Living off the Land

[Neurosis]

Ive always thought this to be a realy interesting topic. The idea of surviving solely off the land around you (this does not include supermarkets and mcdonalds despite the fact there built on land, haha) Im talking more along the lines of berries and mushrooms(although you need to be careful with these) and things such as those. We all know its unrealistic to live like this the whole trail, but I thought it would be pretty cool to every now and then munch of some of natures goodies. If you have any nuggets of knowledge on the subject Im all ears!

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE KILLING ANIMALS! pretend im a vegetarian :D

[Hooch]

Ive always thought this to be a realy interesting topic. The idea of surviving solely off the land around you (this does not include supermarkets and mcdonalds despite the fact there built on land, haha) Im talking more along the lines of berries and mushrooms(although you need to be careful with these) and things such as those. We all know its unrealistic to live like this the whole trail, but I thought it would be pretty cool to every now and then munch of some of natures goodies. If you have any nuggets of knowledge on the subject Im all ears!

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE KILLING ANIMALS! pretend im a vegetarian :DIf you're going to pick wild mushrooms and eat them, you'd doggone well better know what you're eating before you put it in your mouth. The wrong mushroom will kill you dead as a doornail. Period. I learned them years ago in SERE school when I was in service, but wouldn't trust what little I do remember about them now to eat one.

[Neurosis]

I know all about the severity of wrongful mushroom consumption, hence why after I listed mushrooms I stated "Although you have to be careful with these)

But I do know there is a type of pine needle that supposedly makes a good tea, which I would looooove to try. Anybody know what im talking about?

[DavidNH]

Well you won't be be eating off the land along the AT. Too many people. And what the hikers haven't scavanged, bears and dear probably have!

David

[sonic]

I have this book. Unfortunately, I'm too much of a scardy cat to try much of it.

http://www.learningherbs.com/pine_needle_tea.html

[Dances with Mice]

But I do know there is a type of pine needle that supposedly makes a good tea, which I would looooove to try. Anybody know what im talking about?Hemlock is one. The tree, not the herb. Ask Socrates about the herb.

[Hooch]

I know all about the severity of wrongful mushroom consumption, hence why after I listed mushrooms I stated "Although you have to be careful with these) Well, 'scuse the **** outta me. :p

[DesertMTB]

The only way to survive off the land is to fish and hunt. You can't get enough calories from pine needle tea, berries and shrooms.

[Neurosis]

I have this book. Unfortunately, I'm too much of a scardy cat to try much of it.

http://www.learningherbs.com/pine_needle_tea.html


This book seems awesome, I think I might just have to invest :-?
Thanks a bunch!

Anybody know of any stories of other people on the trail eating off the land?

[Neurosis]

The only way to survive off the land is to fish and hunt. You can't get enough calories from pine needle tea, berries and shrooms.

I know its unrealistic to completely live off the trail I said that in my original post. Im just looking for some names of plants or berries or whatever can be eaten on the trail, I just thought it would be cool to try some of them while im out there, thats all.

[PJ 2005]

Wood sorrel is tasty... it was all over the place in Maine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_wood_sorrel

[doggiebag]

Here's a series of short lessons from a wild edible plant expert.
http://www.youtube.com/user/EatTheWeeds
Good luck.

[Hooch]

I know its unrealistic to completely live off the trail I said that in my original post. Im just looking for some names of plants or berries or whatever can be eaten on the trail, I just thought it would be cool to try some of them while im out there, thats all.Then ask for the names of the plants instead of giving people **** about their suggestions. :p

[PJ 2005]

Note on wood sorrel - while tasty, it's slightly toxic. So don't make a meal of it...

[DesertMTB]

I know its unrealistic to completely live off the trail I said that in my original post. Im just looking for some names of plants or berries or whatever can be eaten on the trail, I just thought it would be cool to try some of them while im out there, thats all.


I'm with ya man. That would be cool.

[Marta]

You might enjoy this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Last-American-Man-Elizabeth-Gilbert/dp/B000MG1Z9C/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204750638&sr=8-1

He hiked the AT while foraging for food.

[Tipi Walter]

Well you won't be be eating off the land along the AT. Too many people. And what the hikers haven't scavanged, bears and dear probably have!

David

There's plenty of wild edibles along the trail. What most people call weeds are widely available not only next to the trail but back into the woods all along the AT. There's really two kinds of edibles, those in the forest and those in disturbed or old cultivated places, the latter I'd call "weeds" such as lambs-quarters(very good eating), dandelion, sheep and wood sorrel, chicory, etc.

