Bushcraft magazine article feedback

[Stuart]

Now that a good portion of you have received the first issue of the BCUK magazine 'Bushcraft' I would like to request your feedback on the article 'The reality of Food in the Bush part 1" as I am in the process of writing part 2.

I know that some of you have attend talks that I have given on the subject and my hope is that the article is clearer in its explanation of the subject than my usual disjointed vocal ramblings.

so... How was it? your feedback will help me refine the content of part two to present as friendly a format as possible.

also in addition to my request for feedback, I would like to inquire as to whether anyone has any questions regarding the subject matter which were not clearly explained in the article. One of the many benefits of this magazine it that you can directly interact with the authors of the articles you read and ask questions.

 

[moko]

Hi Stu,

Thanks, a great article with plenty of science stuff. You are talking about food in relation to survival and to your credit your text contains stacks of sound, useful and important info. I wonder though, given that this is a Bushcraft, not a survival magazine - that it isnt prehaps a little ...............dry?
I realise you dont have much space and that your topic has to be split into following issues. I also appreciate that you are writing about a serious subject but keeping the Magazine firmly in the Bushcraft camp is important to me.
Bushcraft and survival to me are not the same thing.
I hopes this makes sense.

I have really enjoyed the magazine and very much hope it grows to become bigger, better with more issues.

Keep up the good work and I look forward to reading your next article.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Stuart,
I found the article interesting and informative, though maybe it should be refered to in future issues of the magazine as being the survival scenario warning.
I had thought that I was about to read some tips about what flora and fauna can be eaten in the British countryside. That is not to say I didn't like what I read, it was good to learn how the human body reacts to extreem conditions and forewarned is forearmed in a true survival situation.
I would perhaps like to see preparation tips for meat and uncommon veggies, though I would understand if the objections of non-meat eaters meant that those articles were a bit thin on the ground. Eg, Mr Mears extols the virtues of Pignuts, perhaps some hints on identifying similar plants would be usefull.

If you don't mind, I'll wait for a few more replies before sounding off too much.

Keep up the good work.

Ogri the trog

 

[torjusg]

Very good article. A lot of the information was news to me. I thought one should eat whenever one had a little food.

I have a question regarding that fact. I have read somewhere that one should not drink a lot of water on a empty stomach. The cause stated was that you wash out the minerals of the body. Ever heard of this?

Also, is it true that your senses sharpen when one is starving (never really tried it myself)? Maybe that is one of the reasons why some native americans didn't eat for a period before going hunting ungulates.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[C_Claycomb]

I think that the beauty of Stuart's article was that it was NOT yet another "how to" for finding and cooking food. When reading books on bushcraft, or on survival, or watching the Mears programs which often deal with survival, it would be easy to think that feeding oneself from the bush is an important skill to learn incase you get into difficulties while in the wilderness.

I know that foraging is fun. Its the "Doing" part of bushcraft. Stuart was, I think, aiming more at the "Why" rather than "What and How".

I don't have the magazine in front of me, but from memory I think that it did bash home the point about exactly how many calories are needed for basic metabolism a couple more times than it needed to. I guess that I had the impression, while reading, that I was reading the same information presented in several different ways. Which is good in that it gets the point accross, but it doesn't flow quite so well.

Otherwise, good job :You_Rock_ Very impressive on condensing your verbal rambles

If you want another proof reader, (aka someone else to insult your erudite work) just call

 

[Adrian]

(Also, is it true that your senses sharpen when one is starving (never really tried it myself)? )

Yes this is true, but rather than starve yourself ( with the inevitable side effects on energy levels etc) it's probably more accurate to say that you should have a brief fast - max10-24 hours depending upon your metabolism. This actually does speed up mental processes and sharpen the senses for a time. Always worked for me for major exams, and for karate competitions.

I enjoyed the article, but would also appreciate a bit more of the foraging aspect.

 

[ScottC]

Haven't seen the mag yet, if you want some feedback send me down a free copy and I'll give you some

 

[jamesdevine]

I got the mag just after watching one of Ron Hoods DVD's and in it he also goes into some detail on the same subject. I understand that they are different media formats and Ron has all the advantages of the DVD format but I do think you did a good Job in explain the subject in such a short space.

I personally did not get the Survival vibe of it it makes sense to understand what food is for and why the body needs it. And lets face it many off us are at best parttime practioners of the craft we don't need to worry too much about ensure our foraging combo's that go in the pot meet our energy needs on a night or two night visit to the woods, but for anyone live of the land full time knowning how many calories are need to stay healthy and alive will have a huge barring on the food you forage.

It might be a good idea and your probable planning too include a high energy menu showing what would need to be gathered to keep our normal active body going in the bush.

Just my thoughts and your are not the only that can ramble.

james

 

[Ed]

he he he.... nice try Scott

Ed

 

[Toddy]

I found the article thought provoking. It was excellent to see in clear black and white just how our bodies react to very little food. I too had thought that the *little and often, gather as I go*, was the best way to stay healthy and active. I like the informative tone and the detail you gave in the article
Now then, when's the next bit due?

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[ilovemybed]

Hi Stuart,
I was impressed by the article for the very reason that it took all the romance of Bushcraft out and did exactly what it said on the tin: The reality of getting an appropriate diet while foraging. It's equally applicable to how one approaches diet in a normal day at work too. I showed the article to a friend who never sleeps outside but used to be a very high level athelete and he also found it interesting - despite having a professional coach he'd never seen the body's energy needs expressed so succinctly.
I thought it laid a very good building block for future articles: Now you've shown in raw biochemical terms what the human body needs, future articles can deal with how those needs are addressed in different environments.

Keep up the good work!
Neil

 

[Stuart]

given that this is a Bushcraft, not a survival magazine - that it isnt perhaps a little ...............dry?

this is my primary concern, the aim of the article is explore the science behind living in the bush and whilst I find this science intensely interesting, I acknowledge that care is needed to ensure that the final reader isn’t left reading an article with less excitement than a molecular physics paper.

the balance I am looking for is between concisely and accurately providing the scientific principals that lie beneath Bushcraft in only a couple of pages, whilst at the same time making it entertaining to read

I would perhaps like to see preparation tips for meat and uncommon veggies…… Eg, Mr Mears extols the virtues of Pignuts, perhaps some hints on identifying similar plants would be useful.

I appreciate your wish to cover food preparation, but I feel that it is outside the realms of this article to do so. The next issue will have articles that cover the harvesting of plants and game and its preparation for the table. But they won’t be written by me, my knowledge of edible plants is limited at best and my cooking is appalling!!!

Now you've shown in raw biochemical terms what the human body needs, future articles can deal with how those needs are addressed

I am really glad you said that because that’s exactly what part 2 is going to do, without giving too much away the next instalment will look at providing food for a life in the bush and exploring the science and theory behind trapping, foraging and hunting

There will be more hard science I'm afraid, but my hope is that it will find it entertaining to read and it just might fundamentally change the way you approach gathering food in the bush

 

[Ryan Woods]

Loved the science part!! Really enjoyed reading the article... that it is better not to eat if food is scarce stuck in my mind... Thanks!! Superb but I can understand it would be a little confusing for people who read it the first time and have no specialised biology knowledge...