By ERINN KENNY

I have taught a lot of people — both children and adults — about edible native plants over the years, and it always amazes me how much more of the information the kids retain. My personal theory is that children are born with a certain amount of intuitive information about the plants, and, if we encourage this innate skill, it just keeps them connected to a part of themselves they already have access to. Some people think it’s just because kids have less in their heads cluttering up the space. Whatever the reason, I find it very gratifying when children feel confident in their ability to recognize and forage for plants in their environment.

At the mid-winter nature camp, after hearing me say that Native Americans used to ground alder catkins into bread, one very bright and creative child decided we had to make some. Soon, all the children were grinding then sifting the catkins. They were so pleased with their handiwork that we added the gritty flour to some cornbread mix and cooked it up. The kids loved it.

I am always encouraging people to incorporate the plants we forage into their culinary creations. Yet it is often the children who display the most initiative. This season is the beginning of all the exciting ways you can add Northwest wild plants to your diet.

Flowers are emerging all over the Island, and while those on the ground are obvious, there is a spectacular display about to explode above our heads. Native maple trees, commonly known as the big leaf maples, will soon be in full bloom. From a distance it may seem to the untrained eye that the trees are leafing out a shade of greenish-yellow, but if you look closer you will see that they are actually bursting with dangling yellow flower clusters. A favorite with kids, the sweet fully-opened maple flowers taste like honey and are also well-loved by our native hummingbirds and bumblebees.

The maple flowers can be eaten raw or as a delectable batter-fried treat. I make a standard batter (you can get as fancy as you want) by mixing an egg and some milk with enough flour to make a thin paste. Dip the entire maple flower cluster in the batter and fry it in a generous amount of already heated olive oil. It is wonderful either as is or served as a sweeter treat by dusting with powdered sugar or dousing with maple syrup.

Another way to enjoy foraging from the maples at this time of year is by scouting around the base of these stately trees to find the tiny maple sprouts that are poking through the soil. These can be plucked and popped in the mouth, or added to a salad, and the taste is reminiscent of corn. The newly emerging leaves can be enjoyed raw as well.

Big leaf maple trees are often covered in a heavy load of moss, and our native evergreen licorice fern can be seen growing out of it. The roots of the licorice fern have a long history of being used to treat sore throats and coughs. In order to sustainably harvest the root, I find the end tip of the growing root (many fronds grow from the same long root) and carefully snip off just the end. I have found that the root is somewhat bitter when chewed but quite pleasant tasting when sucked on.

The vernal equinox — March 19 this year — heralds in spring as the sun enters the sign of Aries. Seeds are germinating as the soil warms, and young plants become visible above ground. This is the time of new growth, potential and rapid change. Old patterns fall away and our ideas and projects start to show new life and possibilities. This is the time for clearing out the winter cobwebs.

Ancient cultures all over the world celebrated this event, when day and night are of equal length, since increasing light meant promise of abundance. This year, make a point of celebrating the cornucopia of wild edibles by incorporating as many as you can into your lifestyle, and challenge yourself to create your own recipes from Vashon plants that you can forage for yourself.

— Erin Kenny is the director of Cedarsong Nature School.