Wild Mustard and Lilacs
Helena on an Apple Blossom Strewn Mossy Rock Giving Some Love to Sweet Birch!

We gathered a few branches from some sweet birch saplings that were growing prolifically. I LOVE making birch beer, which is similar to root beer. If you break off a branch of sweet birch it has a smell that reminds me very much of root beer, although more minty.
Rough recipe... dice up the branches; cover with water; simmer for a few hours; add sweetener of choice; add seltzer. We were impatient and only did an hour decoction of the roots so it was a bit weak, albeit tasty.
Helena is homeschooled so, amongst other work, today counted as a science field-trip along with some math in the car and some spelling along the trails.
We Discovered a Hidden Pond on our Explorations!
Purple Violets
If you go foraging, I'd love to see what you've found and how you've used it. Finally, if you want to learn more about herbs, check out Online Herbal Summer Camp 2015 - button link at top of this page.