Foraging as a Way of Life: A Year-Round Field Guide to Wild Plants

Biographical Note:

Mikaela Cannon is an author and instructor who facilitates classes and workshops focused on responsible foraging and wildcrafting. She is deeply rooted in her community and works with a multitude of local organizations towards the goals of Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation, environmental protection, and climate action. As a homeschooling parent, Mikaela is passionate about passing on to the next generation the skills and knowledge required to harvest and prepare wild foods. She has taken various courses in herbal medicine at Pacific Rim College, as well as studying Ethnobotany, Anthropology, and Biology at Okanagan College in the interior BC. She also trained as a wilderness guide in Sweden. Mikaela and her family raise chickens, sheep, and vegetables on a small farm near Armstrong, BC, Canada.

Mikaela Cannon brings a combination of personal experience and dedicated research to her engaging profiles of edible species. With detailed descriptions and photos, she brings to life native species special to western North America.
--Jared Rosenbaum, CERP, author, Wild Plant Culture: A Guide to Restoring Native Edible and Medicinal Plant Species

What sets this foraging guide apart from others is that it is arranged by months and seasons to direct you to the best plants and mushrooms to forage at any time of the year! I appreciate the clearly indicated caution boxes and "similar species/look-alikes" sections provided for each entry. This will be a fun book to plan my next foraging trip with.
--Jeanine Davis, associate professor of horticulture, North Carolina State University; author, Growing and Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal and other Woodland Medicinals; and co-owner, Our Tiny Farm

Mikayla Cannon's passion for harvesting nature's abundance has yielded a comprehensive guide to foraging throughout the year. Beautiful photographs, detailed profiles, and numerous recipes make this book an exciting guide to reclaiming a naturally healthful diet.
--Darrell E. Frey, Three Sisters Farm, and author, Bioshelter Market Garden and The Food Forest Handbook

Foraging truly is a way of life for Mikaela Cannon, and this book captures her meticulously researched knowledge, practical experimentation, and deep respect for the earth and its Indigenous knowledge-keepers. It is beautifully illustrated, and includes recipes, medicinal uses, personal stories, detailed plant descriptions, and wise precautions.
--Remy Rodden, biologist, award-winning envirosinger, and environmental educator www.remyrodden.com

Disclaimer
Territorial Acknowledgment
Foreword by Nancy J. Turner
How to Use This Book
Welcome to This Book
Notes About the Land

A Year of Plants and Mushrooms

SPRING
March Wild Ginger, Weeping Willow, Norway Maple, Kinnikinnick, Early Blue Violet
April Cleavers, Purple Dead Nettle, Oxeye Daisy, Hairy Bittercress, Stinging Nettle
May Dandelion, Asparagus, Prickly Lettuce, Black Elderberry, Catnip

SUMMER
June Red Clover, Salsify, Lamb's Quarters, Common Mallow, St. John's Wort
July Saskatoon, Sheep Sorrel, Thimbleberry, Oregon Grape, Black Hawthorn
August Curly Dock, Western Giant Puffball, Chokecherry, White Sweetclover, Plantain

FALL
September Purslane, Common Burdock, Chickweed, White Chanterelle, Lobster Mushroom
October Yarrow, Rosy Gomphidius, Black Walnut, Chicory, Dog Rose
November Late Fall Oyster Mushroom, Large-leaved Avens, Western Mountain Ash, Prince's Pine, Rocky Mountain Juniper

WINTER
December Field Pennycress, Trembling Aspen, Ponderosa Pine, White Spruce, Western Redcedar
January Lodgepole Pine, Interior Douglas-fir, Beaked Hazel, Western Hemlock, Paper Birch
February Common Barberry, Rocky Mountain Maple, Sulphur Cinquefoil, Black Cottonwood, Lamb's Ears

Acknowledgments
Glossary
Drawings
References
Websites
Index to Common and Scientific Names
About the Author
About New Society Publishers

Reconnect with nature and nourish your family year-round. Foraging as a Way of Life helps you to safely identify, harvest, and prepare wild edible plants every season, turning everyday walks into meals from the land.

What You'll Learn

• Year-round foraging made easy -- Discover five edible plants each month, from roots and nuts to berries and mushrooms, for a full year of seasonal, local eating.
• Confidence in plant and mushroom identification -- Vibrant photos and detailed descriptions help you safely distinguish edible species and avoid lookalikes.
• Practical, delicious recipes -- Make rosehip soup, pan-fried dandelion flowers, birch-bark cookies, chicory chocolate bars, and more.
• Sustainable and ethical harvesting -- Learn to forage responsibly, protect habitats, and honor Indigenous and ecological knowledge.
• Hands-on connection to nature -- Ideal for gardeners, hikers, families, and anyone wanting to live lightly on the land while increasing food security.

With a foreword by ethnobotanist Nancy Turner, this beautifully illustrated guide blends herbal wisdom, practical foraging skills, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.

Shortlisted for the 2025 Taste Canada Awards: Culinary Narratives.

Start your foraging journey today and transform local fields and forests into a nourishing, sustainable pantry for your family and community.

Contributor Bio:Cannon, Mikaela

Mikaela Cannon facilitates classes, workshops, and hikes focused on responsible foraging and wildcrafting, and is passionate about passing on to the next generation the skills and knowledge required to harvest and prepare wild foods. She and her family raise chickens, sheep, and vegetables on a small organic farm near Armstrong, Canada.