If you’ve never heard of edible ferns, you should definitely educate yourself. Ferns are a great source of nutrients in the while, and it’s not hard to learn how to identify and eat them. This is a great intro video into finding and eating fiddlehead ferns, and is a must for any survivalist! Enjoy: Survival … Read more
Coconuts are an incredibly vital source of nutrients and calories, but they can be a huge pain to crack open. Most people use machetes or even specially made presses to open them, since their thick husks are so stubborn. In this video, a woman opens a coconut with no tools at all, and virtually with … Read more
If you plan on being able to forage food either in a wilderness survival situation, or after a disaster to give you an advantage over those clearing out the supermarkets at the last second, you’ll probably want to start now. Foraging has many great benefits, even when you’re not doing it for survival. You can … Read more
Chickweed, or Stellaria Media, is a prolific wild edible green. In most areas Chickweed is an early spring crop, that prefers to grow in partial shade, but in warm areas with enough moisture it is capable of growing year round. Chickweed can be identified by its alternating pairs of egg shaped leaves, small white … Read more
Purslane or Portulaca oleracea, is an annual succulent wild edible green that is usually considered a weed. It can be identified by its thick, succulent leaves that alternate on its tender, reddish stems. It has small yellow flowers that can be found year round depending on the weather conditions of the region. While the unappreciative … Read more
Trout lilies are in the Erythronium genus along with 30 other species of flowers. They grow in temperate forests and meadows throughout the Northern Hemisphere, typically flowering in the spring. They can vary greatly in flower color, but they tend to have a six petal flower with a speckled center, two oblong leaves with … Read more
Yucca plants are usually associated with their native arid environments, but they actually grow as far North as Alberta Canada, and into the semi-tropical and temperate areas of North America. The ability to find these plants all over the continent makes them ideal for survival since you are likely to come in contact with … Read more
Miner’s lettuce, or Claytonia perfoliata, is a dark leafy green wild edible. The common name comes from its widespread consumption by miners during the California gold rush years. Here are some of the characteristics and benefits of miner’s lettuce that make it a valuable addition to anyone’s survival menu. Miner’s lettuce is available from … Read more
Watercress is a nutrient rich, and widely available wild edible. It grows in moving water and can be found year round in most areas, as long as the water continues to flow. It is related to other cultivated vegetables such as mustard and wasabi. Other than the leaf pattern it can be identified by … Read more
Ground Cherry is the common name given to a variety of different species of plants in the Physalis genus. They are related to tomatoes and therefore have several visible similarities that make them easy to spot, though specifics will differ from species to species. Ground cherries grow wild all over the world, though usually … Read more
Hog peanut is the common name of Amphicarpaea bracteate. It is a wild edible that grows in the forests of North America. Hog peanut produces both an edible root and edible seeds. Hog peanut is a member of the Legume family, same as beans and peas (and peanuts, which are not technically nuts). The vines … Read more
It is possible to walk right past food in the forest without ever knowing it. Not every wild edible is as noticeable as a tree full of ripe apples. One such plant that might be passed by without taking note of it despite its edibility is Medeola virginiana, better known as Indian cucumber. The edible … Read more
Broadleaf Arrowhead, or Sagittaria latifolia is a shallow wetland plant that can be found all over the globe. Broadleaf arrowhead produces green leaves which are edible, best when they are young and still curled, and more importantly an edible tuber. Even with nothing else available this plant offers enough nutrition, and can usually be found … Read more
It would always be nice to come across a live chicken in a wilderness survival situation, but the next best thing is “chicken of the woods”. Not a chicken at all, it’s a mushroom, several species of mushrooms really, from the genus Laetiporus. They are commonly sought after edible mushrooms not only for their … Read more
Pig nuts is not the most appetizing name, but Conopodium majus doesn’t sound that tasty either. Regardless of what you want to call them, pig nuts can be a great source of survival food in the wilderness. They can be found all over Europe and North America. You can gather then using only your fingers, … Read more
Knowing how to fish and trap meat is a lifesaving skill in wilderness survival, but there are a variety of circumstances that would not allow for one to take the time necessary to hunt or trap. Perhaps you are anticipating bad weather, you are injured, or you know that you are within several days journey … Read more
It can be overwhelming trying to memorize the name and appearance of the dozens of edible plants that can be found in North America. Here’s a short list of a few that you probably already know of that are incredibly common Blackberries What else needs to be said? Almost everyone knows what a blackberry is … Read more
Did you know that the first grocery store only opened its doors 100 years ago? Before then, people bought their food largely from local producers, or they hunted, grew, or found their own. Many people today are getting back to hunting and growing large portions of their food stores, but the practice of foraging hasn’t … Read more