Winter Foraging Fun! Honey or thorny locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
Another plant I harvested and processed since I have been here on the East Coast. Honey locust is a native perennial, growing in the east as well as the central part of the country, including Wisconsin.
This tree is fast-growing and provides a protective habitat for birds as well as a sweet gummy paste that is a food source for many critters, including humans!
The paste is harvested when the pods are still young, and the paste is in these Fabacea (pea) family pods, surrounding the seed.
As pictured here the seeds can be harvested once they are dry, and prepared as you would any other bean for food, and/or you can roast them dry to make a "coffee" style beverage (no caffeine).
There is always something to harvest for food and medicine!