We had a really good juneberry crop this year, at least on the trees in our yard. As I was picking, I recalled the time several years ago when I was cutting hay on a field far off the beaten path. Just a trail separated the hayfield from some wooded hills. I knew Tim, the man who owned those hills. As I began cutting, I saw a pickup truck parked on the trail. It wasn’t Tim’s.
After an hour or more, I noticed a man standing by the pickup. I stopped, introduced myself and asked if he needed help. He said he didn’t. He said he’d been picking juneberries. He said a friend had told him about the spot. He asked if I knew who owned the land. It was apparent he hadn’t asked for permission to go onto the land, which was fenced and well posted.
More upset than angry, I pointed out there were “no trespassing” signs and he was actually breaking the law by crossing the fence without permission. I said removing something of value while trespassing could be considered theft of property. Perhaps it was none of my business; it was just a couple buckets of juneberries. But at that moment, his was the face of what has always been a big issue for rural landowners – trespass. He got in his pickup rather sheepishly and drove away, taking the juneberries with him.
It’s a good year, too, for echinacea or purple coneflowers. The pastures are full of them. I remember back in the early 2000s when people were crossing fences to dig up echinacea because of its health benefits.
In recent years, foraging for food has become trendy.An online guide to foraging suggests looking for berries, mushrooms and nuts, along with plants that have edible leaves, such as dandelions. However, it does also include a warning about asking permission to go onto private land. You can add well-meaning rockhounds and nature photographers to the list of potential offenders and, of course, hunters.
I wonder if this state’s law allowing electronic posting hasn’t complicated matters. Most hunters understand the concept. Food foragers, though, may still expect signs, although for the guy in the pickup, signs didn’t matter.
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Al Gustin is a retired farm broadcaster, active rancher and a member of Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative.
