I re-started this thread here because it seemed appropriate to do so. I want to know if anyone here actually goes out and looks for alternative/natural food sources for personal use.I do,and every year in June,I go to the old homestead where my great-grandmother once lived.She had an herb garden and some of the plants she had still thrive there.She had garlic that grows in huge bunches.There are also several Rosemary bushes.Also there is horse mint that I add to tea.
Foraging For Food
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fluffabear
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I pick wild blackberries and other fruits that I can find on public land. I also make pine tea (great vitamin C source). I fish and hunt for food as well.
josephusminimus
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Dandilions, wild apples, wild muscadine grapes, wild garlic, nuts when I can beat the wild hogs, squirrels and packrats to them. Pinon nuts, I've sometimes gathered in bulk by digging into a packrat nest.<br /><br />Never tried your acorn thing mentioned on another thread, but I plan to.joey said:
Where~the~wind~blows
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question to all you foragers, I am going to get a small stainless steel smoker, is there a book to tell you what trees/shrubs are best for certain flavors? <br /><br />here's the smoker:<br /><a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/prod...ker-box/?pkey=coutdoor-new&cm_src=hppromo">http://www.williams-sonoma.com/prod...ker-box/?pkey=coutdoor-new&cm_src=hppromo</a>
WTWB, be careful about what type of wood you use for smoke. Some wood can be very toxic. BBQ used to be a hobby of mine. Go to a forum that is specifically about smoking and you will get all the info you desire.
I copied this from an earlier discussion on this topic.<br /><br /><div>I would love to have the knowledge to go out ID and forage for wild edible plants. I bought a field manual last year just for this purpose. All I can say is this is a major undertaking to say the least!</div><div> </div><div>According to the field manual I possess, forging can be "VERY" risky/deadly to the inexperienced. The author recommended that the forager cross reference several sources (field manuals) before committing to consuming any wild plant. Even then there could be the risk of mistaken identity... His recommendation is to learn for an experienced forager "IN" person. </div><div> </div><div>One thing I learned in the book that I found interesting was that even though you have successfully identified a certain edible specie, that doesn't necessarily mean it is at the stage where it is ready for harvesting. Some plants are poisonous or bitter/ inedible during different stages of their life cycle.<br /><br />Seems a great amount of this type data was lost when we tried to commit complete genocide on the native peoples.<br /><br />Not trying to scare anyone because this seem like a worthwhile pursuit. But when expert botanist get confused and have trouble identifying species what chance do you think you might have be looking at some black and white sketch ( which according to the author of the book I posses can be inaccurate). </div><div> </div>
peacetara
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The rule of thumb I was taught growing up (I had 'brothers'), watch what the deer, etc eat, chances are whatever they eat, while maybe not very delicious won't kill you <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />
crazybill
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Woods I like to smoke with are apple, mesquite, hickory, I stay away from pine or any other resinous woods. A good one I have found is corn cobs. I love fresh corn and save the cobs.<br /> The differences in the smoked products with various woods are very subtle, at least to my taste buds. I love smoked meats and cheeses.<br />-Bill-
LunaticFringeInc
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A lot of places where I camp/park I have planted a lot of stuff thats edible. A bit of Guerrilla Gardening if you will. You never know when its going to come in handy or when your going to really need it.<br /><br />Every year as the season starts to wind down, I will hit Lowe's, Home Depot and Wally World and see what they got left in stock thats now on clearence sale. Often times I have picked up Apple, Pear, Peach and plum trees for 5.00 bucks each. Thornless Black Berries and various types of Grapes can often be had for a couple of bucks each. At the end of the season I will buy tons of garden seeds especially herbs and plant them, especially those that will come back annually. They are great for just collecting some herbs to dry and grind up or if I need some fresh when I am out camping to season food or make tea. In several spots I have also planted Strawberries too.<br /><br />Its a little bit here and a little bit there every year but after a while it starts to kind of add up and you find that you can scrounge quiet a bit from it.
josephusminimus
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crazybill said:
I love the corncob suggestion. Looking forward to giving it a try. Thanks. J
Hey, wouldn't it be awesome if everyone planted something wherever they stopped and camped for a few days? Modern day "jonny appleseed's"! then we all take care of them and havest them. Wow what an awesome thing to do. Bet there are even things that can be planted in the desert. Put a colored flag or something to identify the plantings so others will know what and where and help to keep them growing.
We saved the corn cobs to use for going to the bathroom instead of toilet paper. You wipe with the brown cobs and check with the white ones......don't smoke that one...lol!!josephusminimus said:
twokniveskatie
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We had some other threads going on about the planting, called guerrilla gardening:
https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Gat...l-style-5944804?highlight=guerrilla+gardening
There were some others, but they aren't coming up on search. Steve and I had been talking about it a bit. I have friends who do a lot of it. Seed bombs and the like. Some have been put in jail for it (google "tranny granny") and you do have to take into consideration what you are planting where. Think native habitat. Think kudzu. But I think it is an excellent idea. Maybe aomeone on a laptop can find some of the old threads.
https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Gat...l-style-5944804?highlight=guerrilla+gardening
There were some others, but they aren't coming up on search. Steve and I had been talking about it a bit. I have friends who do a lot of it. Seed bombs and the like. Some have been put in jail for it (google "tranny granny") and you do have to take into consideration what you are planting where. Think native habitat. Think kudzu. But I think it is an excellent idea. Maybe aomeone on a laptop can find some of the old threads.
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