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.
Food, of course, either grows - like a plant - or lives all around - like deer and rabbits or oysters and sea bass. To get the animal kind, you'll need to have some weapons and know how to use them. For small game, you can set snares rather than depend on bullets or arrows. Anyone who has seen the 'Hunger Games' - or better yet, read the books - knows that those who can hunt have a great advantage.
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.
That means that you don't have to be a mighty hunter or live near a source of seafood to feed yourself from nature. Vegetarians do just fine, as many in California could already tell you. Cultivated salad greens are no more delicious than the ones that grow all around you free for the picking.
After all, almost anyone can pluck up a green plant or pick a ripe berry. Of course, it's helpful if you know which are good to eat or which might make you sick (or worse). And plants are not hard to find. Dandelions grow everywhere, even in city lots. So do nutritious nettles and wild onions, and many ornamental flowers are edible.
There are some great books, both old and new, that have all the information you need to learn to identify plants you can eat. Some even have recipes and guidelines; the author might tell how Native Americans processed acorns to make them palatable and what they used them for (flour and pemmican). You can learn about the nutrients in a dandelion salad and the way day lily buds taste when sauteed. Of course, some things can be eaten raw, like 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.
The Golden State is a perfect place for finding menu items in the great outdoors. With a year-round growing season, this area is home to more plants and wildlife than many other areas. The desert has pinon nuts and jojoba bushes, the mountains have blueberries, the sea shore has sea grapes. Enjoy!
Food, of course, either grows - like a plant - or lives all around - like deer and rabbits or oysters and sea bass. To get the animal kind, you'll need to have some weapons and know how to use them. For small game, you can set snares rather than depend on bullets or arrows. Anyone who has seen the 'Hunger Games' - or better yet, read the books - knows that those who can hunt have a great advantage.
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.
That means that you don't have to be a mighty hunter or live near a source of seafood to feed yourself from nature. Vegetarians do just fine, as many in California could already tell you. Cultivated salad greens are no more delicious than the ones that grow all around you free for the picking.
After all, almost anyone can pluck up a green plant or pick a ripe berry. Of course, it's helpful if you know which are good to eat or which might make you sick (or worse). And plants are not hard to find. Dandelions grow everywhere, even in city lots. So do nutritious nettles and wild onions, and many ornamental flowers are edible.
There are some great books, both old and new, that have all the information you need to learn to identify plants you can eat. Some even have recipes and guidelines; the author might tell how Native Americans processed acorns to make them palatable and what they used them for (flour and pemmican). You can learn about the nutrients in a dandelion salad and the way day lily buds taste when sauteed. Of course, some things can be eaten raw, like 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.
The Golden State is a perfect place for finding menu items in the great outdoors. With a year-round growing season, this area is home to more plants and wildlife than many other areas. The desert has pinon nuts and jojoba bushes, the mountains have blueberries, the sea shore has sea grapes. Enjoy!
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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.
