The Prepper's Ultimate Forager's Bible - Identify, Harvest, and Prepare Edible Wild Plants to Be Ready Even in the Most Critical Situation

By Lesley Hiding

Are you ready for the worst situation?
Knowing the plants and knowing how to identify the edible ones allows you to get your nourishment at almost no cost and be ready to face any crisis situation in which food shortages may occur.

In this guide you will find the following topics explained in detail:

• Understanding foraging
• Learn about wild edible plants
• Universal edibility test
• Tips for safely gathering wild edible foods
• Things to forage month by month
• Preserving wild food and storing foraged edible
• Identifying inedible plants
• Foraging gear
• Foraging tips
• Reasons you should forage for wild foods

DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER.

Scroll up, click on "Buy Now" and start foraging as best you can!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lesley Hiding
• Release date: Jun 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201612573

Book preview

THE PREPPER’S

ULTIMATE

FORAGER’S BIBLE

––––––––

IDENTIFY, HARVEST, AND PREPARE EDIBLE WILD PLANTS

TO BE READY EVEN IN THE MOST CRITICAL SITUATION

LESLEY HIDING

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1: UNDERSTANDING FORAGING

WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE ON ME?

CURRENT DIFFICULTIES

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS IN GRAZING AND FORAGING HAVE WE SEEN?

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

CULTIVATED VS. WILD FOOD

WILD VS. CULTIVATED FOOD NUTRITIONAL DIFFERENCES

Chapter 2: LEARNING ABOUT WILD EDIBLE PLANTS

WILD PLANT FOOD

ROOTS

SHOOTS AND STEMS

LEAVES

NUTS

SEEDS AND GRAINS

FRUIT

BARK

SEAWEED

Chapter 3: UNIVERSAL EDIBILITY TEST: HOW TO TEST A WILD PLANT’S EDIBILITY

STEPS FOR THE UNIVERSAL EDIBILITY TEST

TIPS FOR A UNIVERSAL EDIBILITY TEST

Chapter 4: TIPS FOR SAFELY GATHERING WILD, EDIBLE FOODS

FORAGING SAFETY

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR FORAGING

TEN COMMONLY USED EDIBLE PLANT

TEN PLANT TYPES TO AVOID

Chapter 5: THINGS TO FORAGE MONTH BY MONTH

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER

Chapter 6: PRESERVING WILD FOOD & STORING FORAGED EDIBLE

TYPES OF STORAGE METHODS

COOKING

FROZEN

DRIED

RECIPES FOR FORAGERS

RECIPES FOR DRINKS AND HOMEMADE SNACKS

SOUPS

THE POTHERBS (COOKED GREENS)

BREAD

BEVERAGES

MEALS AND ENTREES

Chapter 7: IDENTIFYING INEDIBLE PLANTS

UNDERSTANDING POISONOUS PLANTS

WHERE TO LOOK FOR WILD EDIBLES

BECOME AN EXPERT IN IDENTIFYING WILD PLANTS

IDENTIFICATION OF EDIBLE WILD PLANTS

UNDERSTANDING PLANT NAMES

IDENTIFYING EDIBLE WILD PLANTS

Chapter  8: FORAGING GEAR

FORAGING GUIDE: 10 TIPS

Chapter 9: FORAGING TIPS:

DO'S FOR FORAGING

DON'TS FOR FORAGING

Chapter 10: REASONS YOU SHOULD FORAGE FOR WILD FOODS

CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION

Foraging is the gathering of wild resources such as berries, nuts, herbs, mushrooms, and other edible plants. Foragers include both animals and people, who seek prey like other animals or gather edible plants like greens and berries. Whether or not an organism can survive and reproduce is determined by its foraging strategy and success.

From black bears to bumblebees, all animals have a unique foraging technique that helps them obtain the greatest number of high-quality resources in the shortest amount of time. These foraging tactics are being studied by certain scientists to better understand animal behavior.

Humans, like other animals, have many foraging methods. The most effective approaches are typically determined by where the hunting and collecting occur. Foraging in the Arctic resembles foraging in the Amazon Rainforest in appearance. Early people learned that hunting and gathering materials to utilize as food, medicine, or shelter could maintain their groups before the emergence of domesticated farming. Humans have had such great success with foraging tactics that several are still used today!

