"Ever eat a tree? Many parts are edible."

This is Steve Bradley checking out Euell Gibbon's statement. We were in a stand of yellow birch and fresh buds are said to have a wintergreen taste. Steve tore one off and chewed on it for a little while. "Yes," he proclaimed, "it does taste like wintergreen. Here, Susan, taste one." I wasn't going to be too gullible so suggested that Rachel would really like to try it first. Rachel was game and did agree that it had a minty taste. By the way, Steve then went on to try a white birch bud. He immediately spat it out. Some tree parts might be edible - but you'll wish you hadn't.