a lovely place to take a walk. With Huron River Drive open again, it is a great time to visit this treasure if you haven't been there for a while.