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
Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com
MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out
Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes.
Watch the Video Episode on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/pU2202bP58Q?si=o5_hNZ6Bq7UCNA2k
Sign up for the newsletter:
www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter
Support the podcast via Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty
Subscribe to the Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo
Do you follow the podcast on social media yet?
IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/
X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod
I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R
Connect with Jesse:
https://www.youtube.com/@FeralForaging
Download the Gather Foraging App:
https://gatherapp.co/
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.