I do most of my foraging in the woods along trails. I’m curious for those that forage in similar locations, how far from the trail before you’ll collect something to eat? I know some people get sketched out by the idea that things immediately along the trail my have been contaminated (usually by someone walking their dog).
I was out collecting chanterelles yesterday and turned down a few right along the trail that were maybe a bit past their prime but mostly in good shape if not small. I commented to my wife that I was passing because they were too close to the trail and a dog my have peed on them. Then a bit further down the trail I hypothetically collected I nice big fresh one (still mostly covered by leaf litter). It was too perfect to turn down.
Am I just a crazy hypocrite? Where do you all fall on this spectrum?
Not bothered at all – I’ll rinse them off and they’ll be alright. Peck of dirt before you die and all that.
Countless critters will have lived, procreated and defecated on anything you find in nature, that’s how nature works.
The things that don’t get edible after a rinse and/or cook are the things we call poisonous :P
As to traffic and road pollution, I actually checked with our national agricultural university how careful you should be, and they basically said: “maybe don’t pick the closest 30 cm, but beyond that a rinse is plenty”.