No matter what part of the country youre in - or the world for that matter - there are literally thousands upon thousands of things you can eat if stranded in the woods. The wild vegetation - and even bugs - you find out in the wilderness can absolutely save your life. One taste of the wrong thing, though, and its curtains for you! Thats a serious matter. People who go camping, backpacking and hiking generally come prepared with their own food, but in an emergency situation, those people could find themselves with no food or water at all. Knowing that there is plenty of food nearby, and knowing what is edible and what isnt, can see you through the catastrophe.
Most anyone in this country has heard the expression "Leaves of three, leave them be." This quote comes as a warning to those who might not recognize poisonous plants like ivy and oak. Many poisonous plants come in groups of three leaves, repeated time and again, all the way down the stalk of the plant. If you see plants that have many sets of three leaves avoid these at all costs. They are not only poisonous to eat but can cause severe rashes and skin abrasions.
It could help you to know that many plants, such as goa bean, water plantain, baobab, reindeer moss bracken, and cow parsnip, are all edible root stalks, however, if you dont recognize these plants thats useless information. Carrying a book which has pictures of edible plants can be a lifesaver when youre in the woods. Generally speaking, there are some tests you can perform to see if a plant is edible or not. Most tubers, grown underground, are edible. These include arrowhead, sweet potatoes, tara, or cats-tail. Again, knowing what these plants look like above ground will help you in your quest for food. Some casual tips for deciding on food choices from the woods include avoiding most plants with flowers that are shaped like umbrellas. Although carrots, celery and parsley are all in that category most umbrella-shaped flowers - and the entire plant - are not edible. Some bulbous plants are edible and others are deadly poisonous. If youre not an expert on these just avoid them altogether. If you do a lot of hiking or backpacking its best to get to know the look of some edible - and poisonous - bulbs. The more you know about these plants the more likely you are to find food that is safe for you to eat. Never taste even one white or yellow berry in the woods. These are almost always poisonous. Many red berries are also unsafe to eat. If you dont know which ones are, and which ones arent, avoid red berries, too. Most blue or black berries are safe for consumption. Any stalk, stem or flower that secrets a milky substance should be avoided. The liquid indicates poison in the plant and should not be eaten or used to quench thirst. Most plants that grow in water or moist soil can be safely selected as food. Fruits that grow singly, even if theres a tree full, are generally safe. These fruits dont cluster together but hang from a single stem, such as apples or pears. Bugs which are not poisonous to humans can be eaten by the handful. The bugs can be boiled and eaten or can be sun-dried. Place a weight of some sort on the bug. It can be a stick or small rock but nothing that will squash the bug. Allow the sun to dry the bugs and then they can be eaten. Pull the legs and antennae away and eat the rest of the bug. Dried bugs can even be added to other foods like soups or broth. If you intend to camp, hike or backpack many times in the future its a good idea to get a handbook which will help you locate food and liquids in the wilderness. One never knows when a catastrophe can occur in the wild so be prepared. That handbook could keep you alive and prevent you from dying at your own hand!
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