The "in woods" variety are many and include violets(4 or 5 different kind, birds foot violet, etc), chickweed(one of my favorite--two kinds also), solomon's seal(tuber and shoots--not so sure about the false solomon's seal), Indian cucumber root(very tasty), rock tripe(black or green fungus that grows on rocks--soak in cold water for 2 hours/drain and cook), wild mustard(those thousands of yellow flowers you see in farm fields), ramps(garlic family), clover(rough, must be cooked or chewed and spat out), yellow dock(bitter so cook), plaintain, and burdock root(big and hard to remove, good to cook).

There's many plants that are not edible such as bloodroot and St Johns Wort, the first yellow flower you see in the spring(other than dandelion). They say Jack in the Pulpit corm(root)is edible but only when dried and I tried it once(thought it was dried), and the thing stung my tongue like a hornet. Don't do it.

Then there's Mayapples though I hardly ever find the fruit. Squirrels get it first. And of course black walnuts and the berries, blueberries and serviceberries, etc. Five leafed cinquefoil is good and strawberry leaves are edible(most people use them for tea). Also tea from the blackberry bush leaves.

And then there's the wide variety of square-stemmed mints including the strong and bitter horsemint, the great tasting anise-flavored hyssops, the ground ivy's and all the rest. A bunch of mints. Oh yeah, and the red one that grows by springheads. ???? BEE BALM! And if you're really lucky you'll find a clump of wintergreen with the little red berries. I also call them barberry, have little evergreen leaves. Very tasty.

Oh, and I forgot my favorite of all time: NETTLES! The cursed stinging nettle also makes a great pot herb and a great tea(add a little honey). But the leaves and the whole plant makes an excellent meal, just wear gloves when gathering. One of the best pot herbs like cooked collards or kale is the humble weed called Lambs Quarters. It doesn't really grow in the back woods, but usually around disturbed old gardens and along roads.

[Neurosis]

WOW tipi walter. That is.....exactly what I was looking for! Thanks so much for all that information, im printing your post out now. Its time for some research!

[bloodmountainman]

I have gorged on blackberries on roadsides before in June. Sweet Birch twigs make for a good minty toothbrush. Have tried acorns, but they are a little to bitter for my tastes. Dandelion makes an OK salad, if you can "spice it up" a little.
Trout can be had in some places fairly easy. Also try frog legs deep fried.:D

[nonameyet]

Wood Sorrel, like anything containing oxalic acid, is toxic in very high doses. Other things with oxalic acid? spinach, nuts, chocolate!

Like with everything, be careful. Wood Sorrel is very tasty though and has a nice citrus zing to it.

All types of pine are edible. They also have the benefit of stabilizing your blood sugar and staving off headaches.

Garlic mustard can be a very tasty spice and pretty much grows everywhere.

Burdock leaves are pretty good in soups or with salad. The are pretty hard to miss. They are the plants that lie low to the ground with HUGE leaves. The root is good too, though it grows very deep into the ground. This is also the plant with the sticky burrs on it, but at a different succession. (one is a first year and one is a mature burdock)

Dandelions are edible and full of vitamin C.

Of course, there is much much much more out there that is edible, and with herbalism being a hobby of mine, I do supplement my meals with wild edibles. But always be 100% sure of the plant before you eat it!

[Tipi Walter]

On one of my Front Royal trips when I backpacked the Shenandoah I spent 2 weeks living on a big bag of oatmeal augmented with wild mustard and lambs quarters. Edibles mix great with grains, and for a vegetarian it would important to carry some kind of bulk grain for long term backpacking trips. Oatmeal is near perfect with a little salt and wild edibles, maybe add some olive oil, too. Brown rice, lentils, are also good.

If times ever got so bad that there wasn't oatmeal or rice or beans, well, it would be time to eat the animals like fish, mice, small mammals. Or even basecamp a spot and raise rabbits for meat.

[sarbar]

The only way to survive off the land is to fish and hunt. You can't get enough calories from pine needle tea, berries and shrooms.
And even then you will spend all your free time hunting and gathering. The problem with living off the land is it is romantic thinking of how pure it is....until you do it.
The unprepared stomach will be in serious hurt on a berry diet as well.

And the other fact is that only for a couple months can you really do this either - hunting and fishing of course are highly regulated these days, one doesn't want to ever get in trouble with the officers of F&W. They don't take kindly to poaching ;)

On the other hand there is nothing but good in learning what you can eat out there! One of my good friends is a plant biologist (ie..plant nerd) and she has taught me all she knows. I can identify berries galore..but even we don't pick mushrooms. Just too risky!

