In the off chance that you find yourself in a true-blue, no-doubt survival situation, there are a few things that you always need to make sure that you have covered in order to remain safe. Among these primary concerns that any survivor faces, finding food is one of the most important. Having the skills necessary to glean safe food from the land in the event of an emergency can end up making all the difference in your ability to survive and thrive. While nothing in the world can beat a great store of food supplies, being caught without adequate supplies is not a death sentence– you just need a little know-how.
Identifying Locations for Scavenging
In the event that you find yourself in a survival situation, one thing is for sure: you’re the opposite of comfortable. You’re probably going to be confused, maybe a little scared, and possibly even injured. Due to the many issues facing a survivor, it’s important to make an effort to do as little work as possible when it comes to getting your food. What you want is a high return on calories for the amount of work you invest. Since most of the foods you find out in the wild may not have a high caloric density, this means that the less work you do the better off you’ll be.
When selecting a location to explore for survival foods, pick a place that gets a good amount of sun and hopefully is in a valley. Valleys are warmer than higher locations, and are more likely to have edible plants readily available. This is especially true in the winter, since even places that see lots of snow every year will often have sorrel survive the winter under the snow pack. The idea is to have your gathering spot close to the place you’re sleeping. If you find that you’re out in the wilds, this is an important consideration to have in the back of your head while selecting a scavenging area.
Basic Identifiers
There are some basic rules that come along with harvesting wild foods. These are not “hard and fast” rules, since there are many edible and inedible foods that break them, however they are the best way to stay safe when eating wild foods.
First, never eat mushrooms. Even mushroom experts poison themselves from time to time by eating the wrong mushroom since they can vary so wildly in their appearance.
Second, remember the rhyme “leaves of three, leave it be”. There are many toxic plants with leaf clusters of three.
Third, avoid red berries and white berries at all cost. This is especially true if the berries emit an odor that smells slightly of almonds when they are crushed. The scent of almonds is indicative of a number of different toxins.
General Foods Found Throughout the US
Wood sorrel is a very nutritious plant that grows just about everywhere throughout the United States. It is a low, spreading plant that is similar in appearance to clover. A very simply way to distinguish it from clover is that the leaves look like little hearts– this is always true. It has a slightly sour, almost lemony taste and is high in vitamin C.
Cow thistle is another great plant. It looks like a huge dandelion, and will be about three feet tall. All parts are edible.
In Summation
Some people think that being tossed out in the wilds is a sure way to die. While this can be true in many cases, when you take the time to learn about wild edibles before disaster strikes, you greatly enhance your chances of survival.