Would like to share a survival article about gathering wild edibles while walking - Survival Foraging on the Move.
Gathering Wild Food
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xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dont think much of the slugs, snails no problem. They are susposably edible if you catch them while they are asleep and the snail has shut the 'door' at the opening of the shell. They purge themselves becoming dormant so they should be edible straight away. But they must be cooked as they harbour parasites.
The article is from that 'prepare to do anything to survive a survival sitution' school of thought, which has its place. People have survived living off some strange stuff. I can't help thinking if you had a wide enough knowledge of plants in that envirnment and foraged insects, I don't think you would be in survival situatuion, you would be in a living situation.
I know this opinion causes arguements IN MY HUMBLE OPINION bushcraft is to think like first nation people where the forest looks like a supermarket shelf rather than a survivalist where you pitted against nature. saying that if I was dumped in the middle of Montana I would be stuffed and would eat slugs and aviod the plants because I have no idea what poison oak etc look like.
The article is from that 'prepare to do anything to survive a survival sitution' school of thought, which has its place. People have survived living off some strange stuff. I can't help thinking if you had a wide enough knowledge of plants in that envirnment and foraged insects, I don't think you would be in survival situatuion, you would be in a living situation.
I know this opinion causes arguements IN MY HUMBLE OPINION bushcraft is to think like first nation people where the forest looks like a supermarket shelf rather than a survivalist where you pitted against nature. saying that if I was dumped in the middle of Montana I would be stuffed and would eat slugs and aviod the plants because I have no idea what poison oak etc look like.
If I was dumped in the middle of Montana, I would pop round to see my parents and get them to take me out for some of my favouite food I have ever had...Patty melt....mmmmm
I agree with you completely. I'm a Waitrose or M&S man myself.
Are there many first nation people in Staffs.?
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
There is couple of Zulu nation pigmies, and alot of pushtins, but not any north americans. Well not real card carring north americans. I knew some guy who was half iranian who had a job as 'seeing eagle' the tarot reader.
I am not posh enough to shop in M&S, i get followed around by security. I wear a tinfoil hat to keep them away but they still follow me. There is no waitrose at all in N.staffs though, so i have to get my blewits from the woods rather than buy the wrapped up ones. Cellophane gives wild fungi such good bouqet. Have waitrose started selling garden snails yet? Its what bushcraft all about sitting at home watching RM do bow drill on telly, and eating stuff the was foraged from the wild in the poland by peasants. Which is then flown straight to your door via adlelaide. So environmentally friendly.
Seriously I really don't want to cause any arguements. Just make a point what I think bushcraft is. I know everyone has an individual opinion and thats fine.
I believe bushcraft is in the hands of the person about to partake in the hobby. Whether your choice is baked beans in a tin or wild mushrooms and berries, I think it is a personal thing that should be the individuals right to choose.
I do not know enough about wild plants or berries to risk myself in pretending that I do. My food kit contains many items to keep me alive , my most usefull is shop packet smash potato granules.
I take my hat off to those who have learned the art enough to recognise all items in the forest larder, but also respect those who take shop bought items.
I do not know enough about wild plants or berries to risk myself in pretending that I do. My food kit contains many items to keep me alive , my most usefull is shop packet smash potato granules.
I take my hat off to those who have learned the art enough to recognise all items in the forest larder, but also respect those who take shop bought items.
There is couple of Zulu nation pigmies, and alot of pushtins, but not any north americans. Well not real card carring north americans. I knew some guy who was half iranian who had a job as 'seeing eagle' the tarot reader.
I am not posh enough to shop in M&S, i get followed around by security. I wear a tinfoil hat to keep them away but they still follow me. There is no waitrose at all in N.staffs though, so i have to get my blewits from the woods rather than buy the wrapped up ones. Cellophane gives wild fungi such good bouqet. Have waitrose started selling garden snails yet? Its what bushcraft all about sitting at home watching RM do bow drill on telly, and eating stuff the was foraged from the wild in the poland by peasants. Which is then flown straight to your door via adlelaide. So environmentally friendly.
