Hi! My name is Hank Holly, and my wife is Kelsey. We are both locally raised Oregonians who love the Pacific Northwest and its great outdoors! TheNorthwestForager.com was created with the desire to promote and inspire knowledge of North American Wild Edibles.
Please consider the following categories to see what appeals to you…
Foraging Books
An ever-growing list of comprehensive wild edible field guides and a link to where you can acquire your very own copy.
YouTube
The Northwest Forager’s YouTube channel. Browse a list of educational videos showing the identification and preparation of locally foraged wild edible plants.
Foraging Workshops
2022 spring schedule coming soon! Fill out a request form if you’d like to be notified of upcoming events. These are in-person introductory courses on the basic identification, preparation, and preservation of wild edible plants and will take place in the form of small group outings.
Nursery
(Under construction) Our small nursery with the focus on PNW native food plants at near wholesale prices. As our stock grows, more variety will become available. Please contact for inquiries.
Contact
For all inquiries, please use the following email. I will do my best to respond within a reasonable time!
(thenorthwestforager@gmail.com)
Some Legal Considerations
TheNorthwestForager.com and its authors are not responsible for what the reader/viewer decides to consume. Foraging for wild edibles is a personal choice that the individual takes at their own risk. Please put knowledge into practice and exercise common sense. May foraging be an enjoyable experience for all who choose to do so!
To those who are seeking new diets or alternative medicine: always seek the advice of a health professional before touching or eating any unfamiliar plant matter, especially if you have a history of allergies. Information provided is not designed to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any illness, or injury. Always consult a health care professional or medical doctor when suffering from any health ailment, disease, illness, or injury, or before attempting any traditional or folk remedies.
All photographs and text are by Henry Holly (copyright 2021), unless associated with an outside link.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
The Northwest Forager™ 
Have to say thank you! I recently moved to Linn county and have long wanted to know more about foraging and wild edibles. I knew about some of what you’ve shown us so far, but am eager to learn more! Would be cool if you did little group outings sometimes to show us in person what is what. 😀
L~
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Just found this web site.
Thanks for doing the work involved in producing the site.
Long time wildcrafter/forager.
Nettles & cattails are two of my all time favorites.
I’ll be checking back frequently
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Thank you Lisa/Richard, I’m doing my best to juggle time to put this information out there when I’m not a work. Hope to make this a full time project someday soon, perhaps then group outings could be organized. In the meantime I’ll keep scouting plants to post. Thanks again and Happy Foraging!
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Hi Hank…. As we’re coming up to a summer of fabulous goodies, especially berries and fruit, I would love to know some good places in our area to be able to go picking some so I can enjoy them all year. 🙂 Can you tell me areas where in Linn or Benton that are ok to go picking? thanks so much!
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Hi Lisa, I apologize for the delayed response. As a matter of fact this is my first summer living in the Linn county area, so its still an open area of exploration for myself. I did however notice a variety of wild berries around Simpson park/second lake. Still I imagine there are yet much better places one can harvest. I’ll be sure to post these area’s as I discover them and I would greatly appreciate anyone willing to post their own knowledge on here as well. If you are interested in good places along the coast (Depoe bay/Lincoln city) I know a few good spots with quite a variety and abundance of berries that I’d be happy to share with you.
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Well Hank, I’ve been busily picking free fruits and goodies most all of the summer and doing lots of canning. One of the things I foraged recently was bull kelp, the stem makes delicious pickles and the fronds dry quickly for kelp flakes. I’ve yet to get out for mushrooms, but plan to. And now have my new friends who are more than happy for me to come pick fruit every year. including crab apples. And now I know what to look for for elders for the berries and flowers.
Looking forward to trying cattail one day, they look yummy and wonder if they can be prepared much like leeks.
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Glad to hear you’ve been busy Lisa! I keep trying to promote the idea of all this great free food everywhere, yet seems like only a handful actually care. Oh well more for us! Did you make bull kelp pickles? If you have any pictures you’d like to share I’d be more than happy to post them on my community page! Happy foraging!
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I’d be more than happy to share pics of the pickles. Yes, pickled bull kelp. Dried the fronds and they are excellent in soups and such. 🙂 Have to figure out how to email them to you!
This weekend is hopefully figs, quince and maybe more apples. 🙂 Need to get out to the coast for more goodies too someday soon. And I’m happy to share recipes for things.
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Hi Hank, I am wondering if you have experience with Hawthorne berries. Apparently they’re good and good for heart health. I have a place I can pick plenty of them if they’re actually tasty made into jelly or butter.
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I’m still a newbie at foraging & need to find a way to identify some of the wild plants I’ve come across both around the farm i’m on & up in our “hills”…I’d REALLY like to gather Plantain, but what i’ve come across & some of the pictures I’ve seen of it…….our narrow plantain is small in comparison (or what i think might be plantain), even the “flower” part. I use herbs for my goats as well as for the family, so i don’t want to gather the wrong thing for either of us :o) I’m in the southern part of Idaho, could use some help in identifying the good stuff :o)
Thanks for your articles, i enjoy reading them & have shared your site with others
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Hi Alli, I’ll see what I can come up with and I’ll email you.
Thanks – Henry.
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Hi, you have a post on the Corvallis Craigslist (link is at the end). I felt compelled to inform you of something very dangerous! You have a picture of carrots next to a white root that sort of looks like carrots. From the picture it appears to be hemlock! This is incredibly poisonous and deadly if cooked and eaten. Please heed this warning! Our neighbors nearly died from eating wild hemlock they found growing near their carrots in their backyard. https://corvallis.craigslist.org/zip/5060442714.html
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Hi Robbin! I really appreciate your concern. You are right, poison hemlock is a plant that one should be VERY careful to avoid. However I assure you the white roots in the photo are in fact wild carrot. In my article regarding wild carrots I went the extra step of comparing it to poison hemlock, for the sake of safety. Even so the wisest course of action is always – when in doubt: simply do NOT eat. Thank you again for your genuine concern and Happy Foraging :}
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Howdy Hank,
I came across your site while doing research for a story. I would love to include a link to refer interested readers to your blog so they can find the information. Thanks for all of the great information, and great photos.
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Thank you Nick, I really appreciate your interest! Please feel free to share by any means, it would be an honor. Happy Foraging! :}
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Hey friend! Great material! I am interested in getting hard copies of several of your Youtube videos to add to my media library. Could we discuss how to go about that? How about give me a shout? Thanks! Stacy in Kentucky
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Hi Stacy, sorry about the delayed response. I’d be happy to figure something out. What is the best way to reach you?
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My friend told me about your website, and I have to say I love it:) I’ve lived in Oregon all my life, and always enjoy learning more about the PNW. Your articles and videos make me remember why I love it here!
I especially love the recipes. Very unique and fun… Can’t wait to try them:)
Thanks for your hard work in posting these!
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I would like to use a cattail photo of yours in an article I have written. Need permission. Can provide link to your site.
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