Collecting edible plants is the best way to get food in society crash situations. For this reason I suggest you also buy my other guide on survival techniques and purchase them in paperback format because the electronic format may not be available in a society crash situation with no electricity, as I often say, be prepared for the worst case scenario:

THE PREPPER’S ULTIMATE FORAGER’S BIBLE

THE PREPPER’S ULTIMATE SURVIVAL BIBLE

Chapter 1: UNDERSTANDING FORAGING

Plants ingested by animals are studied by forage and grassland scientists. Domesticated cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and wild buffalo may be included. Today's forage scientist also considers how to create grasslands that serve as wildlife habitat. They study grasses that promote natural resource conservation. Bioenergy is a new area in grassland research. Grasslands produce a variety of perennial habitats; therefore, research into their environmental benefits is ongoing.

WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE ON ME?

Humans consume grains, vegetables, and fruits grown on much of today's agricultural land. However, due to soil quality and other challenges, some land cannot support these crops. This property could be used for fodder or grasslands.

Although grasses are frequently unfit for human food, animals that consume them can transform them into important protein and fiber (for example, wool). Wild animals, birds, insects, and plants all thrive on grasslands. They also provide an area for various human recreational activities like bird-watching, hiking, shooting, and wildlife observation.

Grasslands, according to research, can help safeguard the environment. Grasses planted along the edge of agricultural land can capture nutrients that would otherwise be lost to nearby streams. Buffer strips are how farmers and researchers refer to these naturalized patches on farms.

CURRENT DIFFICULTIES

Climate change has a significant impact on grassland and forage systems. Violent storms with heavy rain cause flooding. These crops are also susceptible to long periods of drought in other years. It's critical to develop heat and drought-resistant grass varieties. Many kinds of grass have extensive roots that can reach several feet into the soil to extract nutrients and water. The underlying physiology and biochemistry of forage plants that determine production, quality, and persistence are still being researched. The study of grassland systems produces useful and intriguing information.

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS IN GRAZING AND FORAGING HAVE WE SEEN?

Plant breeders have made significant progress in producing plants with desired characteristics over the last century.

Alfalfa today can grow in a wider range of environments and provide higher yields. Alfalfa is a valuable crop because it is a nitrogen-fixing plant, meaning it can extract nitrogen from the air, change it, and use it as nutrition. This makes it an excellent plant for improving soil health.

Tall fescue is significant as a forage crop because it is hardy and nutritious. Tall fescue is a grass that coexists with a variety of fungi. The fungi have a home in the grass, and the grass has a home in the fungi. This is fantastic for tall fescue! However, one sort of fungus that thrives in grasses can make cattle sick. Other fungi that cattle could tolerate have been researched. Plant breeders responded by developing new varieties of tall fescue that grow with a fungus that benefits the grass while causing no harm to the cattle.

More nutritious forage grasses have also been developed. Grazing and hay production techniques that enhance animal output while maintaining the persistence and productivity of grassland systems were developed in collaboration with animal scientists.

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

Ecology and the environment: Buffer strips provide the ecosystem with various benefits. They keep extra nutrients from entering bodies of water. They serve as a refuge for wildlife. Perennial grassland systems can prevent erosion. They also give a means of generating money in the territory with restricted water supplies.

Precision agriculture: Precision agriculture techniques can increase grassland productivity and persistence. One example is drone technology to monitor fodder mass and quality.

The potential of grasslands to improve and preserve our soil has been widely proven. Grassland soil health could be improved by using legumes, precision grazing, or harvesting. In addition, the public is becoming more aware of how animals are raised and their access to open spaces. Grasslands provide a habitat for wildlife.

You've dipped your toe into the world of wild food if you've ever plucked a blackberry from a bush or fried a fish you caught in a lake. Though the first world's food system prioritizes domesticated sources, there's a lot to be said about sourcing and eating wild foods. Some wild foods have unexpected health benefits! ( You don't have to be a hunter-gatherer to enjoy these benefits.

However, there are significant safety issues with consuming non-domesticated fruits, vegetables, and meats. Here's how to safely go wild with your food and whether it's a good idea.

CULTIVATED VS. WILD FOOD

There is no single official definition for wild food, and there is a wide range of what counts in this category. On the other hand, wild food can be any edible plant that grows naturally without human intervention or any animal taken from its native environment for human use. This is in contrast to the majority of the conventional Western diet, which consists of grown foods and domesticated animals.

