Advice needed please- long-term survival diet

[Woody girl]

Hi all, by autumn I will be starting a long term camp. Duration- indefinite! I have decided to give up modern life altogether, and live alongside nature for the rest of my days. Now I wondered what would be the best thing diet wise. I will forage hunt and fish as much as I can, but I also need a back up plan for periods of time where wild foods may not be available. I will have approx £80 a month to spend on supplies. So What would you recommend for long term survival diet. Needs to be long lasting, provide all nutritional needs, and be as light as possible
cheers
Jon

Hi I often feel I want to do this too but having spent 11 months living like that in 1976 I was done in by November. I was a fit teen then. Recently spent 11 days on minimal foraging diet lost half a stone in that time and there is plenty out there right now to forage. Can you preserve any food you may collect now? Have you the ability to bottle or dry berries. Make jerky or fruit leather and store it so it won't spoil? It's hard work and I'm flat out all day preserving and foraging this time of year to put stores in my cupboards. I know my area well (18 yrs) some years there is a lack of things you might be relying on to feed yourself. If you are thinking of buying basic stores flour rice oil sugar honey salt pepper herbs stock cubes tea or coffee are minimum look at what the pioneers in America had to take by law to go across the country in Thier wagons. It's a lot!winter is rough as he'll in the wild. Especially on your own. It plays havoc with the mind if you are not prepared.believe me I know. Just wanting to escape is understandable. I guess that goes through my mind most days if I'm honest.please plan plan plan and research research research. Hunger and wet and cold do funny things to the mind when you are alone. Think hard before you take the plunge and make sure you have a back up plan if it goes wrong on you. Take care and best of luck.

 

[Wild wandering woodsman]

You seem to be quite well prepared!
As a professional Tooth Fairy, may I suggest you have a thorough check of your teeth, and fix all problems, including the small ones, while you work and have a better economy than later?
Tell your own TF that you are going on a long trip and need to have your gnashers in as good conditions as you can!

Toilet, will you make one type self composting outdoor loo over a deep trench?

Your clothes will dry nicely outdoors when not raining, under the canvas when it does.

What kind of shelter will you have?

Had a fair bit of dental work done lately, got some more to come.
Got another issue to sort also, hence all is up in the air Atm.
I'm more along the lines of having a permanent camp for Autumn and Winter months, travelling around in the Spring and Summer. So said camp will have a trench loo, and was thinking a wikiup for shelter, much warmer for the colder months?

 

[Janne]

If you insulate it outside with grass blocks maybe.
I would not risk it though.
A really small tent gives you a small volume of air that your body heat needs to warm up.

Maybe a large tent ( more comfortable for when you are awake ) with a tiny tent inside as a sleeping area?

I would avoid any shelter solution that risked me or my gear getting wet. Humidity you can not avoid of course.

There is a reason that early Homo liked caves. No rain.

Plus, you will need to store your stuff ( bought and scavenged food, clothes, wood) somewhere dry.

 

[Woody girl]

Hi again been thinking about your plans are lot today and after my experiences as a teenager and again living in a bender in winter 30 years ago (yes I'm old now) one thought came to me... firewood. How much do you have stored away in a realy dry place.. is it seasoned and ready to burn. Having spent a week in off grid cabin in January this year wood was the single most important factor after food. It was -30 at some points.had there not been several cords of cut and seasoned wood.... I'll leave it to your imagination! We still had ice on the windows inside. Fire had to be kept in 24/7 . Not easy on your own with a need to sleep. Buy in a couple of cords from a supplier to start with. I cut wood all year long for my woodstove, and don't forget it needs a fair while to season properly without a kiln to dry it quickly. Kindling too.

 

[Mr Wolf]

Honestly,if you are asking questions like this i would advise not starting this yet. Especially not in autumn..my honest advise is plan better and wait for spring

 

[Billy-o]

It'll be fine. If the OP gets wet and hungry he can always go home. He has choice .. .unlike the many people who are thrown back on their own resources to find food and somewhere safe and away from the elements.

That is another point worth making though. Depending where you are, when you are out and about at night or sleeping outside you can meet the most interesting people, though perhaps not always with intentions that coincide with your best interests.

 

[Woody girl]

Honestly,if you are asking questions like this i would advise not starting this yet. Especially not in autumn..my honest advise is plan better and wait for spring

 

[Woody girl]

I'd say sterling advice here mate. But there is only one way to find out if you are up to it. Give it a go with a back up such as a small bedsit to go back to if it gets too much... and it will. My best times were to spend week at a time in the woods and back home weekends for a shower and warmth good food and a visit to the pub for some fortification for the upcoming week.

 

[Janne]

Well, if the OP gets wet and cold, we might read about him in Daily Fail....

I think a safer and better option is to practice over the weekends, test different options for tech and equipment, then do the real thing from late spring next year.

Setting up a winter camp takes time.