Preppers are telling us that our way of life might change drastically in the near future. They warn that the mod cons we all enjoy every day might disappear in a flash of disintegrating grid. Not only light and hot water but gas pumps may go down. Without gas pumps, the big trucks that keep the grocery stores stocked won't run. So how will you get your food? Well, knowing the wild foods of California might help.
In the panorama of history, dependence on food grown by others is relatively recent. Most people grew the majority of their food at home, or raised it in the farmyard. Although a lot of their diet was based on crops, hunting and gathering was always important. Most people looked to the great outdoors for sweeteners (wild honey and maple syrup), nuts (valuable sources of fat and protein), berries, greens (especially in spring after a winter diet devoid of fresh food), and game for meat. As the Hunger Games books relate, hunting was a skill much admired by those who liked meat.
Small beginnings are OK. Remember that it was a lowly dandelion that reminded Katniss of the lessons her father taught her before his untimely death. Picking that flower and more of them made dinner for her family that night and assured them of future survival.
Perhaps you're pretty sure you wouldn't make it as a hunter. Maybe even the idea of fishing puts you off. Well, being a vegetarian isn't all that bad; in fact, it's already popular in California.
Think of what you already know. Dandelions want to grow. In fact, people spend a fortune trying to discourage them from taking over their lawns. It's not hard to find nettles, wild onions and garlic, wild asparagus or fiddlehead ferns if you know what to look for. Mints, day lilies, violets, and nasturtiums are all edible.
Check the local library for books old and new that show you which plants have been eaten throughout history, even though they might have gone out of fashion today. After all, the Native Americans didn't have grocery stores. The internet is another source of information, with photo galleries and recipes to make even bitter acorns palatable. A lot of things can be eaten raw, like greens, roots, nuts, and berries.
It's fun to learn all this stuff, even if doomsday never comes. Who doesn't want a measure of independence and some sort of control in all situations. Take childlike pleasure in roaming the woods, ravines, roadsides, and wastelands for tasty treats or medicinal herbs. You can even find California plants that make soap, another thing that you routinely get at the grocery store.
California has mild weather in many areas, which means game is plentiful and plants can grow year-round. It also has a vast seacoast, home to sea bass, mussels, sea grapes, and many other delicacies. Live in the mountains? You can find berries, wild grapes, nuts, and edible fungi there. Even the desert has its treasures. You just need to know how to find them and use them.
In the panorama of history, dependence on food grown by others is relatively recent. Most people grew the majority of their food at home, or raised it in the farmyard. Although a lot of their diet was based on crops, hunting and gathering was always important. Most people looked to the great outdoors for sweeteners (wild honey and maple syrup), nuts (valuable sources of fat and protein), berries, greens (especially in spring after a winter diet devoid of fresh food), and game for meat. As the Hunger Games books relate, hunting was a skill much admired by those who liked meat.
Small beginnings are OK. Remember that it was a lowly dandelion that reminded Katniss of the lessons her father taught her before his untimely death. Picking that flower and more of them made dinner for her family that night and assured them of future survival.
Perhaps you're pretty sure you wouldn't make it as a hunter. Maybe even the idea of fishing puts you off. Well, being a vegetarian isn't all that bad; in fact, it's already popular in California.
Think of what you already know. Dandelions want to grow. In fact, people spend a fortune trying to discourage them from taking over their lawns. It's not hard to find nettles, wild onions and garlic, wild asparagus or fiddlehead ferns if you know what to look for. Mints, day lilies, violets, and nasturtiums are all edible.
Check the local library for books old and new that show you which plants have been eaten throughout history, even though they might have gone out of fashion today. After all, the Native Americans didn't have grocery stores. The internet is another source of information, with photo galleries and recipes to make even bitter acorns palatable. A lot of things can be eaten raw, like greens, roots, nuts, and berries.
It's fun to learn all this stuff, even if doomsday never comes. Who doesn't want a measure of independence and some sort of control in all situations. Take childlike pleasure in roaming the woods, ravines, roadsides, and wastelands for tasty treats or medicinal herbs. You can even find California plants that make soap, another thing that you routinely get at the grocery store.
California has mild weather in many areas, which means game is plentiful and plants can grow year-round. It also has a vast seacoast, home to sea bass, mussels, sea grapes, and many other delicacies. Live in the mountains? You can find berries, wild grapes, nuts, and edible fungi there. Even the desert has its treasures. You just need to know how to find them and use them.
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Discover the wild foods of California through our informative blog. Stop by our website and find out all the details at http://livingwild.org today.
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