Harvest Eating Podcast-plant Based Vegan Recipes

Many of you reading this are aware that some plants contain toxins as well as physical defenses that can injure. Some good examples are rhubarb leaves and wild mushrooms, both of which can make you very ill and possibly kill you. We all should know not to pick mushrooms without either having an expert forager with us or at the very least a field guide that shows which to avoid so you don’t die from poison. Additionally think about very common physical defenses such as thorns on roses, blackberry and raspberry bushes, stinging nettles, cactus, poison ivy, oak, sumac, etc. There is much available evidence to demonstrate that plants do aggressively defend themselves with an arsenal of tools, none of which we enjoy. Even though this is common knowledge most don’t equate plants having thorns or toxins as a way of defending themselves. Rhinos don’t have giant tusks just for show, those are weapons just like antlers, canine teeth, bear claws, etc. But plants don’t growl or run after you, they stay in place and hope