I’ve been a little quiet on the website recently and that’s because I’ve been secretly working on another project. And now, I am thrilled to introduce you to The Fumbling Forager’s Guide to the Northern Plains.
The book is finally here
Today is launch day for my book, The Fumbling Forager’s Guide to the Northern Plains, and I realized something this morning: I’ve never actually mentioned it here on the website.
That seems like an oversight worth fixing.
It’s been in the works for a long time. It started with field notes, photographs, and the same kind of questions I hear all the time from people who are just getting started with foraging.
Where do I begin?
Which plants actually matter to learn first?
How do I avoid getting overwhelmed?
Those are some of the questions this book is meant to answer.
Why this guide exists
One of the biggest challenges for beginners is that there’s simply too much information out there.
There are hundreds of edible and medicinal plants. There are long plant lists, complicated terminology, and guides that try to cover everything all at once.
That approach works for some people. But for most beginners, it makes learning harder, not easier.
So instead of trying to include everything, I focused on 33 of the most useful plants found across the Northern Plains, plants that are common, recognizable, and worth learning well.
Why the Northern Plains?
I’m glad you asked. The area where I live is often overlooked in foraging materials. A lot of foraging guides are for the southern U.S., and generally speaking places where plants grow a little more abundantly and don’t have to deal with Arctic-temperature winters.
The plants in the Northern Plains grow in many of the other areas around the United States. So, this guide really will work for people in any area in the nation. But I wanted to provide information specifically for the Northern Plains so that new foragers here would have access to information on the plants in their area without having to wade through three-quarters of the book being about plants that never grow where they’re foraging.
What’s inside the book
This guide is designed to be practical.
Each plant includes:
- Clear identification details
- Notes on look-alikes
- Common uses for food and herbal traditions
- Harvesting notes and seasonal awareness
- Photographs taken in the Northern Plains
I took all the photos in North Dakota and Minnesota, in the same places many of us walk every day.
Photo by my wonderful son, Jonathon Thomas
Plus, I share several recipes that you can make with your foraged goods, and included some notebook sheets so you can take your own field notes.
Why focus on just 33 plants?
The goal wasn’t to make an encyclopedia, it was to create something usable.
Learning plants works best when it’s done in layers. If you try to learn hundreds at once, most of them don’t stick. But if you learn a smaller group, and learn it well, those plants become familiar. Then you start to notice them. You remember where they grow and you recognize them at different stages.
What comes next?
Now that the book is out in the world, I’ll be sharing more plant-focused posts here on the site. Things that build on what’s in the guide and help you continue learning through the seasons.
Where to find the book
The Fumbling Forager’s Guide to the Northern Plains is officially available starting today.
You can find it through several retailers, including independent bookstores and major booksellers.
But I’d love it if you purchased it directly here:
And if your local bookstore carries regional titles, you can also ask them to order it.
I failed to include an acknowledgement page in the book, so I’m going to do that here. Primarily, I want to thank my husband, Rusty, for always being by my side when I’m out foraging or doing just about anything else, for his patience and encouragement, and for taking that amazing cover photo.
About the Author:
Sabrina Halvorson is a journalist and author by profession, herbalist and forager by passion. In addition to her journalism education, she is a University of Minnesota Extension Master Naturalist, the North Dakota chapter coordinator for Herbalists Without Borders, and a graduate of the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. Sabrina is the appointed U.S. Country Director for the World Agriculture Forum, an international council of agriculture experts, and the 2024 Farm Broadcaster of the Year from the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. Learn more about her journalism and agriculture experience at sabrinahalvorson.com.
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