[sarbar]

This past summer we were doing another PCT section in Oregon and the huckleberries were ripe. One of the guys with us would NOT believe that you could safely eat them until I packed my mouth full and didn't keel over.
I can identify every type of Hberry and wild Blueberry here in the Pacific. I pick my limit daily in season and go home and make jam!
Salmon berries, Oregon Grape (not a grape!), black berries, wild Raspberries and many more are there for the picking.

I have always gone by this motto "Leave red berries alone". Some huckleberries are red, but not shiny BRIGHT red (such as holly and the one skipping my mind).

I am careful though - just like in mushrooms there are copycats of plants in alpine that are full of poison.

[Tipi Walter]

And even then you will spend all your free time hunting and gathering. The problem with living off the land is it is romantic thinking of how pure it is....until you do it.
The unprepared stomach will be in serious hurt on a berry diet as well.

And the other fact is that only for a couple months can you really do this either - hunting and fishing of course are highly regulated these days, one doesn't want to ever get in trouble with the officers of F&W. They don't take kindly to poaching ;)

On the other hand there is nothing but good in learning what you can eat out there! One of my good friends is a plant biologist (ie..plant nerd) and she has taught me all she knows. I can identify berries galore..but even we don't pick mushrooms. Just too risky!

Several edible mushrooms are unmistakable such as the morel and the orange shelf mushroom some call the chicken of the woods. I had a big meal of shelf mushroom once on the AT and ate heartily and thought the little white things were spores or something. Turned out to be small worms. Oops.

[sarbar]

Several edible mushrooms are unmistakable such as the morel and the orange shelf mushroom some call the chicken of the woods. I had a big meal of shelf mushroom once on the AT and ate heartily and thought the little white things were spores or something. Turned out to be small worms. Oops.
True, Morels are easy to ID. And soooo good! I lived on an island for about 13 or 14 years and we had a batch that would pop up usually every year on the edge of the forest by our house. The butter would be sizzling!

[budforester]

I'd add a comment on those risky mushrooms, too. Mushrooms are flavorful, but they won't give much nutrition for the effort of gathering and even the "safe" ones should be used in moderation. Nuts, seeds, and tubers offer more; those are the plants' storage depots.

[katagious]

Don't forget the fiddleheads!

[weary]

Ive always thought this to be a realy interesting topic. The idea of surviving solely off the land around you (this does not include supermarkets and mcdonalds despite the fact there built on land, haha) Im talking more along the lines of berries and mushrooms(although you need to be careful with these) and things such as those. We all know its unrealistic to live like this the whole trail, but I thought it would be pretty cool to every now and then munch of some of natures goodies. If you have any nuggets of knowledge on the subject Im all ears!

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE KILLING ANIMALS! pretend im a vegetarian :D
Well, the Roger Peterson series of field guides is the ultimate resource. One is entitled Field guide to edible wild plants, or something like that. I have a copy around here someplace.

There is no way you can seriously supplement your diet in a meaningful way on the trail. But it is great fun to try to find something edible every day. I hiked for many months, off and on, with a guy who had that as his goal. It was great fun from time to time to sample his findings. But living off the land is a 24-hour-a day chore. It doesn't fit in well with a 15+-mile-a -day hiking schedule.

Weary

[desdemona]

I think it would be doable, but it would take be an all day job to do the gathering. If you included insects in your diet and various water critters you'd have a lot more protein. (Though I think we probably overestimate how much protein we actually need.) There are also assorted nuts, including acorns. I used to eat these as a kid. They are nasty bitter when older, but when new are sweet. I think Native Americans may have made a flour out of them.

There may be ways to treat things that we have forgotten. For instance, the tannins in acorns. I also heard that Jack in the pulpit root (?) was edible but you would have to know how to treat it to get out what toxin (?)
or whatever might be in there.

BTW, some things are edible but you might not like the effects. I have heard, for instance, Mayapple is a very powerful purgative. Yikes.

My hiking partner and I discuss this subject a lot. I can't imagine living on the land out here, but there are even cactus that could provide food. Prickly pear is supposed to be very good, hard to collect though!!

--des

[Frau]

Try red bud flowers and new greenbriar shoots. Both are quite tasty. Nessmuch and I eat out in the mountain all the time, snagging whatever is available.. This treats are not our only food however.

I had difficulty trying to prepare fiddleheads--too much hair. We always digs ramps and pick morels. We freeze the ramp greens, dry the bulbs, and dry the morels, too.

Frau

[fiddlehead]

Don't forget the fiddleheads!

Yeah! Tasty!

[GGS2]

There are lots of guides to edibles in the wild, and one could do it along the Appalachian Trail just as one could do it along about any trail. There are however problems.

