Wild Picker Law Would Bring Rules For Maine Foragers

PORTLAND, Maine - Get off my lawn, and out of my blueberry bush.
 
That's the message in a proposal before the Maine state house that would restrict foraging for wild, edible vegetables, fruits and funguses on private property.
 
Republican Sen. Thomas Saviello's proposal, as currently written, would prohibit the harvest of such food without written permission or a bill of sale from the owner of the property.
 
Saviello's proposal received a chilly reception from foraging enthusiasts, hunters and land owners at a public hearing, and he is working on walking back the bill. He says it could be saved by making it clear that it differentiates between foraging for personal use and collecting for a commercial operation.
 
Foraging is a tradition in Maine, where wild picked berries, mushrooms and fiddleheads are all popular.