Forgotten Staples: Foraging Wild Plums & American Lotus with Feral Foraging

This episode is a conversation with Jesse from Feral Foraging about two of North America’s most overlooked wild foods — Wild Plums and American Lotus. Jesse is a skilled forager and educator who shares practical tips on plant identification, wild tending, and cooking with these forgotten staples. His work blends deep ecological knowledge with hands-on techniques that help people connect to their food in a meaningful way.

Episode Overview:

• Jesse’s background and the mission behind Feral Foraging
• The Gather Foraging App — features for plant ID, seasonal timing & lookalikes
• Wild Plum species in North America (American, Chickasaw, Mexican, Pacific, Canada plums)
• How to identify wild plums vs. Bradford pear or crabapple
• Why wild plums are disappearing (invasive species, habitat loss, fire suppression)
• Tips for scouting wild plums in bloom, best harvesting techniques, and seasonal timing
• Wild plum flavor profile, traditional uses, and recipes (jam, wine, sauces, fruit leather)
• American Lotus basics — how it compares to Asian lotus and its overlooked history
• Foraging lotus seeds and tubers: canoe gathering, wading, and digging in mud
• Lotus recipes & nutrition: porridge, bread, flour alternatives, and long-term seed storage
• Why American Lotus and Wild Plums are still worth foraging today for resilience and food culture

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