The easiest things to find are greens. Just leaves and stuff you can grab as you pass by and munch. Most have a somewhat bitter taste and are rather tough for people accustomed to store bought greens. Think wild mustards and things like collards or kale. This stuff doesn't give you enough energy or protein, but it does give you vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy.

Then there are nuts and berries. Fruits of all sorts. These are also easy to grab on the way by, but they are seasonal. More energy and some protein. Some, like acorns are good food, but require serious preparation.

The food you can live off is any sort of pith, cambium or storage body. Roots, bulbs and corms in addition to the nuts. Generally you have to cut things up and dig for these things. These are the predecessors of our garden variety vegetables. There's quite a lot of this stuff around, but you probably don't want to dig up the trail corridor to harvest it, and besides, it takes time to gather, process, cook or preserve. In any park or nature preserve, this sort of gathering would likely be illegal. Most are seasonal.

Then there are the grains and seeds. These are also seasonal, and again require prep. Some pollens are good, and can be eaten without much prep. Generally these require a good effort to gather and prep.

There are other food, like honey, that can be gathered. Insects and grubs. Various fish and water creatures, like crayfish, mussels. Frogs, turtles and snakes. Many of these creatures are regulated or protected.

Then there are the warm blooded animals and birds. About the only practical ones for trail walkers would be those for which there is an open season and no restriction on hunting methods. Then you could use snares and traps with enough skill. Or throwing sticks, rocks, swinging sticks and other hand missiles.

To read more: Ewell Gibbons, Bradford Angier, Tom Brown Jr., the Petersen Guide, Thomas J. Elpel, G. F. Ferri. There are lots more, especially about primitive arts, etc.

The problem with all of this, as mentioned in other posts, is that you need to spend time to gather and prepare these things, and there are some seasons that are better than others. Spring is generally a famine time in the wild. So the standard NOBO is not likely to find a lot of easy pickings to live off of on a standard thru. And it is mostly illegal. Besides, the best gathering is in the hollows and swamps.

That said, you will always find some tender greens, plenty of tea fixings and the odd mushroom, fiddlehead or other spring greens to snack on and flavor the stew. Just don't plan on leaving the grocery food behind

[Doctari]

White pine needles make a tasty tea, they look (alot) like light to medium green sewing needles (to me). Just add about 1/2 a handfull to hot water, let seep, add a bit of sweetner (I like honey) & enjoy. Lots of vitimin C, just like the hemlock. The hemlock has shorter wide flat needles & is usually a darker green.

[desdemona]

White pine needles make a tasty tea, they look (alot) like light to medium green sewing needles (to me). Just add about 1/2 a handfull to hot water, let seep, add a bit of sweetner (I like honey) & enjoy. Lots of vitimin C, just like the hemlock. The hemlock has shorter wide flat needles & is usually a darker green.

White pine usually has long needles and there will be 5 of them in a little cluster. I always remember that as it spells w-h-i-t-e (5). Of course, I am not sure what hemlock would look like, so I wouldn't try it. If you knew it would be easy enough.

--des

[weary]

There are lots of guides to edibles in the wild, and one could do it along the Appalachian Trail just as one could do it along about any trail. There are however problems.

The easiest things to find are greens. Just leaves and stuff you can grab as you pass by and munch. Most have a somewhat bitter taste and are rather tough for people accustomed to store bought greens. Think wild mustards and things like collards or kale. This stuff doesn't give you enough energy or protein, but it does give you vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy.

Then there are nuts and berries. Fruits of all sorts. These are also easy to grab on the way by, but they are seasonal. More energy and some protein. Some, like acorns are good food, but require serious preparation.

The food you can live off is any sort of pith, cambium or storage body. Roots, bulbs and corms in addition to the nuts. Generally you have to cut things up and dig for these things. These are the predecessors of our garden variety vegetables. There's quite a lot of this stuff around, but you probably don't want to dig up the trail corridor to harvest it, and besides, it takes time to gather, process, cook or preserve. In any park or nature preserve, this sort of gathering would likely be illegal. Most are seasonal.

Then there are the grains and seeds. These are also seasonal, and again require prep. Some pollens are good, and can be eaten without much prep. Generally these require a good effort to gather and prep.

There are other food, like honey, that can be gathered. Insects and grubs. Various fish and water creatures, like crayfish, mussels. Frogs, turtles and snakes. Many of these creatures are regulated or protected.

Then there are the warm blooded animals and birds. About the only practical ones for trail walkers would be those for which there is an open season and no restriction on hunting methods. Then you could use snares and traps with enough skill. Or throwing sticks, rocks, swinging sticks and other hand missiles.

