Cat-tail, a rich source of food growing wild

[itsybitsy]

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

Let's face it - nobody's eating that crap. I hear the word 'foraging' and then for some reason, folk wandering around half-baked, with dirty fingernails and holey jumpers, 'living off the land'.

[rik_uk3]

Ray Mears talks about Cattail here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3D9wae ... l=Leonardo

I've tried it, I'd not rush out to buy it if it was on offer in Tesco though.

[Frnc]

Ray Mears talks about Cattail here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3D9wae ... l=Leonardo

I've tried it, I'd not rush out to buy it if it was on offer in Tesco though.

Was interesting to watch. Mears is always good. The bit at the end where they could walk on the root mass, surely you could dig for the rhizomes from there. You are supposed to extract the rhizome attached to the upper part for identification, which might be tricky with that density, but I guess if the area is looking to be 100% Cat Tail, you should be ok.

[Frnc]

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

Let's face it - nobody's eating that crap. I hear the word 'foraging' and then for some reason, folk wandering around half-baked, with dirty fingernails and holey jumpers, 'living off the land'.

It's how humans survived for 99% of our history. In a post shtf scenario, if you lived more than a few months, it might be the only way to survive. Obviously you would try to grow crops as well, if possible. Anyway, I find it interesting.

[Frnc]

If you pull up a Cat Tailcut off the roots, and peel the leaves off, you will see a clear slime. This is a natural antiseptic and analgesic.

Cores of bottom 6" of stalks can be blanched then fried. Is very easy to eat, like pasta with a slight crunch. Contains several vitamins and minerals as well as carbs and some protein.

[jansman]

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

Let's face it - nobody's eating that crap. I hear the word 'foraging' and then for some reason, folk wandering around half-baked, with dirty fingernails and holey jumpers, 'living off the land'.

It's how humans survived for 99% of our history. In a post shtf scenario, if you lived more than a few months, it might be the only way to survive. Obviously you would try to grow crops as well, if possible. Anyway, I find it interesting.

It IS interesting,for sure. And yes,for most of human history,we have used such foods to survive. It would be a desperate time though if that were a necessary food source now.

[Frnc]

There are several other uses for different parts of the Cat Tail. In the winter, the female flower head (the brown cigar/sausage) turns into a downy mass of large volume that makes good tinder, especially if compressed for a few hours and combined with something like birch bark that will hold the flame. The downy mass can be used for insulation and making a mattress if you collect enough. Just one 'cigar' or sausage turns into a surprising volume.
You can also dry the leaves and process them into cord.

[itsybitsy]

Let's face it - nobody's eating that crap. I hear the word 'foraging' and then for some reason, folk wandering around half-baked, with dirty fingernails and holey jumpers, 'living off the land'.

It's how humans survived for 99% of our history. In a post shtf scenario, if you lived more than a few months, it might be the only way to survive. Obviously you would try to grow crops as well, if possible. Anyway, I find it interesting.

It IS interesting,for sure. And yes,for most of human history,we have used such foods to survive. It would be a desperate time though if that were a necessary food source now.

And also extremely unlikely.

[Frnc]

It's how humans survived for 99% of our history. In a post shtf scenario, if you lived more than a few months, it might be the only way to survive. Obviously you would try to grow crops as well, if possible. Anyway, I find it interesting.

It IS interesting,for sure. And yes,for most of human history,we have used such foods to survive. It would be a desperate time though if that were a necessary food source now.

And also extremely unlikely.

Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition.

[itsybitsy]

It IS interesting,for sure. And yes,for most of human history,we have used such foods to survive. It would be a desperate time though if that were a necessary food source now.

And also extremely unlikely.

Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition.

The Spanish Inquisition has nothing to do with prepping. We are a moderate, practical forum - not Rambo-esque survivalists running around the forests eating leaves and raw fish. Consider this a friendly reminder of our MO.