Is anybody into "foraging?"

[Redneck in training]

Years ago, in the Pacific NW, a small plane carrying a mother and daughter crash landed not far from the Oregon coast. The pilot and passengers survived, only to later starve to death; while all around them were a host of edible plants.

Few years back while working in Australia I watched a documentary about an expedition across Australia trekking from south east to north to Bay of Carpentaria. All men but one died. Later on diaries were retrieved and the fate of the expedition was reconstructed. The expedition suffered by lack of water and food among other things. In example they finally reached water but reported in the diary there was no food.
Several years back college students led by their professor followed in the steps of the expedition and filmed a documentary. The professor was showing very good sources of food at places the expedition failed to find it. It was partly caused by ignorance.
Friend of mine told me that he has few aboriginal friends he used to prospect for gold with. They quit the prospecting and take tourists on "bush tucker" expeditions. Basically they live out of the bush for few weeks and return alive to civilisation.

 

[crash325]

Foraging means different things to different folks. I doubt that in this day and age many of us want to live off the land. Even though in my part of the world (desert) one could. Indians did it for over 10.000 years. Water would be the biggest problem. Water, of "sorts" can be gotten from some cactus. Not very tasty but does the job.

Many or most of what we gather is mostly for fun or to add a different taste to our diets. Not many wild berries around here. but where they are its so much fun to gather them. Was in Virgina once, we'd take 2 buckets with us. took a while to fill them. 1 Berry for the Bucket, 1 for me. :laughing: Then the farmers wife would fix them with real cream, make pies & cobblers. MUMMM
Good.