To read more: Ewell Gibbons, Bradford Angier, Tom Brown Jr., the Petersen Guide, Thomas J. Elpel, G. F. Ferri. There are lots more, especially about primitive arts, etc.

The problem with all of this, as mentioned in other posts, is that you need to spend time to gather and prepare these things, and there are some seasons that are better than others. Spring is generally a famine time in the wild. So the standard NOBO is not likely to find a lot of easy pickings to live off of on a standard thru. And it is mostly illegal. Besides, the best gathering is in the hollows and swamps.

That said, you will always find some tender greens, plenty of tea fixings and the odd mushroom, fiddlehead or other spring greens to snack on and flavor the stew. Just don't plan on leaving the grocery food behind
This an excellent summary of the potential. And exploring these opportunities is an excellent hobby, and an excellent way to add variety to your walk north.

The "long green tunnel" is more interesting if you do it while on the look out for things to nibble. And as GGS2 noted, at the same time you will be acquiring valuable vitamins and minerals, essential to good trail health. But the foraging that would be needed to acquire your daily food needs and thru hiking are both time intensive activities. You can't do both and still cover 2,175 miles in five or six months.

The bulk of hiking calories must still come from the old standbys, rice, pasta, nuts, oatmeal, oil, sugar, and breads. augmented by canned or pouched meats, and meals in towns.

Weary

[budforester]

I know its unrealistic to completely live off the trail I said that in my original post. Im just looking for some names of plants or berries or whatever can be eaten on the trail, I just thought it would be cool to try some of them while im out there, thats all.
Thanks for stirring up some interesting discussion. I gather nuts, fruits, berries so often that they hardly seem exotic, but I like to play Ewell Gibbons, too. I sometimes incorporate wild edibles into my "normal" foods. A frequent one for me is ramen noodles cooked with chopped wild onions. I'd bet the (in)famous Appalacian ramps would be good in ramen.

[Bob S]

Take food with you and re-supply along the way. I can see learning about eatable plants (like most of us I have a few books on this) and if you run across one using it for more as a snack or a way to have an occasional extra bit of food. But I think finding food as you hike would become a full time job and you would not be hiking, you would have to spend all day forging for food.


I agree with the post above that it’s more a romantic idea then a practical thing.

[southpaw95]

Well, 'scuse the **** outta me. :p

That is beverage through the nose funny!

[Tha Wookie]

some snares and spears would help

[Freedom]

That is beverage through the nose funny!

Def like this hooch guy - just say it how it is!

[desdemona]

Speaking of beverages-- I think it would be difficult on the trail but Sumac "lemonade" is very good. This is the red berries NOT the white ones (white is poison sumac). You fill a container with them and add water. You have to filter this (I used to use cheese cloth) to get out the little hairs. Then you sweeten with honey. I think it is very rich in vitamins and very good. It is acidy and very nice on a hot day. I used to gather this around my house, but haven't seen this in the Southwest.
http://www.natureskills.com/lemonade_recipe.html
(they say the sweetener is optional, I say no way.)

BTW, nice little blast from the past with Ewell Gibbons. Might of gotten this recipe from him!!


--des

[minnesotasmith]

1) Acorns are one of the most practical potential major trail foods with more substance to them than berries have. However, they need to have the tannic acid rinsed out of them. Here are two links on this subject:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/clay79.html

http://www.sanaturalareas.org/acorns.html

From the second one:

"To prepare acorns for eating, you need to remove as much tannic acid as possible by leaching with water. Besides being unpalatable, raw acorns consumed in large quantities over time can cause kidney damage. The Indians set the acorns in a basket in a clean fast-flowing stream. (Patty Leslie Pasztor shares that they may have used cactus pouches to hold acorns for leaching.) The water rushing through the basket would leach out the tannins in a day or two. Since most of us do not have a clean fast-flowing stream nearby, we need to boil out the tannins. Toss the nuts into a large pot, and cover them with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for about 15 minutes. The water will turn brown as the tannic acid is extracted from the kernels. Throw out the water and replace it with fresh water. Re-boil the acorns, throwing out the brown water several times until the water is clear. The boiling process takes about two or three hours, though the time varies with the amount of tannic acid in the acorns. When you are finished, the acorns will no longer taste bitter and will have turned a darker brown. The nuts have a flavor similar to boiled chestnuts."



2) The other potential major bulk nongreen/nonberry source of wild food available along the way is cattails. Easy to find in large quantities in the right terrain, they're only partly a seasonal food. They have two main edible parts. For more info:

http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/harvesting-cattail-shoots/

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=008nMw

http://www.zetatalk.com/food/tfood17i.htm

Note this about cattails, though: "Be aware that there is a plant that grows with the cattails... the wild iris. THEY ARE POISONOUS! Make sure you familiarize yourself with both of them. Young plants tend to look alike. Cattails are more round at the base and iris are more oval. If there is any question, throw it out."