Seriously I really don't want to cause any arguements. Just make a point what I think bushcraft is. I know everyone has an individual opinion and thats fine.
I wa serious about agreeing with you but admit the rest was tongue in cheek! There is a full blood Cherokee living in Hednesford; he is a vicar in Wolverhampton!
You have a good point. I have started doing a lot of cycle camping and at the moment there is a lot of free food about. Blackberries and hazlenuts most notably, but still plenty of nettles and Rosebay Willow and lots of road kill. In my last 600km I haven't had a day where I couldn't have a had a choice of pigeon, pheasant, squirrel, or rabbit.
I take my cue from the voyageurs who carried basic rations and supplemented them from the wild. At the moment I'm eating neither meat nor veg so I carry oats, cheese, dried fruit, Ambrosia creamed rice, biscuis, sugar and coffee. Unlike the voyageurs, I am rarely more than an hour from a shop (anybody else noticed how well stocked village shops are now that Asians are taking them over? Remember the whinges of all the village shop owners about not being able to earn a living? I am developing a theory that if a village is on a B road it is likely to have a shop and a takeaway) and can supplement my rations with more protein and carbohydrates; usually milk and hobknobs.
I'll second that.
It isn't hard to learn what is what and you don't need a comprehensive knowledge if you use them as supplements to food carried. You also only need to know what is available for the seasons you are out and about. Vegetation can be learnt from "Food for Free" although the only wild fungi I use are field mushrooms. I've tried other fungi and found them too strong in taste.
When I get back to more normal eating I'll use road kill again - breast meat only from birds and legs from rabbits - reduces the need to clean and is easily removed and cooked.
I live in the centre of England and travel out from here. I'm no longer either young enoug, or daft enough, to put myself in survival situations all I want to do is enjoy the countryside.
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
:You_Rock_ good stuff that. I have playing with smash this week. i have worked out that you make potatoe pancakes by mixing it with bannock mix. Dreid fruit and rosehip syrip on top lovely.
A good proportion of the weight of my pack is food, mainly because the environment of britian can be bit unpredictable and unproductive to gather reliably on the hop. Sensible level headed pragmatic approach, i don't want to go hungry just to prove how much of a hardcore bushcafter I am not.
I need to knit myself some new knickers out of nettles now
Well it does not mean i donot look around though, yesterdays menu was pigeon breast, garlic and herb, with smash potato mixed with chopped nettles, an oxo cube with a little flower for a gravy.
My 6 year old thought it was good, and thats not a bad opinion from a hardened maccy d`s happy meal chappy.
lol
My 6 year old thought it was good, and thats not a bad opinion from a hardened maccy d`s happy meal chappy.
lol
I have just eaten 2 pan fried squirrels bagged yesterday tasty and free and I have made 1 convert tried a piece and loved it, as I said to him before don't knock it till you've tried it which he now agrees with have any of you guys tried them if you have how do you cook yours
Quick question. I have made rosehip syrup but have noticed there seems to be a lot of the seed hairs in there despite a good rinsing of the hips in the prep stage.
Will these do me harm or will it be OK for consumption?
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I don't know if it will be alright to consume, when I get the hairs on my skin its like glass fibre, really irrateting.
To remedy the problem try straining the finshed syrup through a doubled up muslin cloth a few times. Tescos has muslin cloths in the nappy eisle £3.75 for five. Most good fabric shops sell muslin cheaper.
hope that helps
To remedy the problem try straining the finshed syrup through a doubled up muslin cloth a few times. Tescos has muslin cloths in the nappy eisle £3.75 for five. Most good fabric shops sell muslin cheaper.
hope that helps
Due to my hand being the in plaster at the time Nat kindly deseeded them and can confirm the fibre glass analogy
. That's what prompted my consumability question and whether they would irritate on the inside and your right Fi, I think muslin straining is the way forward. I need some anyway to get more wild wines started 
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