The Southwest is ripe with wild edibles, no matter the season. From deserts to grasslands, river canyons to forests, a rich harvest of tasty plants – many found only in this region – awaits the curious forager.
Herbalist, educator, and lecturer John Slattery shares his expert foraging knowledge, including traditional methods of gathering and processing. Savor fresh mulberries along the trail, or blend them with foraged nuts and seeds for snacking. Enjoy a simple but delicious sun tea made from desert willow flowers. Along the way, learn what to look for, when and where to look, and how to gather the abundant wild edibles of the Southwest responsibly.
- An A-to-Z guide for foraging year-round
- Detailed information for safe identification
- Suggestions for sustainable harvesting
- Tips on preparation and use
John Slattery is a clinical herbalist who founded Desert Tortoise Botanicals in 2005. Since 2008, John has been leading foraging and plant-based cultural tours into Sonora, Mexico, where he has formed relationships with indigenous herbalists and wild plant lovers. John began offering the Sonoran Herbalist Apprenticeship Program in 2010 in Tucson, Arizona.
"No one has advanced wild foraging in the desert Southwest as much as John Slattery. His plant knowledge, ethics, and practices are becoming more relevant, if not necessary, for our collective survival."
– Gary Paul Nabahn, director of the Center for Regional Food Studies, University of Arizona
"A wonderful guide that will diversify our diets and lure us into the natural world."
– Brad Lancaster, cofounder of Desert Harvesters
"A must-have on the subject! Eloquent and replete with scientific acumen and stunning photos, this guide is a treasure."
– Carolyn Niethammer, author of Cooking the Wild Southwest
"Invaluable."
– Foodies West
"Accessible volume for beginning botanists [...] Entries are organized alphabetically by common name with full-color photos and "how-to" information for safely identifying and responsibly harvesting edible desert plants."
– Edible Phoenix
"The Timber Press Foraging Series offers another set of books with high quality photography [...] also available as handy Kindles."
– American Herb Association Quarterly
"Southwest Foraging implores us to eat what's growing around us. It is an opportunity to experience the intensity of the Sonoran Desert with mind and mouth."
– Tucson Weekly