Wild Foods

[Valdaree]

I had a book years ago that was really informative about what plants and fungi were safe to eat. It ranged from wild garlic, berries and roots to all kinds of mushrooms and I loved it. How did you find out what was safe to eat?

 

[oldsarge]

This is something I really need to learn more of. Once at a church camping event, they had a guy come and give a class about local plants life and what was safe to eat. I couldn't believe how much there was and also all the health benefits from some plants. But this is something that need to be practiced. I used to teach survival in Panama and I knew all kinds of plants to eat. Now I can't remember for the life of me what's what.

 

[Sammee]

I know a little bit about which wild plants are good but I'm totally ignorant about mushrooms and, as there are so many that can cause illness and even death, I don't think I'd risk it.

 

[Valdaree]

Honestly, it's really easy to spot a good mushroom. Those that resemble the poisonous, you can easily avoid, to be on the safe side, but there are so many ones that are good to eat and don't look like anything else.

 

[JameyStanley]

I learned a lot of what I know from TV. For instance I would see them eat something on man vs wild or survivorman and I would look it up online to learn how to prepare it and where it was found as well as how to properly identify it. I also learned a lot from talking with older ones, they have so much knowledge and experience. However I have learned the most from Mr. Dave Canterbury who co-hosts the show Dual Survival on the Discovery Channel, he also owns and operates a wilderness self reliance school out of Ohio (In which I am enrolled). He is a great guy and a wonderful teacher.

 

[oldmangunner]

I learned from others and books. One rule of thumb you want to remember is to never eat anything that is within 6 feet of a road.

 

[ryoga-kun]

Guys, never learn off TV. And as for mushrooms and stuff, there are some which are poisonous that look a LOT like the edible kind. I avoid it all like the devil. All it takes is one mistake and you're gone. The only plant I eat outside are dandelions. In the tropics I'll also eat coconuts, papaya and other familiar fruits if they're around. I'll cook the fruits by the way.
When it comes to eating in the wild I generally stay with fish. Freshwater fish are all edible. Small animals are also fine if you have the time. By the shore I'll also throw in shellfish and small crabs.

 

[oldsarge]

Guys, never learn off TV. And as for mushrooms and stuff, there are some which are poisonous that look a LOT like the edible kind. I avoid it all like the devil. All it takes is one mistake and you're gone. The only plant I eat outside are dandelions. In the tropics I'll also eat coconuts, papaya and other familiar fruits if they're around. I'll cook the fruits by the way.
When it comes to eating in the wild I generally stay with fish. Freshwater fish are all edible. Small animals are also fine if you have the time. By the shore I'll also throw in shellfish and small crabs.

Dude...you're making me hungry!

 

[wvbreamfisherman]

If you stick with morels, you'll never go wrong if you pay even the slightest bit of attention to detail. The others are a lot trickier and I'd never try them.

As far as other wild food, there is cattail, sassafrass, various nuts and berries, ramps (wild leeks), wild onions, dandelions, fiddlehead ferns, etc.

Get a good book (with color illustrations) or hook up with a class (your local DNR often sponsors them). There are lots of edibles out there that are unambiguous.

For all the fun that people made of him after the GrapeNuts commercial (ever eat a pine tree?) Euell Gibbons wrote a couple pretty decent books.