PORTLAND -- On a street corner in the middle of Northeast Portland a group of friends gather together giving life to the region’s newest food trend in the most unlikely place.

“This is just an abandoned lot,” said Michael Bunsen as he motions to the empty field surrounded by tall trees to the north, a concrete parking lot to east and streets to the south and west.

It is in that lot that Bunsen and his friends discover a bounty once completely overlooked. Some people feel compelled to go to a farmers market to get the freshest produce, but these people do not go very far.

Carley Boyer said it is easy to find edible fruits and vegetables right in the middle of the city as she showed off a fig tree. “These are the little fruits.”

In just one abandoned lot, the group found several fig trees, cherry trees, and a bay leave tree. “This is like what you put in your vegetable soups and stuff,” said Bunsen.

While most of the vegetation looks like a weed or a noxious plant, Boyer pointed to a dandelion and said it is actually edible. “It’s bitter, but it’s really good for you.”

Fields are not the only place where people can find edible plants. Bunsen said treasures could be found right on a patch of grass in between the sidewalk and street.

“We don’t have to be consuming, or over consuming,” said Bobby Wilson. Scavenging for edible plants and fruits is more than just getting a free meal and is just as much about sustainability.

Bunsen says he and his friends are out to share what they have learned through a website UrbanEdibles.org. It is a listing where people across the area can find or add locations where there are edible plants.

Looking for food on the streets of Portland is not for everyone. There are issues the group is taking on. For example, how safe is the food?

“I ate some rosemary and my whole mouth went numb,” said Ashby Collinson.

And is it okay to take it?

“Asking is the most important thing,” said Bunsen.

Now with the knowledge of Urban Edibles spreading, Bunsen and company are well on their way, gathering the ingredients for success.