Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Are there any foragers out there? I'm surprised no threads have been started on this subject.
According to Kristina Blair in her book THE WILD WISDOM OF WEEDS, there are 13 plants that can be found everywhere on earth that are edible that we could survive on if necessary.
They are Amaranth, Chickweed, Clover, Dandelion, Dock, Grass, Knotweed, Lambsquarter, Mallow, Mustard, Plantain, Purslane and Thistle. Here is a short interview.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il51GT8KAAQ
Here is a longer one with more input on survival ideas of plants resistant or helpful if you are in polluted areas and overall benefits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjfnhpSrcTg
But there are many many more native to specific parts of the world. I would think having some knowledge about one's area would come in very handy in a true prepping situation. being able to go out and pick fresh food in your back yard would certainly alleviate some of the necessity of having to rely on stored canned food.
Anyone out there that know about edibles in various hardiness zones? Please post. I have found that the university extension service near me has limited knowledge. It almost seems like they are more of an advocate of supporting the chemical industry advocating use of pesticides to get rid of plants which is the OPPOSITE of what Katrina Blair says. There should be "No war on weeds" !
I have found that the university extension service near me has limited knowledge. It almost seems like they are more of an advocate of supporting the chemical industry advocating use of pesticides to get rid of plants which is the OPPOSITE of what Katrina Blair says. There should be "No war on weeds" !
You are quite right about the chemical interests. They are also the purveyors of GMO foods, which Americans have flatly rejected. However, there are no laws requiring foods to be labeled GMO. So we all go on eating them, not knowing what the effects will be.
I do disagree that humans can eat grass. We do not have the ability to digest it, as cows and sheep do. Much of the world is covered in grass, and the only way to harvest that nutrition is to graze livestock on it, then consume the meat and milk of the animals. It's something that vegetarians fail to grasp.
You are quite right about the chemical interests. They are also the purveyors of GMO foods, which Americans have flatly rejected. However, there are no laws requiring foods to be labeled GMO. So we all go on eating them, not knowing what the effects will be.
I do disagree that humans can eat grass. We do not have the ability to digest it, as cows and sheep do. Much of the world is covered in grass, and the only way to harvest that nutrition is to graze livestock on it, then consume the meat and milk of the animals. It's something that vegetarians fail to grasp.
Agree again. I harvest and use a lot of wild plants, but the only grass I harvest is hay for the cattle.
Love that home grown beef.
First thing you learn s about wild plants is that "edible" means it probably won't kill you, not that it tastes good because if it tasted good, somebody would grow and sell it.
Dandelion and thistle are bitter as hell, but you can eat them and live. Roast dandilion root ground up is supposed to make a coffee substitute. Its a substitute, but it ain't coffee. A lot of wild edibles have to be treated before you can eat them, like acorns. You have to crush them an soak in water to remove the tanic acid.
Wild berries can be great, but can kill you if you don't know exactly what you put in that pie. Same goes for wild mushrooms. Gathering wild plants isn't for the uninformed. Many plants are toxic, !ike the nightshade family. Others can thin your blood.
If you want to play in nature's garden, learn what you're picking before you eat it.
Last edited by MTSilvertip; 12-04-2017 at 06:00 PM..
You are quite right about the chemical interests. They are also the purveyors of GMO foods, which Americans have flatly rejected. However, there are no laws requiring foods to be labeled GMO. So we all go on eating them, not knowing what the effects will be.
I do disagree that humans can eat grass. We do not have the ability to digest it, as cows and sheep do. Much of the world is covered in grass, and the only way to harvest that nutrition is to graze livestock on it, then consume the meat and milk of the animals. It's something that vegetarians fail to grasp.
I am a 'vegetation' and I eat eggs and milk. In fact, I have a milk cow. I had a cow and I still have a cow
I feel sorry for vegans with no source of vitamin B12. I feel even sorrier for their pale, weak little children they force their diet on.
I like to forage for known edible wild plants. SheepSorrel's tasty acid binds up any calcium you ate however
I tried cooking a big pot of young stinging nettle shoots. I was expecting something like spinach and was disappointed. It was very fibrous, and these were young shoots. The cow liked it though.
I am a 'vegetation' and I eat eggs and milk. In fact, I have a milk cow. I had a cow and I still have a cow
I feel sorry for vegans with no source of vitamin B12. I feel even sorrier for their pale, weak little children they force their diet on.
I like to forage for known edible wild plants. SheepSorrel's tasty acid binds up any calcium you ate however
I tried cooking a big pot of young stinging nettle shoots. I was expecting something like spinach and was disappointed. It was very fibrous, and these were young shoots. The cow liked it though.
You only want the leaves from stinging nettles. Way better than spinach, but you need to blanch them to remove the oils that cause the burning reaction before dining.
The stalks do have a lot of fiber, especially after they bloom. Makes really strong cordage.
The leaves can be dried and made into tea, old European folk remedy for gout.
Thank you for your advice. The sting leaves as soon as they wilt in my experience. I did eat just the leaves off of young shoots with three or four leaves each. It was the stems and ribs of the leaves. They had some sharp hard aspects. Sort of like the stone cells found in ripe pears or the scratchy feature of horsetail rushes that you use to scrub pots. Certainly nettles are useful plants and no one is fighting over them either.
How do you get the fiber out of the nettle stalks? I have a spinning wheel and I could easily twist up a bunch of cordage. You soak the stalks in water and when they start to come apart you beat the stringy parts out of them, then dry them, right?
Thank you for your advice. The sting leaves as soon as they wilt in my experience. I did eat just the leaves off of young shoots with three or four leaves each. It was the stems and ribs of the leaves. They had some sharp hard aspects. Sort of like the stone cells found in ripe pears or the scratchy feature of horsetail rushes that you use to scrub pots. Certainly nettles are useful plants and no one is fighting over them either.
That sharp scratchy stuff in nettles, pears, horsetail is silica. It's good for you.
Anyone out there that know about edibles in various hardiness zones? Please post. I have found that the university extension service near me has limited knowledge. It almost seems like they are more of an advocate of supporting the chemical industry advocating use of pesticides to get rid of plants which is the OPPOSITE of what Katrina Blair says. There should be "No war on weeds" !
This website is one of my favourites for quick reference. It includes information for all of Canada and Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho. It lists wild edible plants, berries, mushrooms and some wild edibles from sea shores. There are pictures of everything listed for identification.
Past experience showed me that rhubarb can escape cultivation and appear yearly thereafter. I helped it along a bit, and out of perhaps fifteen places where I planted it, three are productive. There are patches of wild strawberries as well. This within a half mile of my home.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
