{"id":10168,"date":"2011-07-15T00:00:21","date_gmt":"2011-07-15T04:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/?p=10168"},"modified":"2026-02-12T18:24:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T23:24:00","slug":"following-your-childs-lead-learning-about-edible-wild-foliage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/following-your-childs-lead-learning-about-edible-wild-foliage\/","title":{"rendered":"Following Your Child’s Lead: Learning About Edible Wild Foliage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by contributor Jessica Fisher of Life as Mom<\/a> and Good Cheap Eats<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

I<\/span>t all started with a little red berry. A little red berry and a toddler.\u00a0I had taken my children to the park to play. My daughter, a toddler at the time, was roaming about the playground, just a few feet away, and then disappeared from my view around a corner.<\/p>\n

I was after her immediately, only to find her in a clump of red berry bushes, saying “Eat. Eat.” Not knowing what they were or if she had managed to eat one or not, we grabbed a few twigs off the bush and loaded up in the car.<\/p>\n

We stopped at my husband’s work, a mere 1\/2 mile away where he went to the landscaping department with a twig to identify. I headed to the nearby City Hall and Library.
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After phone calls with Poison Control and our pediatrician’s office as well as a visit to the City Parks Department, we determined that the plant was harmless and that she would be fine, whether or not she had consumed a berry.<\/p>\n

Mother’s heart attack averted.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the meantime, my teenage son was doing some research at the library. His topic?<\/p>\n

Edible Wild Foliage<\/h4>\n

This little scavenging experience had prompted him to wonder whether or not there were plants outside of a vegetable garden that could be eaten safely. In fact, he discovered a whole world of information and experiences in the realm of wild, edible foliage.<\/p>\n

What ensued was our family’s journey into following a child’s lead in education. I learned so much, directed by my son’s interests and his love of learning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Wow! Maybe this whole homeschooling experiment is working!)<\/p>\n

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Following Your Child’s Interests<\/h3>\n

Depending on the subject at hand, I recommend this as an enriching opportunity for the whole family. Consider these questions when assessing a subject to pursue:<\/p>\n