In My Own Back Yard, Free Food and Meds

[alma]

Nature has already delivered to our doorstep all the foods and meds we may ever need, and they are Free!

Altnature.com gives a rundown on this bounty.

During some wars, during blockades, etc. many people managed to survive on what was in their own backyards, or in fields nearby, IF they had taken the time beforehand to learn about what was edible and what was NOT.

Altnature.com gives all the info about most of these goodies, and i think that our survival may, someday, depend upon what we know about them.

I think this info stored in our heads is as important as our stored foods and meds.

I think we need a mental bugout bag of sorts.

We've got dandilions, camomile, plantain, clover, japanese honeysuckle, etc., as well as some of the herbs already planted and growing back year after year.

A lot of old indian lands are being detroyed around here by builders, and some people are salvaging many endangered species that the indians used to use for foods and meds.

--and, of course, the wild animals are endangered, too.
We see some of them in our yard off and on, deer, red fox, etc. --and i'm sure that wild food is getting scarce for them, too, and many will die off also if this wide spread "building" is not controlled more than it is.

Much of our citys farm land is already gone, and cement is everythere.

I never see a fruit or nut tree anymore, and that ought to tell us something about our own possible endangerment in a not-to-distant future. love, alma

[MNMOM]

Good post Alma,
It is so true about farmland being eaten up by all the building going on, it sure is happening around here. With the population expanding and all the building going on the farmland is going down the tube, and we surely can't make more land.

[bookwormom]

thanks for that link. we can always learn more. I am afraid that in most people's yards there is not much that is usable. what with all the sprays and chemical fertilizers.

[Smoky]

It would be interesting to go out now, after we've had a few frosts here in TN, to see what is still available, wild-food wise.
Of course, Sassafrass has lost it's leaves, but still has the green tips and rootbeer smell to the roots, so that will be easy to identify. Jerusalem arctichokes will be frozen above ground, but the roots are good now. Mints can be green in protected spots or near water till the worst of Jan/Feb freezes them back.
Maybe I'll get ready and go out and look around, later......

[alma]

I had several herbs in my small garden this year.

I had lots of purple cone flower, echanecia and, even though the flowers are long gone, i am still collecting their leaves. I know the roots are real good, too, but don't want to mess up next year's plants.

Is it possible to take up some of the roots and leave enough for another harvest. I don't know.

They help to build up the immune system.

I had mint and spiramint, and still collect their leaves to make tea, same as purple cone flower leaves.

Every so often i find a beautiful dandilion plant and dry their leaves too, to drink now and then.

All these leaves, i lay on a couple of paper towels for a couple of days, all seperate from one another, and put them in jars once they are totally dried,and they make good tea, and save me a lot of money.

I try to drink regular store bought green tea a lot. It is recommended in cancer diets, and i think the added things green leaf tea from my garden, a couple of cups a day, like green vegs., so i consider that i have had some phytochemicals as well as the sweet potato that i eat, and tomato, broccali, etc..

Phytochemicals are bright colored fruits and vegetables and if you eat two colors at same time, the give you a double whammy.

Some of the flowers on some wild plants are good, too, and altnature.com tells you all about that, and more besides.

Bright colors are highly recommended in cancer diets, too.

I'm trying to learn about the things in suppliments that i can use in nature instead of pills.

--Like, i understand that 1-2 brazil nuts give you all the selenium you need instead of a 20 microgram suppliment. I hope this is correct info.

A lot of selenium has been depleted out of our soil the same as other nutrients by chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc.

I had lemon balm, but drank all the leaves, and all kinds of other things that i have learned are ok if you don't overdo it, and try to know what you are doing, by all means.

I'm studying up on all kinds of cancer info including some about all kinds of things from nat. cancer society, even thousgh they are not actually in tune with alternature ideas.

I am also using all the organic animal products that i can while i am trying to become a vegetarian, believe it or not.

Vegetarians have far less cancer and hear disease, as far as i can make out.

15 minutes a day in the sun for vitamin D is vital, too, and free. That's what i am aiming at, FREE.

