Cat-tail, a rich source of food growing wild

[Frnc]

Ok well that's a definite no no then. Anyone got any more appealing ideas for when we have go undoubtedly go all-out feral and start living like animals?

Paul Kirtley, who says Cat Talis are the number 1 survival food, lists 4 more in his top 5.
Burdock
Pignut
Silverweed
Stinging Nettle
https://paulkirtley.co.uk/2013/five-sur ... ould-know/

John Yeoman lists 12 survival plants/categories
Dandelion
Berries
Seeds and nuts
Sorrel
Fat Hen
Comfrey
Wild Mushrooms - needless to say a massive topic, and there are many poisonous ones. I believe the safest is the Giant Puffball. Unless you eat a football by mistake.
Yarrow
Stinging Nettle
Chickweed
Plantain
Grass (!, yum)
https://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers- ... nts-part-1

British Army mentions
Stinging Nettles
Goose Grass/Cleavers
Brambles
I forget what else, look for short youtube vid.

Wild Food UK has a nice book, great website, and youtube vids.

For me based on what I see mostly:

Nettle
Burdock
Garlic Mustard
Rosebay Willowherb
Broadleaf Plantain

There are several other plants I see a lot of here and locally such as Dandelion, Thistle, Cherry and many more.

I've never seen silverweed nor pignut out and about.

Do you eat any of them?

[jansman]

Anyone actually eaten this or planning to?

NO! On my regular fishing beats,they grow everywhere. However,they grow in ,well, shit. Silt. And it stinks. No way I’ll be eating that. Ragnar Benson in his survival books highlights bulrushes,or catails as the yanks call them. Good luck standing up to your waist in that to get less calories than you expend.

Waders! That's what we need. I'm a gonna put a pair on my shopping list! They are high in calories, that's the point. Paul Kirtley (Frontier Bushcraft) says they are the most important survival food in the UK. Rhizome is 52% carbs and 9% protein when processed into flour, but cooked in embers should be similar once you discard the outside layers.

You’ve used waders in a river? Where your Superfood resides tends to be rather; Swampy. Make sure you have a buddy. I’m not overstating this. If your waders sink and fill,you will be at risk of drowning. Those plants grow deep.I fish a small river for trout,no more than knee deep,and I have a wading stick. Just take care. Also,enjoy your Swamp Food.

[Smudge]

Paul Kirtley, who says Cat Talis are the number 1 survival food, lists 4 more in his top 5.
Burdock
Pignut
Silverweed
Stinging Nettle
https://paulkirtley.co.uk/2013/five-sur ... ould-know/

John Yeoman lists 12 survival plants/categories
Dandelion
Berries
Seeds and nuts
Sorrel
Fat Hen
Comfrey
Wild Mushrooms - needless to say a massive topic, and there are many poisonous ones. I believe the safest is the Giant Puffball. Unless you eat a football by mistake.
Yarrow
Stinging Nettle
Chickweed
Plantain
Grass (!, yum)
https://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers- ... nts-part-1

British Army mentions
Stinging Nettles
Goose Grass/Cleavers
Brambles
I forget what else, look for short youtube vid.

Wild Food UK has a nice book, great website, and youtube vids.

For me based on what I see mostly:

Nettle
Burdock
Garlic Mustard
Rosebay Willowherb
Broadleaf Plantain

There are several other plants I see a lot of here and locally such as Dandelion, Thistle, Cherry and many more.

I've never seen silverweed nor pignut out and about.

Do you eat any of them?

I've eaten all of them, I was picking Wild Cherry yesterday but honestly the majority not for a couple of years... more excuses than reasons tbh I just haven't been out bushcrafting.

[jansman]

Crocodile Dundee moment: Tastes like sh*t, but you can live on it.

[Frnc]

NO! On my regular fishing beats,they grow everywhere. However,they grow in ,well, shit. Silt. And it stinks. No way I’ll be eating that. Ragnar Benson in his survival books highlights bulrushes,or catails as the yanks call them. Good luck standing up to your waist in that to get less calories than you expend.

