Knowing a few edible wild plants can make your next backpacking trip, or any trip into the wilderness, a lot more enjoyable.
You can pack lighter if you eat wild berries every morning for breakfast, for example, and leave your oatmeal behind. So push the bears out of the way and gorge yourself on blueberries. Less weight on your back always feels better.
You'll also enjoy your backpacking more when you know that you won't be completely helpless the moment you lose your pack, or a raccoon empties it for you. You don't have to be a survivalist to see the value of knowing which of the wild plants around you can be eaten.
I eat dandelions, wild courants, pine nuts and other edible wild plants regularly. I ate hundreds of calories in wild rasberries during a break, while hiking in the Colorado Rockies. During a kayak trip on Lake Superior, a friend and I spent half a day stopping at every litle island, to fill our stomachs with wild blueberries. We were almost out of food, so our foraging helped us get through the rest of the trip. Edible Berries
Here are just some of the wild berries my wife and I ate while hiking to Grinnel Glacier in Glacier National Park: Blueberries, Service Berries, Rose Hips, Blackberries, High Bush Cranberries, Strawberries, Rasberries, Thimbleberries, and Currants. Berries are the most convenient, calorie rich and nutritious of the edible wild plants out there. They are also the easiest to learn to identify
Edible Wild Plants And Survival
If you travel in isolated wilderness areas, learning to identify a few edible wild plants can keep you safe also. Someday you may be lost or injured, or a bear will push you out of the way to gorge himself your freeze-dried meals. In a survival situation, food isn't usually a priority (warmth and water are), but a pile of roasted cattail hearts sure will cheer you up and warm you up, and they even taste good.
Stay away from protected plants, of course, unless you are in a true life-or-death situation. Also, don't eat all the beautiful flowers, or kill off the lilies by eating all the bulbs. Use common sense. If you aren't sure if you're doing harm, stick to eating wild berries.
Check out a few books on harvesting wild food. You don't need to become a wilderness survival fanatic. You really only need to learn to recognise a dozen high-calorie, abundant wild edible plants to be a lot safer in the wilderness, and to enjoy it more.
Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate ultralight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.theultralightbackpackingsite.com
Mercedes Benz s500 rentals Salem ..Pictures of a massive dead Great White shark on the... Read More
Rafting through the Grand Canyon is the experience of a... Read More
Normally when you think Safari you think Big 5. The... Read More
White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is... Read More
Malaria is endemic to most of the areas in Africa... Read More
The Kenya safari circuit is one of the best in... Read More
Tamil Nadu is a delightful anachronism. With a rich culture... Read More
Are your kids begging you to take them camping, but... Read More
Important information about camping stoves...What type of camping, hiking, or... Read More
Spain: sun, sea, sand and Spanish... discover us! Spain, a... Read More
Back from our family's vacation to Costa Rica, I am... Read More
Truly a small wonder, the eTrex takes the best features... Read More
Stay warm or die. That's what it comes down to... Read More
Are you sick and tired of not knowing what to... Read More
A Botswana safari is an excellent trip to undertake because... Read More
So unknown is this treasure of Lake Jipe not many... Read More
Base camp sits at 12,000 feet - stark, windy, unshaded... Read More
Simply sitting and watching birds is a popular hobby around... Read More
If your aim is not good, or is not quite... Read More
The islands of Samoa are emerging as an exciting new... Read More
Ask about perfect wildlife destinations and a Tanzania safari will... Read More
Inflatable boats are made from flexible material, usually rubber, canvas,... Read More
Magnetic declination is an essential principle to understand when navigating... Read More
Camping for fun is a great way to enjoy the... Read More
Climbing the glaciers to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in... Read More
Dowagiac cheap limo service ..How many of you take the time to just relax... Read More
Croatia has quickly become Europe's hottest destination, and for good... Read More
Nightlife in Big Sky, Montana is more exciting than you... Read More
Tanzania's natural endowment as a wildlife safari destination is unrivalled.... Read More
Any vacations in Africa will not be complete without going... Read More
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest and one of the deepest... Read More
Solo backpacking means peace and quiet. No one to talk... Read More
Rafting through the Grand Canyon is the experience of a... Read More
A saddle is a static object, but your horse is... Read More
We recently planted our saskatoon berry trees. I am sure... Read More
We weren't planning to go rock and arrowhead hunting in... Read More
The beautiful Salmon River stretches through over 400 miles of... Read More
White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is... Read More
White-water rafting can be one of the most exhilarating experiences... Read More
Of course you know about Southern California's premier attraction, Disneyland... Read More
Summer is for picnics, hikes, outdoor concerts, barbeques ... and... Read More
Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II ship are major attractions... Read More
My river-rafting adventure started on a bicycle. The small daypack... Read More
The Udzungwa Mountains National park was created primarily for the... Read More
When you search online for a camping gear outlet you... Read More
You would think that a cheap safari in Africa for... Read More
Contrary to what many think, ultralight backpacking is not just... Read More
Mystic Seaport celebrates the seafaring past of New England. Known... Read More
The great state of Washington offers some of the best... Read More
Isn't it time you stepped out of the concrete jungle... Read More
Outdoors |