‘It’s a Primal Thing’: Searching for Food With One of Wisconsin’s Expert Foragers

CAMPBELLSPORT — Summer is in full swing. Flowers are blossoming, streams are flowing, and famished fawns hunt for the freshest berries. But the animals of the Wisconsin forests aren’t the only ones looking to feast.

Summer also means the foraging season for humans like Matt Normansell.

“You can pretty much find stuff to eat throughout the year from the start of spring right all the way through to the end of fall,” Normansell said.

He is a foraging guide and wild food educator. Normansell created the program Eden Wild Food. He takes groups or individuals on walks to find yummy treats hiding in the woods. He also does land assessments for people who want to know what kind of food they have on their property.

Normansell has been interested in foraging for basically his entire life.

“I think the thing with foraging it’s a primal thing. It’s something we use to nourish ourselves, feed ourselves, but it’s also kind of like a scavenger hunt.”