Websites for Edible Plants
 

Heres something I dont see talked about here very often. When you consider that many are preparing for extended durations of supply interuption, or on-foot bug out, knowing the local flora and fauna seems like a good idea.

Im curious if anybody has any good online sources to find out information about geographic areas. Im in south florida, and theres quite a bit of wild edible plants here, but theres a lot of poisonous ones too. I simply dont know enough about either and I stink at google searches.

Has this ever been discussed here before? Im thinking that it might come in hand for those preparing for over land bug out. THeres only so much food one can bring with them and edible plants seem like a great suppliment.

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

Agreed Progenitore of 9 mothers.:15_1_70v:

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

this guy has some good youtube videos too

http://www.eattheweeds.com/www.EatTh...Weeds.com.html


http://www.foragersharvest.com/


go to google images, type in " wild edibles " and you can get some good websites from that

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

:15_1_70v:

Im glad some one is catching on. In 7-8 years of using this name on the net(mispelled the same way) about 3 people have ever known what it was without me saying something.

Chances are too, if you see a Heimdhal somewhere on the net or in a computer game, its me.

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

heimdahl -

Results of about a 90 second search.

http://www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/edibles/index.html

http://www.swsbm.com/ManualsOther/Us...d_Plants-1.PDF

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/tracer...eplantstb.html

However, I have another suggestion.......

I have a 3' x 6' bookcase full of edible and medicinal plants books,

Accumulated over the years.

Go to your local library and read up.

Then go out into the hills and practice your skills.

Buy the ones you find most useful.

Then internalize the knowledge completely,

So you need neither computer nor book.

Nest ce pas?


scyth

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

Thank you very much.

I want to head down to Boarders and Library and check some books out. I found a bunch of sites on the net, but none that really had much to do with south florida. Just lots of "find wild elderberries in Maine" kinda stuff.

I know of a few plants, like the berries from the Cabbage Palm(state tree) and the hearts of the same. Pickerelweed flowers are also edible and found in the marshy areas and river beds, as well as cat tails.

I know theres more though.

Anyways, thanks a lot, and keep em coming :)

This is for everyones benefit, not just me. I think its something everyone planning on prepping should know, since it is the one instance of a 'free lunch'.

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

reading up with books is vital

but nothing beats " in the field " experience

pick a weekend, take some books out into the field, bring some samples back home

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

Yeah, I'd like to see a specific site dedicated to regions of the US at least, but I haven't found anything either.
It's not too hard finding out about plants you already know the names of, but when you're in the field, it gets tricky.

I've also discovered "poisonous" is a somewhat relative term. Like Poke weed, Poke Salet from the Poke Salad Annie fame. It is poisonous. Medicinal. And among the best potherbs on the planet. I mean seriously delicious.

I've eaten lot's of wild edibles, but they are so site and season specific, it's just really difficult to be definitive. Thistles are most always safe... although they are prickly or stingy, you'll want to cook them. Lambs quarters, also known as Pigweed, or Goosefoot, is great and grows throughout the summer in disturbed soil along fence lines. That would be one to know for sure. Eat it raw or cooked and you can collect a lot of it or almost eat as you go. Full of nutrients. And very pleasant tasting. You might get quit a ways down the road with that one and maybe chickweed, which can be slightly poisonous or has been known to be... but I've had quite a bit in salads without issue.
I can't think of any starchy filling tuber that's really accessible around here. I'm thinking along the road sides mostly, because so much country is private and off limits.
Unfortunately Florida isn't the best place for wild mushrooms. Few and far between.
Acorns are another strong contender for easy access and sustenance. They taste pretty rough though, unless par boiled several times. Too much tannin.
Worms and grubs, but they need to be clean. Eating maggots from roadkill wouldn't be a top choice.

Pine needles make great tea for vitamin C, but that's not going to fill you up. We have a small type of Paw Paw that grows on the property that's a nice mid summer snack, but it only grows in isolated locations a couple weeks out of the year. There are wild onions, but there's a lily lookalike,(maraposa Lily?) that can mess you up.
Berries are also great to know, but limited to late spring. Loquats, Kumquats, oranges, grapefruits, that sort of thing.
You might even have some coconuts, but I don't.

There are a lot of weeds that are just too strong to eat.

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

"There are a lot of weeds that are just too strong to eat."

That's actually a fairly good rule of thumb in the field. Smush the leaves in your fingers and if it smells too strong it is. Don't eat it. Stay away from little berries on weeds or vines you aren't familiar with.

Wlid grape vine grows everywhere. You can eat the tendrils as you go. Kind of sour, but not bad really.

There's no real reason to starve to death, but you aren't gonna gain weight on wild edibles either

Sometimes you can find fresh solid white puff balls. They're alright.

I recently found some wild Rabbiteye blueberries in the woods.

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

Just some thoughts...

Keep alert whenever you are driving around in your area, especially in the springtime, so you have an idea where some wild edibles are. Old homesites...sometimes have old fruit trees. Keep an eye out in the spring, you may spot the trees in bloom. Watch for blackberries/dewberries blooming (especially during late spring cold snaps - we called it "blackberry winter.")

Learn to recognize the foliage of nut trees, so you'll know where to go to gather some when they start to drop.

Also, years and years ago, I read about this guy who was intentionally planting various stuff in little out of the way areas (like along country roadsides) so that in the future, there would be food sources available.

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

I've got wild grapes all over my lot. It's FREAKIN' UNKILLABLE. I know, I've been trying for 10 years. It's the flammin' kudzu of the north.

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

The best option: Make friends with a wild edible maniac.

I started by going to primitive skills gatherings and made friends with some people who know their stuff. One year about 80% of fruits and veggies I ate were either ones I grew myself or harvested from the wild. Same with medicinal herbs.

Now I occasionally give wild edible classes. People who get the wild edible bug love talking about plants and finding them but we have no one to talk to. (most Americans find it boring.) Mention wild edibles to everyone you know, you'll be surprised who knows their stuff.

The other advatage is that wild edibles ripen in different season. Having someone locally who can tip you off for when an edible is ready to eat is a definite +.

If your ever in the Southern Appalacians stop by, You'll be bored of wild edibles by the time I'm through talking :)

Re: Websites for Edible Plants
 

I agree with planting your own, but FL is not my backyard. Muscatel grapes and so on? Most things in the subtropics live such a short time it's hardly worth planting unless you're nearby to keep planting. Even loquat and the wild citrus.

There are many books on edibles, but S. FL is a special zone for the US that doesn't get much attention. I'd focus on fish, or on Indian lore where you might find some leads.

For edibles you have to be smart and pay attention to recipes. WHAT part is edible, WHEN do you collect it, HOW EXACTLY do you store and cook it? It doesn't matter to know some part of a plant is edible some part of the year. If you took that to the kitched, you'd be eating the green spots on potatos and stewing up rhubarb leaves, (both toxic) and wondering why there were no lettuce in the snow.

Here's an example: acorns are edible but filled with tannin, books suggest boiling them 5x which isn't worth the fuel. Instead, the natives buried them by a flowing stream and let the tannin leach out of them naturally, over time. That's why having the EXACT process is critical.

TS