Author Topic: Edible Plants? (Read 1508 times)

JollyRoger · « **on:** August 29, 2007, 07:23:00 PM »

I've been doing some looking around on the web for an Idaho specific (or northwest in general but it must include forest and desert) book on edible plants. Anyone have any recommendations?

Orbital-Burn · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2007, 08:25:53 PM »

desert edible plants?

JollyRoger · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2007, 08:29:55 PM »

Quote from: Orbital-Burn on August 29, 2007, 08:25:53 PM

desert edible plants?

Yeah, there has got to be some good stuff to eat out there...and some that you should stay away from.

Orbital-Burn · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2007, 08:59:38 PM »

desert as in that crap we go out and shoot in on Saturdays?

the only books I can recommend is any by Tom Brown, but it might not be a good idea to get his book on edible plants in this case. The best ones are going to have full color pics and none of his books to my knowledge have color in them. I went on Amazon and it seems that for edible plants the country is divided up into East, East and Central, and West. I've been needing a couple full color books on edible plants let me know what you find. Still didn't know there are edible much of anything in the desert, unless you're talking about down in Utah south.

luckypunk · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2007, 09:20:07 PM »

I've studied Botany/taxonomy . Identifying the differences (edible, medical, poisonous) in "wild" plants is tough due to the bodies tolerance/allergies.

I have an Air Force crash survival manual that has some pointers. Basically eat a small amount & wait. Puke, and you don't want to eat any more of it.

Orbital-Burn · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2007, 09:46:29 PM »

and in the case of a survival situation, puke and you are probably dead from the energy and fluids you just lost.

Jeff · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2007, 09:51:22 PM »

Quote from: JollyRoger on August 29, 2007, 07:23:00 PM

edible plants

Weren't you the one who said that plants are what food eats?

Nomad · « **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2007, 06:22:54 PM »

A great book on survival and outdoor plants that work as a medical plants as
well food.
"Outdoor Survival Skills" By Larry Dean Olsen of Buhl, Idaho.....
The man spent a good deal of his life in the wild and helping children with
problems and the Boy Scouts of America in survival....
The book is written for our area high desert country..

luckypunk · « **Reply #8 on:** August 30, 2007, 06:30:25 PM »

I forgot that another difficulty of eating in the wild is the preparation some things become edible after a lot of work...like acorns.

JollyRoger · « **Reply #9 on:** September 02, 2007, 07:50:11 PM »

Thanks for the replies all. I'll see if I can find a copy of that book, Nomad. Sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

pv74 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2007, 01:21:35 AM »

I honestly wouldn't worry about food to much in a survival situation...

Your priorities in a survival situation should be Shelter, Fire, Signal, Water, and finally Food..in that order.

You can last up to three days without water, and up to two weeks or longer without a bite to eat.

Reminds me of a guy who got caught in a winter storm some years ago for a few days...he supposedly "survived" off of ketchup packets under the seat of his car. He could have eaten nothing and been just fine.

Spiff · « **Reply #11 on:** September 12, 2007, 09:02:18 AM »

2 to 3 weeks without food is the usual time period given by survival people. But I've always had a problem with that. Sure you may not die for 3 weeks, but after a week and a half or two weeks without food you'll be so weak that all you'll be able to do is lie down. Which in and of itself is a death sentence in certain survival situations.

luckypunk · « **Reply #12 on:** September 12, 2007, 04:23:45 PM »

some animals, like rabbits & dogs eat their own poop....I'm just saying

NGO · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2007, 03:14:23 PM »

Quote from: luckypunk on September 12, 2007, 04:23:45 PM

some animals, like rabbits & dogs eat their own poop....I'm just saying

I've heard of people surving on their own piss too. Let us know how that works for you, LP

luckypunk · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2007, 09:14:02 PM »

you could construct a solar still & purify it but I'd have to be really thirsty. Just thinking outide the box...

AR10ER · « **Reply #15 on:** September 17, 2007, 06:21:50 PM »

There is nothing in your poop to keep you alive.

Your piss is 95.5% pure water, the other half is urea, yes, you can drink your urine with no ill effects.

luckypunk · « **Reply #16 on:** September 17, 2007, 09:52:22 PM »

I'm not drinking my piss today. I have had nothing but sugar & caffeine. In fact, I just took a piss and it smells like "super golden crisps cereal"

Asparagus pee might be more nutritious

High Wall · « **Reply #17 on:** September 17, 2007, 10:40:51 PM »

Quote from: NGO on September 13, 2007, 03:14:23 PM

I've heard of people surving on their own piss too.

I've heard there is people that drink Coors, too.

NGO · « **Reply #18 on:** September 17, 2007, 11:17:56 PM »

Quote from: High Wall on September 17, 2007, 10:40:51 PM

I've heard there is people that drink Coors, too.

I work after hours sometimes filling those bottles once I'm done with my FatTire or Moose Drool.

kill-9 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 01, 2007, 11:36:58 AM »

I was thinking about this today. I live in an apartment building in Meridian. I have no set BOL. So if the S were to HTF tomorrow, I'd be living in the woods - probably up north on NFS or BLM land. Given the number of running streams, I don't think water would be an issue, so my main concern would be long-term hunting and foraging.

I'll see if I can find a copy of the book Nomad mentioned.

NGO · « **Reply #20 on:** October 18, 2007, 01:26:53 PM »

Here is a good write up on poisonous plants to watch out for. (I know it is focused on Western Europe, so don't whine, write one that is for us!)

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/articles/food--foraging/poisonous-fruit.html

By the way this is a excellent site with tons of good information.

codethree · « **Reply #21 on:** April 06, 2008, 10:47:50 PM »

I thought I read somewhere that pretty much all grasses are edible. In any case I would be careful with the idea of trying a small amount of a plant to see if it would cause you to vomit. Cardiotoxic plants, such and foxglove and oleander, may not make you sick after consuming a very small amount, but a larger amount could kill you.

Longshot · « **Reply #22 on:** April 10, 2008, 10:59:32 AM »

You can go up to 40 days without food and still function at a reasonable level without organ damage. I have fasted for 7 days, I know folks that have gone 21 days. I have spoken to people that have fasted 40 days it takes a toll to be sure and you won't be running any marathons but you can survive an incredibly long time without food. The digestive system shuts down and you run off metabolizing fat. I could probably last a good six to eight months!! LOL

LS