Waders! That's what we need. I'm a gonna put a pair on my shopping list! They are high in calories, that's the point. Paul Kirtley (Frontier Bushcraft) says they are the most important survival food in the UK. Rhizome is 52% carbs and 9% protein when processed into flour, but cooked in embers should be similar once you discard the outside layers.

You’ve used waders in a river? Where your Superfood resides tends to be rather; Swampy. Make sure you have a buddy. I’m not overstating this. If your waders sink and fill,you will be at risk of drowning. Those plants grow deep.I fish a small river for trout,no more than knee deep,and I have a wading stick. Just take care. Also,enjoy your Swamp Food.

No, never really thought of them until you mentioned fishing. I can see how they could pose a risk of drowning if they filled, glad you mentioned it. I think in that situation you'd have to get them off, either by pulling them off or using scissors. Something to practice (not actually cutting them of course). Reminds me of learning to get out of a kayak if you can't complete a roll. I once saw a friend go over and she couldn't get up and didn't get the spray deck off and swim out. River was flowing fast. I couldn't get there. Her boyfriend was nearby and he paddled up and turned her over. It was pretty scary. Moving water is more powerful than it looks when it's not white. As you say, would be a good idea to do this with someone else.
Edit. Was just reading some wader safety guidelines. They recommend floating on your back rather than trying to get them off. Also using a staff, a buddy, and wearing a belt to slow the ingress of water.

[Frnc]

On the topic, can I give a mention to Chickweed. Possibly the most abundant wild edible. Available year round. This is a family actually and includes Stitchworts. The main species is Common Chickweed, Stellaria media. Described as a tasty edible. Young leaves have a mild flavour and can be eaten raw in salads, when they are at their best. Young stems are just as tender as the leaves and can also be eaten, although some people remove them. Young leaves are obviously at the top of a plant.


IDENTIFICATION
Single row of hairs along its stem. Hairless leaves. Hairs on sepals
Simple opposite leaves that clasp the stem with no stalk/leaf stems. Edges are simple with no teeth. Underside is lighter with no discerning features.
5 white petals, deeply cleft so looks like 10.

[Ara]

Mr A tried growing cattail but it is in the list of "fails". I think something else out-competed it. There is plenty of silverweed around here but it is at a level where dogs or sheep might contaminate it if you get my drift so I have never tried it. Nettles - we have plenty of them so they find themselves in a lot of recipes. Note to self - I must try making nettle string later in the year. My to do list continues to grow.

[Vitamin c]

So a average man eats 2.500 call a day /woman 2000 before losing weight how much of this stuff would you need to keep going long term, or is it just for vitamin sand minerals.

[WomanOfTheWoods]

I'm going to pass on most of the foraging stuff. I will let the chickens eat the weeds,,,,,,, then I'll eat the eggs.

[itsybitsy]

Ok well that's a definite no no then. Anyone got any more appealing ideas for when we have go undoubtedly go all-out feral and start living like animals?

Paul Kirtley, who says Cat Talis are the number 1 survival food, lists 4 more in his top 5.
Burdock
Pignut
Silverweed
Stinging Nettle
https://paulkirtley.co.uk/2013/five-sur ... ould-know/

John Yeoman lists 12 survival plants/categories
Dandelion
Berries
Seeds and nuts
Sorrel
Fat Hen
Comfrey
Wild Mushrooms - needless to say a massive topic, and there are many poisonous ones. I believe the safest is the Giant Puffball. Unless you eat a football by mistake.
Yarrow
Stinging Nettle
Chickweed
Plantain
Grass (!, yum)
https://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers- ... nts-part-1

British Army mentions
Stinging Nettles
Goose Grass/Cleavers
Brambles
I forget what else, look for short youtube vid.

Wild Food UK has a nice book, great website, and youtube vids.

Yeah, it's never gonna happen. No swampweeds grown in sh*t for for me, thanks.