Wild Foods Examples

When you look attentively, you can see how abundant wild foods are on the planet. Deer, elk, goose, turkey, and other wild game animals can be found in the United States. In addition, various fruits and vegetables grow wild in many parts of the nation. Berry bushes of many sorts offer tasty fruits, and mushrooms cover the woodland floor. According to experts, there are approximately 2,000 edible and medicinal mushroom types worldwide.

Even weeds that grow in your yards, such as dandelion or sorrel, may be wild greens that you may use in a salad.

Other things that grow on their own, even in urban environments, include nuts, herbs, tree fruits, and cactus pads (also known as nopales).

WILD VS. CULTIVATED FOOD NUTRITIONAL DIFFERENCES

In many cases, wild foods are more nutritious than their farmed counterparts. This is most likely due to their natural defense mechanisms.

For all organisms, even plants, living in the outdoors is risky and stressful. Wild plants develop protection mechanisms to help them survive when they are under stress." -The Wild Blueberry Association of North America's Kitty Broihier, MS, RD, LDN

Phytochemicals

Some plants grow thorns or exude an unpleasant odor to prevent predators, while others produce bitter-tasting chemical compounds. These substances are known as phytochemicals, explains Broihier, and research reveals that the same bitter chemicals provide us with health benefits when we eat them consistently in many situations.

Phytochemicals have been found to lower oxidative stress in cells, which can aid in cancer prevention, the maintenance of youthful skin, and the reduction of inflammation in general.

Wild foods frequently include not just more phytochemicals in general but also a greater variety of them. Broihier says that this is the case with anthocyanins, a family of blue pigments found in wild blueberries (and other purple and blue foods). Wild blueberries have around 30% more anthocyanins than cultivated blueberries and a greater variety. Anthocyanins have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and breast cancer and better blood cholesterol and blood sugar metabolism.

Nutritional Diversity

Diversifying your diet by moving away from producing wild foods can be beneficial. People who eat wild plants have a wider diversity of nutrients in their diet, says Broihier. Furthermore, eating foods grown locally is an excellent way to support the local food movement. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and meats purchased locally reduce long-distance food transportation's expense and environmental impact.

Concerns about the safety of wild foods

When you buy food from the grocery store, you may rest assured that government authorities have thoroughly inspected it. The same cannot be said for the fungus you discovered while hiking or the buck your cousin shot last winter. Because wild food procurement is often uncontrolled (and unsupervised when done oneself), it raises serious safety concerns.

Hunting

Hunting and field dressing your wildlife necessitates preparation and planning to avoid spoilage and cross-contamination of other meals. If you're dressing your own wild game, best measures include wearing gloves and using ice packs to maintain the temperature of the flesh below 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

Foraging

Similarly, any time you come across unusual stuff in the wild, no matter how appealing it may appear, there's a chance it's not safe to eat. Thousands of individuals are poisoned each year by wild mushrooms alone.

Before eating food, you must be 100 percent certain of its identification and safety. Bring a field guide and learn exactly what you're searching for if you decide to go foraging—and if in doubt, don't eat it.

Finally, thoroughly washing wild produce before consuming it is a good idea. Nobody wants to swallow hazardous microorganisms by accident.

Wild Food Protections and Sourcing

Though it may seem appealing to keep wild fruit in its secure preserves, wild plants thrive and is not necessarily legally protected. It's also not always legal to pick your mushrooms or berries randomly.

Many public lands have very detailed rules about who is authorized to collect wild edibles (and how much). Before foraging in a public place, always check with local, state, or national authorities.

Hunting and fishing have their own rules, so check with your state's game and fish department before heading out to get your food.

Chapter 2: LEARNING ABOUT WILD EDIBLE PLANTS

You're deep in the woods, days away from civilization, and depleted your granola supply. It makes no difference how you got off the path—on a horrible vision quest or searching for your favorite bird. You'll need to locate food soon.

You won't have to look far, though. A nourishing array is ready to be plucked, cracked, and uprooted all around your mud-splattered boots: wild edible plants.

According to Andrew Townesmith, a botanist and edible plant expert at the Missouri Botanical Garden, most vegetation in North American forests is safe to eat, contrary to popular belief. He thinks the issue is finding healthy and delicious vegetables, especially when