3) I'm surprised to not be hearing more about wineberries. These huge, perfectly edible, delicious, abundant, seeming crosses between blackberries and raspberries were the best thing about eastern Pennsylvania (besides the NJ state line) when I thruhiked in 2006. I was spending close to an hour a day pausing to devour these when I'd see them from the trail. By comparison, mulberries are practically tasteless, and huckleberries tend to be so small that IMO they're both just not worth the time to go after while hiking.

Wineberries:


http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Wineberry.html (great pictures in this one)

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1982-07-01/Picking-and-Preserving-Wineberrys.aspx

Oh, and if you come to love eating them, as I did, just collecting and drying some berries as I did to plant later at home likely won't work. The seeds have to pass through a digestive tract, where acids soften some kind of protective coating on the seeds. Aside from the obvious (and disgusting) route, you could simply order seedlings for 16 bucks for ten (info in second article).

They do best in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5-8. Map of where those are: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Good luck with your nibbling along the way, but agreed that it will be at best only an adjunct to grocery foods. You can forage for your food, or you can hike.

[Newb]

The only way to survive off the land is to fish and hunt. You can't get enough calories from pine needle tea, berries and shrooms.

Pine needle tea is loaded with vitamins..but few calories. Oh, and a pregnant woman should NEVER drink pine tea. I can cause an immediate miscarriage...as can morningglory.

Generally, though, you're just not gonna find enough food to live off of if hiking. You need to fish at the very least...and the food you find will have to be consumed relatively quickly after harvesting.

Still, you can supplement your diet with some nice treats...
Ramps and fiddleheads in the spring...
dandelion, plantain, chickory, sorrell, and other greens...
refreshing tea made from Sassafras or pine..
a nice sleep-aid made from tea of the whole wild strawberry plant...
If you're lucky in the Fall you might find some Jerusalem artichokes..

Hiker flesh...oh..umm...scratch that one...

[The Weasel]

I've read - I think - this entire thread and no one has mentioned ramps? Ramps are not only delicious, but they are the best way to appear at a full shelter and be given all the room you want!

TW

[Newb]

I've read - I think - this entire thread and no one has mentioned ramps? Ramps are not only delicious, but they are the best way to appear at a full shelter and be given all the room you want!

TW

I mentioned ramps in the post right before yours. As usual..I remain un-read and unappreciated.

[hootyhoo]

I ate a lot of acorns last year. Raw and multi boiled/drained. They took some getting used to, but are full of protein.
If Tipi's suggestion of nettles sounds good - you might want to be able to recognize 'touch me not' or Jewel Weed. It usually grows close by.

Jewel Weed is an effective natural herbal remedy not only for poison ivy, but also for poison oak, okra spines, stinging nettle, and other irritating plants; as well as bug bites and razor burn. Jewel Weed, is also used for acne, heat rash, ringworm and many other skin disorders.

[Two Speed]

Speaking of beverages-- I think it would be difficult on the trail but Sumac "lemonade" is very good. . . Yep, excellent, but the filtration is critical, as is picking out the right sumac. According to Mark Warren at Medicine Bow the Cherokee called it "qualla."

[Bulldawg]

I just want to figure out how to identify Ramps. I know Ron has posted pictures of them, but I can not seem to find any of the darned things!!

[fiddlehead]

I've read - I think - this entire thread and no one has mentioned ramps? Ramps are not only delicious, but they are the best way to appear at a full shelter and be given all the room you want!

TW

Perhaps you missed more than just NEWB's. I saw ramps mentioned 3 or 4 times in the preceding pages. (this is page 3 of this thread you know)

Here's a pic for those who asked what they look like: http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg201/fiddleheadpa/0011ramps9.jpg

BUT, Please remember, they are scarce and wild. Like any wild plant or animal, unlimited picking or killing can and does make plants like this extinct.

I believe they are a lot more rare now than when i first hiked in '77.

So, I wouldn't pick them anymore personally.

[sasquatch2014]

I want to second the book called the The Last American Manit is a great read. I believe that his Thru hike was in about 1980. He pretty much scavenged his way along the trail.

What one would have to do to make this work most people, myself included would not be willing to do. That is not to say that you cant add a nice supplement to you diet as you go by knowing what to keep an eye out for.

[desdemona]

Yep, excellent, but the filtration is critical, as is picking out the right sumac. According to Mark Warren at Medicine Bow the Cherokee called it "qualla."

