Survivalists are telling us that these days we all need to know how to be independent of the mod cons we've come to expect. We hardly know how to live without electricity, hot and cold water at the turn of a faucet, and food galore at every turn. But what if you couldn't go to a restaurant or to a grocery store? If you don't want to just sit down and starve, it might be time to learn about the wild foods of California.
In the panorama of history, dependence on food grown by others is relatively recent. Most people grew the majority of their food at home, or raised it in the farmyard. Although a lot of their diet was based on crops, hunting and gathering was always important. Most people looked to the great outdoors for sweeteners (wild honey and maple syrup), nuts (valuable sources of fat and protein), berries, greens (especially in spring after a winter diet devoid of fresh food), and game for meat. As the Hunger Games books relate, hunting was a skill much admired by those who liked meat.
Not just hunting for game, either. Remember that it was a bright dandelion that triggered memories for Katniss. Her father had taught her about edible plants before his death in a mine explosion. The fact that she realized that plants growing in the meadow and the forest could feed her family brought her hope and fired her determination.
Perhaps you're pretty sure you wouldn't make it as a hunter. Maybe even the idea of fishing puts you off. Well, being a vegetarian isn't all that bad; in fact, it's already popular in California.
Think of what you already know. Dandelions want to grow. In fact, people spend a fortune trying to discourage them from taking over their lawns. It's not hard to find nettles, wild onions and garlic, wild asparagus or fiddlehead ferns if you know what to look for. Mints, day lilies, violets, and nasturtiums are all edible.
Check the local library for books old and new that show you which plants have been eaten throughout history, even though they might have gone out of fashion today. After all, the Native Americans didn't have grocery stores. The internet is another source of information, with photo galleries and recipes to make even bitter acorns palatable. A lot of things can be eaten raw, like greens, roots, nuts, and berries.
It's fun to learn about living off the land, even if you're never unfortunate enough to need to do so. It gives a feeling of independence and a bit of control over the future. The child in all of us likes to move through the woods like an Indian, scour the beaches for mussels and other California delicacies, and know which plants make good soap, good wine, or good eating.
California has mild weather in many areas, which means game is plentiful and plants can grow year-round. It also has a vast seacoast, home to sea bass, mussels, sea grapes, and many other delicacies. Live in the mountains? You can find berries, wild grapes, nuts, and edible fungi there. Even the desert has its treasures. You just need to know how to find them and use them.
In the panorama of history, dependence on food grown by others is relatively recent. Most people grew the majority of their food at home, or raised it in the farmyard. Although a lot of their diet was based on crops, hunting and gathering was always important. Most people looked to the great outdoors for sweeteners (wild honey and maple syrup), nuts (valuable sources of fat and protein), berries, greens (especially in spring after a winter diet devoid of fresh food), and game for meat. As the Hunger Games books relate, hunting was a skill much admired by those who liked meat.
Not just hunting for game, either. Remember that it was a bright dandelion that triggered memories for Katniss. Her father had taught her about edible plants before his death in a mine explosion. The fact that she realized that plants growing in the meadow and the forest could feed her family brought her hope and fired her determination.
Perhaps you're pretty sure you wouldn't make it as a hunter. Maybe even the idea of fishing puts you off. Well, being a vegetarian isn't all that bad; in fact, it's already popular in California.
Think of what you already know. Dandelions want to grow. In fact, people spend a fortune trying to discourage them from taking over their lawns. It's not hard to find nettles, wild onions and garlic, wild asparagus or fiddlehead ferns if you know what to look for. Mints, day lilies, violets, and nasturtiums are all edible.
Check the local library for books old and new that show you which plants have been eaten throughout history, even though they might have gone out of fashion today. After all, the Native Americans didn't have grocery stores. The internet is another source of information, with photo galleries and recipes to make even bitter acorns palatable. A lot of things can be eaten raw, like greens, roots, nuts, and berries.
It's fun to learn about living off the land, even if you're never unfortunate enough to need to do so. It gives a feeling of independence and a bit of control over the future. The child in all of us likes to move through the woods like an Indian, scour the beaches for mussels and other California delicacies, and know which plants make good soap, good wine, or good eating.
California has mild weather in many areas, which means game is plentiful and plants can grow year-round. It also has a vast seacoast, home to sea bass, mussels, sea grapes, and many other delicacies. Live in the mountains? You can find berries, wild grapes, nuts, and edible fungi there. Even the desert has its treasures. You just need to know how to find them and use them.
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Discover the wild foods of California through our informative blog. Stop by our website and find out all the details at http://livingwild.org today.
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