Salmonberries

I can probably identify only about 20 types of edible fungi growing in the wild with 100% certainty. With berries, I can identify many more. Also, you die slower if you randomly pluck one to taste. :P Well, not really. You could get quite sick from poisonous berries if you eat them in large quantities. But if you're not accidentally stranded or cast in a survival reality show, there's no reason to be eating berries in the wild especially if you're unsure about them.

At the very least, we ought to know never eat mistletoe or holly berries. They're deceptively evil. Those fat Jerusalem cherries that look like tasty tomatoes? AVOID. Don't touch anything from the ivy plants.

I'm not foraging on the trails. Not totally noticing the mushrooms either although morels are still sprouting and fairy ring mushrooms are plentiful. The rest of the mushrooms appear in summer or after heavy rains since it's hot now. Mushrooms have to be cooked before eating.

On many forest trails, I spotted the berries! It isn't exactly the season for berries. But the warmer temperatures have ripened many. I couldn't resist plucking a few off the stems to nibble, like bunchberries and huckleberries. Some tart, some sweet. All were lovely.

One afternoon on yet another trail at Fauntleroy Park, I was pleased to stroll by an overhang of giant bushes of red and yellow berries. YUM. The man was all like "Oh look! Raspberries!" I took a look. NO. He continued with "Blackberries!" Zzzz. These were SALMONBERRIES lah. They're found in the Pacific Northwest and in season from May to July. We trekked through Cumbria and Surrey a few years ago and found the same berries. Because, similar climate. Plucked a few salmonberries, rinsed them, and offered them to the man. He didn't think I would poison him. He gamely ate all. LOL.