The wrong sumac is pretty much going to be white. Yikes poisionous plant.
You can look it up online which is which. We had both in Wisconsin and I could tell this apart as a kid, so it is not like mushrooms or something.

Yeah you need to filter it. It has nasty little hairs.


--des

[sarbar]

I want to second the book called the The Last American Manit is a great read. I believe that his Thru hike was in about 1980. He pretty much scavenged his way along the trail.

What one would have to do to make this work most people, myself included would not be willing to do. That is not to say that you cant add a nice supplement to you diet as you go by knowing what to keep an eye out for.

If you read the original printing of the Wilderness Press guidebook for the PCT back in the late 70's there is a pretty funny story about a trail hussy who made her way by being "friendly" with the rangers along the trail. She apparently ate well :rolleyes: Probably wasn't any worse than living off hiker boxes :p

[BackTrack1]

I remember , and will never forget standing in the kitchen sink when i was about 4 yrs old pukeing :eek: :eek: my guts out because my parents thought i ate a mushroom in the backyard so they gave me some of that (epicat puke stuff:confused:) it imediatally makes you sick, if your a parent you must know the stuff im talking about.

SO, never eat a mushroom when your parents are watching :D and always make sure you know what your putting in your mouth.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

If you're going to pick wild mushrooms and eat them, you'd doggone well better know what you're eating before you put it in your mouth. The wrong mushroom will kill you dead as a doornail. Period. I learned them years ago in SERE school when I was in service, but wouldn't trust what little I do remember about them now to eat one.

I used to have a deck of cards called edible plants of South East Asia. I'm not sure what the trick was, but there were some that were good to eat and some that would kill you and they looked the same to me.
I stick with apples, raspberries and blackberries.

[sasquatch2014]

If you read the original printing of the Wilderness Press guidebook for the PCT back in the late 70's there is a pretty funny story about a trail hussy who made her way by being "friendly" with the rangers along the trail. She apparently ate well :rolleyes: Probably wasn't any worse than living off hiker boxes :p

I have heard the term "Lot Lizard" would this make her a "Trail Toad"?:-?

[skinny minnie]

Purple and white violet flowers are edible, as are clover flowers, rose hips,cornflowers, dandelion, wintergreen, and day lilies... and I see most of them while hiking at some point in the season. Not very filling stuff, though! I really like the smell of wintergreen. You can chew pine sap and extract pinenuts. I think pine tea is usually made with white pine? Or at least the variety I heard about was made with it.

Read Stalking the Wild Asparagus - it's a classic! And man... I remember reading this as a kid and getting all fired up - my neighbor and I spent the night under a tarp on an island trying to catch crayfish and eat daylily tubers... we ended up feasting on canned corn instead!

[mudhead]

I have heard the term "Lot Lizard" would this make her a "Trail Toad"?:-?

It was a different time. Be nice.

[JAK]

I made some yellow birch tea the other day and it was very good. Wintergreen. I am not sure if I did it right but I peeled off the outer bark and then scraped the inner bark into my mug and poured in boiling water. It was good. Somewhat sweet this time of year also. On the subject, I walked under this Maple tree a few weeks back and it had this icicle dripping from a wounded branch, so I broke it off and ate it and sure enough it was like a maple sap popsicle. Thought that was kinda neat.

[bkrownd]

One of the best pot herbs like cooked collards or kale is the humble weed called Lambs Quarters. It doesn't really grow in the back woods, but usually around disturbed old gardens and along roads.

If you ever get to Hawai'i you should check out our version of lambs quarters (or goosefoot), chenopodium (http://www.pbase.com/bkrownd/chenopodium) ('aweoweo or 'aheahea). It's a woody shrub or small tree that's abundant on arid mountainsides, but the leaves are obviously lambs quarters. However, it smells so foul I can't imagine eating it without puking. Apparently they did eat it in times of famine.

[Tipi Walter]

If you ever get to Hawai'i you should check out our version of lambs quarters (or goosefoot), chenopodium (http://www.pbase.com/bkrownd/chenopodium) ('aweoweo or 'aheahea). It's a woody shrub or small tree that's abundant on arid mountainsides, but the leaves are obviously lambs quarters. However, it smells so foul I can't imagine eating it without puking. Apparently they did eat it in times of famine.

Although lambs quarters does grow fairly large around here(NC), the best stuff is no more than 2-3 feet high with a peculiar pale green color that denotes its value as a potherb. The larger stuff can get very tall and very woody, more of a coarse bush than an edible weed. But when picked at the right time, it's one of the best cooked greens I know of.