Nature didn't put out all that stuff out there for us to just mow down, and just ignore in general. love, alma

[Smoky]

Well let's see...in my walkabout I didn't find much to actually eat, but did find some persimmons, still hanging but frosted on 2 or 3 times so pretty sweet. I gathered some goldenrod leaves for tea.
I found clematis montana seeds still in the fluffy balls hanging loosly. They make a little vine, not edible but an interesting wildflower. Found an oak shedding bazillions of little about .38 caliber round acorns, food for the birds. I collected a few to crack for the feeder.
Oh at the end of my 5 mile walk was a wafflehouse, there I fond a pattymelt, lol. Probably burned it all up walking back.

[CarolAnn]

Smoky -
"Stalking the Wild Pattymelt?"! ! !

My all-time favorite wild foods are lemonade made from rinsing red staghorn sumac berries in water, (then strain out the berry hairs!) and add sweetener. It's less harsh than lemons, but tangy and fruity. There's a purple blush of acid crystals on the outside of the ripe scarlet berries, and that's what disolves in the water and adds the tartness to it. (Vitamin C maybe?)

The other is wild muskadine grapes - some years I only find a hand full, and just savor the fragrance as long as I can. If I find enough, they make a gorgeous winter jelly that captures a cup of summer within it!

[Smoky]

Carolann, I think it's Malic acid, the same thing that gives tartness to apples, oddly enough that makes sumac sour. It washes off so bad in the rain, we have had several rains since the berries ripened so not any sumac usuable here now. It is one of my favs for the summer tho.

[Smoky]

Just a mention to other readers, sumac must have red berries to be usuable as a drink, the white kind that hang down are a different kind and are poisonous.

[Ponyman]

Alma...

Does the altnature site have a list of edible flowers as well? With my garden this year I would like to plant flowers but concentrate on ones I can get double duty from so to speak... I know about dandelion tea and wine and greens from them... just curious about stuff I can add to salads or cook with or use as a tea and what properties each has...

Thanks,
Ponyman

[CarolAnn]

Ponyman -
I have an edible flowers cook book. Mostly, they're used as a pretty garnish, but some of the best are nasturtiums. They're peppery. I've read that the buds can be used as capers, but since I don't use capers, I haven't tried it!

Another one that I've read about often is the buds of day lillies. They're dipped in batter and fried. Haven't tried them, though! If you want, I'll dig out the cookbook and post some of the better recipes for you.

[Gwynyvyr]

I am currently in a trailer park that is out in the country a bit. But I did a wander about this afternoon and found a nice wild rose bush with many *hips* dangling and dusted with snow. I gathered up a bunch and brought them home and am sitting here enjoying a nice cup of rose hip tea sweetened with some honey....mmmmmm

[Smoky]

Yum. Those wild ones can be small sometimes, they hang on a long time tho.

[sage_morgan]

I know the roots are real good, too, but don't want to mess up next year's plants.

Is it possible to take up some of the roots and leave enough for another harvest. I don't know. ... love, alma

Usually the plants reproduce enough, that, after a while, you can divide them and take some of the root.

[alma]

Carol, how about some of these recipes you mentioned.
I've been thinking and talking about some of these things with spring in the air, i hope.
A friend bought me a LOT of dried red clover buds to make into tea. It has the leaves in it too and make a nice healthy drink.
Another friend reminded me that i might just find some red clover seeds among them that might take off in my yard.
I hope so. I have white clover, but it is red clover that is far better for my purposes. It has good healing qualities.
In answer to the question about eating flower buds.
I am sure there are many that carol can tell you about.
As for me, i have used dandilion buds dipped in egg and then bread crumbs and fried. They are quite tastey.
I still have some purple cone flower dried leave, echinechia. It has great healing properties, and i will try to take some of the root as another poster mentioned.
I was afraid to do so, but will give it a try now when the weather settles down a bit.
It is so nice here in tenn, like spring more days than not, so i get to sit in the sun for fifteen minutes to half hour for my daily vitamin D, 1000 I.U..
gotta go. love, alma

[Holly]

Carolann, do you remember any more about the nasturtium capers? That sounds good! They are v. expensive in the shops! I guess you just pick the tightly closed buds and throw them in some vinegar? I love the flowers in salads-pretty!