DICKINSON, N.D. (KXNET) — With warm weather on the horizon, plants in North Dakota is preparing to wake up and start to grow again. This also means that healthy and safe foraging in nature can be on your to-do list.

KX News spoke with Oak Tree Herbal Remedies in Dickinson regarding the benefits of picking your own plants. The shop has several workshops for people to check out, including one focusing on foraging.  When it comes to foraging in North Dakota, the first thing the shop teaches others is to be good stewards of the earth, and to make sure you are making safe decisions for your kitchen and our environment.

“I think that foraging reminds us of the connection and responsibility that we have for the Earth,” states Oak Tree’s owner Lindsey Deschamps. “And then we’ll move on to learn how to identify many of the wild edible plants that grow here in the Badlands, from wild lettuce to willow to marshmallow. We can talk about dandelions. There’s just so many, and we’ll try and squeeze in as many as possible.”

Some of the herbs and natural ingredients are also good for our pets — for instance, natural catnip can also be found in our badlands. But what about the health benefits for humans? According to Oak Tree Herbal Remedies in Dickinson, there are many that you can take advantage of while foraging.

From the physical element to the natural nutrients and freshness found in the wild, there are plenty of different reasons to try and head outdoors. But before you put on your boots, it’s best to learn everything you can about the foraging process.

“I’ll just say that I know that there are a lot of resources online right now about foraging, especially in the springtime,” Deschamps continues. “It seems like there’s just an eruption of knowledge that comes out, you know, and you wanna make sure to do your research and find out exactly where the information is coming from.”

Oak Tree Herbal Remedies has workshops and more information at their storefront on 15th Street West in Dickinson. For more on the shop and what they offer, visit its Facebook page here.