[awestberry]

If anyone is interested I have a good recipe for squirrel and rice! Seriously good eats.

[sofaking]

i like wild mushrooms, pick and eat them all of th...said he was going to be ri...and they haven't had any eff...i like wild, um...is it time for the game?

[theinfamousj]

I love clover salad.

Growing up, we had over an acre of "natural area" with a creek running through it. My mom likes to joke that I used to go munch on the back yard. Never ate anything poisonous. If my pets didn't eat it, neither did I.

That said, I really like clover (leaves, never was one for flowers). Nice and tart. Grow some at home as a green mulch AND because I can eat it too. I use clover in place of watercress.

Violets are sort of bland to my pallet.

Dandelions are delish. I boil them like spinach. If there is a flower, you can still harvest the top most leaves.

Never liked lambs quarters (we used to grow it in the garden).

Find a young pine cone (unopened) and strip away the scales. Inside are pine nuts. Those are quite yummy on pasta. If you can find "escaped" basil (I've seen some in random places in Virginia), dandelions, clover, or perhaps a nice mellow mint (happily grow wild in NC), you can whip up a pretty good pesto.

Oh, and don't forget blackberries. I'm starting to see flowers in NC/VA border area. That means that the berries are sure to follow!

[taildragger]

If anyone is interested I have a good recipe for squirrel and rice! Seriously good eats.

I'm listening....

[shelterbuilder]

I made some yellow birch tea the other day and it was very good. Wintergreen. I am not sure if I did it right but I peeled off the outer bark and then scraped the inner bark into my mug and poured in boiling water. It was good. Somewhat sweet this time of year also. On the subject, I walked under this Maple tree a few weeks back and it had this icicle dripping from a wounded branch, so I broke it off and ate it and sure enough it was like a maple sap popsicle. Thought that was kinda neat.

JAK, are you sure you meant wintergreen and not sassafras? Wintergreen is a small ground-cover plant, shiny dark-green leaves, sometimes with a single, small red berry on the top...makes a tea that's good for soothing sore, tired muscles. Pick a large handful of the leaves, throw them into boiling water and let it steep for 5 - 10 minutes. Wintergreen oil contains a chemical that is similar to aspirin - drink a few cups of this after a long day hiking and those sore muscles will feel like new in the morning.

[sofaking]

sassafras is a dieuretic, makes you pee. a lot. it's also a carcinogen.

[shelterbuilder]

sassafras is a dieuretic, makes you pee. a lot. it's also a carcinogen.

Yes, it does, and yes, it is. The old-timers used to drink sassafras tea as a "spring tonic" to get all of that sluggish winter-time blood going again...but I guess that the blood wasn't the only thing that it got going! :D

[Wise Old Owl]

If anyone is interested I have a good recipe for squirrel and rice! Seriously good eats.

JUST ONE ISN'T ENOUGH - CAN YOU POP THEM LIKE WINGS?

[budforester]

sassafras is a dieuretic, makes you pee. a lot. it's also a carcinogen.

Sassafras tea with honey is mighty good. The leaves are dried and powdered to make file, used to thicken and flavor Creole Gumbo (that's pronounced "fee- lay"). It's a mild carcinogen, too, but they usually extract that out for the commercial stuff. BTW, can you imagine how much sassafras- flavored root beer and candy cigarets we consumed before they became "dangerous"

[desdemona]

Yes, it does, and yes, it is. The old-timers used to drink sassafras tea as a "spring tonic" to get all of that sluggish winter-time blood going again...but I guess that the blood wasn't the only thing that it got going! :D

Yep, I might qualify as an old timer :). I used to buy sassafras tea back in the 60s (to wash down the marijuana LOL). Anyway, I was looking for sassafras tea last year and discovered that it was now considered dangerous and banned. There is a bottled extract of sassafras, tastes just like the real thing though perhaps a tad blander called Pappy's. It has the carcnogenic compound taken out.

BTW, two weeks ago, I found some mint, which is really strange given this is the desert. But I found just tons of it in a marshy area by a little stream. There was tons of it. I took some out and have some growing in my kitchen. I hope that 10 years from now they don't find out its carcniogenic too.

--des

[trailmomma4]

Have tried acorns, but they are a little to bitter for my tastes. You have to soak acorn meats in water for about an hour, drain water, repeat. then allow to dry completely. Makes a type of flour. It's not bad, but a lot of work for so little. Maybe if I was REALLY hungry.

[trailmomma4]

Would love to have the recipe awestberry. Lots of squirrel on my little piece of paradise.

[sofaking]

local /state ag. ext. office websites usually have awesome game recipes/links.