Thanks for the video. I would say that my number one rule when out gathering greens for home consumption, is never ever gather, pick or eat anything within 20 yards of a street that has blacktop o n it. Reason being that the exhaust from the vehicles does contain poisons, like you mentioned, And if you are not on a dirt road, the exhaust spreads when it hits the blacktop. The dirt road rule I use is 10 yards. If you live in a rural area where the traffic is just the occasional car, you can make your adjustments, but remember blacktop is always a 20 yard rule for me.
Second if I am out hiking or just for a walk I always have a camera. Take a snapshot of the plant, if you are unfamiliar with it, and you can always google image search it. You can also take a small sample of the most notable part of the plant or the entire plant. I also always keep ziplocks with me just in case.
Third, I always smell it. I find that the most interesting of plants tend to smell different. Some of the more stinky plants tend to have a very specific highly medicinal use, I find. The more pleasant smelling plants also tend to have unique properties.
You are absolutely right never eat anything unless you are sure what it is.
Great vid and post, I think I might join you and do a hike and forage, while I am out take lots of pics and do a write up!
Thanks for such a thorough and helpful comment! That is an excellent tip to add to the list. When we lived in our Cityhouse in Ohio (before the move to our homestead), we were warned about the lead content in our area---not in the 100 year old house paint, but the lead content along the street from the decades of leaded gasoline that had traveled up and down the road over the years.
Samuel Thayer also recommends sniffing bulbs, too! All of the allium (onion) family is edible, and the stinky/delicious odor of a garlicky or oniony bulb is a giveaway that it is safe and good to eat.
Welcome to Steemit, by the way! We just followed you. :)