Foraging for Mossberries
Don't worry, people this is not a poisonous berry! Just thought I'd try and regain your confidence after my last little attempt at berry picking. :) I discovered these cute little suckers while picking blueberries. It's funny how you get in a mode and when you're picking blueberries all you see are, well, blueberries. But if you take a few seconds to really look around, it's incredible what other things you can find. Like these little babies! They grow super close to the ground on these almost pine like mossy branches. The berries themselves are pretty tiny. And they are super firm! Gives a nice crunch when you bite in.
Taste wise they don't scream delicious like raspberries and blueberries. But they give this delicious crunch. Oh wait. I said that already. Moving on. I don't think many people pick them up here because of how tiny they are, and since they are a little bland. But you know me! I just can't let a perfectly good berry go to waste.
After the blueberries fizzled out I went on a little jaunt to gather some of these. Honestly I think they're kinda fun to pick! Not squishy like the cloudberries. Yea, they're tiny so they take awhile but you just kinda grab the little branch and peel 'em off! I love that there are no little leaves, like with the blueberries, that come off too. Makes cleaning them a breeze!In the end I picked about a half gallon. Doesn't sound like much, but that took about two hours. Ah but the sun was beautiful.
Mossberry
Empetrum nigrum
Other names
Also known as crowberry.
Habitat and Range
Found in the tundra, swamps, bogs. and healthlands. They are found all the way from Newfoundland to Alaska, and even to California. They are also found in much of NWT and the Yukon.
Parts Used
Berries and branches
When to Harvest
Berries: mid-summer to autumn
Branches: Preferably before they produce berries but anytime is really okay.
Medicinal Actions
Berries: Rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins. Also high in vitamin C
Branches: Antifungal and antibacterial
How to Use
Berries: Eat raw, freeze them, bake with them, turn them into syrup, make a mossberry wine, turn the berries into juice by cooking them down with water and then straining, make muffins.
Uses for Mossberry
The bark from the branches made into an infusion has traditionally been used for cold, flu, diarrhea, and stomach problems. It has been found to carry strong antifungal and antibacterial properties.
According to research done in Finland mossberries contain the highest levels of anthocyanins of any northern berry. This means they are extremely high in antioxidants which, as we know, helps fight free radicals in the body, thus helping to prevent disease.
These little black-berries also contain quercetin which acts as a powerful antihistamine. This can be very beneficial in relieving allergy symptoms. The quercetin also acts as an antiinflammatory which helps reduce inflammation and thereby reduces symptoms of arthritis along with general aches and pains.
Other Information
The berries tend to sweeten up when picked after the first frost, or if frozen and when cooked.
Now check out my chocolate mossberry muffin recipe! :)
