My work-in-progress historical fiction novel begins in 1650 in France where peasants or habitants live at subsistent levels, especially after droughts and crop failures. To stave off starvation and supplement what they have, they learn from a young age to forage for food.
Eleven-year-old, Marie Rochon, also learned the medicinal uses of herbs from her mother. Tobacco was rare and expensive, so as a Noel gift to her father, she dried mullein leaves and chamomile for him to smoke in his clay pipe.
I found this four-foot tall Grand Mullein beginning to flower on my hike this week, but I won’t be smoking it!
Do you forage for anything in this day and age?
Jeanne Meeks ~ Fiction Author 