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Fieldcraft Lack of Training

Alpine 338

Lumberjack
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 26, 2010
2,585
1,766
NW Colorado
No one knows it all, if you think you do, you're kidding yourself.

One area of training that I'm really lacking in is Flora, particularly edible and medicinal plants.

I wish I could spend a week with an expert in my particular area, going over everything, with in-depth hands on training.
 
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Seriously.... There have been days (after visiting my MD) that I felt I should travel out to the reservation and attempt to spend time with the Medicine Man...

Obviously, by posting here, it is something that is on your mind. I encourage you to follow your soul and learn as much as possible. When the time comes, You will be a tremendous asset to your tribe..

Hobo

Returning to my 60 day old message...... I had never heard of the Corona Virus when I posted this. What I have done is supplement my nutrients with many natural ingredients.
 
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Tom brown books? I think I remember reading some sections on this topic, not just his tracking book but it was a bushcraft book.
 
When store bought runs out so will the so called self proclaimed survivalist. Knowing whats in all A/O's to eat an make meds from is the key to long term.
When store bought runs out, so will the bulk of the heart beats on this rock.
 
There are resources to use. Interweb, local outdoor groups / botanist, F&G, pamphlets / books. It would be good to spend time with an elder out in several a small villages but even their knowledge is a dying skill. Like all cultures, most youth don't have much interest.

I dabbled in eatable plants when I was guiding and instructing, and to stay away from cow parsnip and sun ouch, and berries because certain areas are loaded with berries, grab a hand full and snack on, avoid anything white or milky.
 
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Ancient Aliens was just talking about this today,

they mentioned a book written which describes the properties of a host of plants.

Just got hooked on that show. Totally plausible.


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I am not a doctor and this post is not intended as advice, medical or otherwise. That being said, the original poster has a legitimate concern and here is what I know. Where I live (Northern NM) there is a useful medicinal plant. It‘s common name is Osha, the scientific name is Ligusticum Porteri. It is a relative of parsley. It is native to the Mountain West and I have personally seen it in my native NM as well as CO, WY, MT, UT, ID and AZ. It is found in the subalpine associated with Engelmann Spruce. It lives near meadows and water and in partial shade. It looks a lot like various types of poision hemlock so be extra careful. It may be distinguished from hemlock by its odor. The smell is strong, similar to parsley, celery or licorice. The root is where the medicine is. Once you pick it, wash it and dry it. But don’t over wash it. I suspect that small bits of soil in contact with the roots have something to do with its medicinal qualities. Store it in dry clean containers once dehydrated. To use it you may boil the roots into tea. But the best method is to chew the dry roots, a small quantity will do as it is potent. Osha protects from disease from viruses and bacteria. It may help you once you are sick but your best bet is to use it before you get sick and take it regularly, especially in winter. It seems to make the body more resistant to contracting colds or flu. For me it prevents illness outright or minimizes the impact of illness dramatically. Again use caution. I would not be surprised if this root would make some people sick or cause an allergy.
 
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used to know a sort of hippie girl many years ago who would follow the grateful dead tours all over the place she swore that the dog poo she smeared on people's faces had medicinal properties in it people would let her do this but in the end it was just dog poop .
 
I was talking to one of the local old timers the other day. He lives remote, off-grid on a mining claim his grandfather started over a hundred years ago. He has lived locally most of his life, other than a short period in Alaska. He's also a green thumb, and grows his own veggies. We're going to get together this Summer to go over the plants in the area.
 
I deal with various government entities, publications and “experts.” Just as many of you do I’m sure.

The overall knowledge and quality of information is so poor that I would triple check prior to risking eating a wild plant and getting sick or worse.

As one tiny example. Locally we are not supposed to have white oak trees here. I have ask many state and federal foresters what those trees with the acorns and white bark are.

The replies are stunning. “They would be white oaks but we do not have them here.”

“They must be xxxx but they don’t look like xxxxx, they appear to be white oaks but we don’t have them here”

The ever popular “I don’t know”

Don’t rely on a government official or document when your health depends on it.
 
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...just like we don't have Wolves in Colorado.

Edit: They did actually admit to it when people produced pictures, and a DNA sample was provided from their skat. I personally saw one almost 10-years ago.
 
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Damned if we don’t have pumas in middle Tennessee. I’m with Alpine. Books are ok but ground time with someone with first rate plant knowledge is a hell of a lot better.
 
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I was bow hunting in an area in Montana that everyone swore there has never been bear within 60 miles of. Well I was seeing bear tracks and bear shit in every valley, every day over a 15 mile area. I saw a single adult black bear myself as well as did a couple other hunters in that area. The bear found my elk carcass(after i had gotten all the meat and head/hide)and left lots of tracks and shit. Every Ranger I talked to swore there were no bears there, except the Ranger that stopped by my camp on a regular basis to ask me if I had run into hunters the relatives hadn't heard from in weeks. That ranger had an extensive background in bear studies and believed the unusually wet year was providing more food sources that could attribute to bear moving into that area.
 
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I would recommend Peterson's Field Guide's to Medicinal Plants and Herbs and Peterson's Field Guide to Edibile Wild Plants. The copies I have cover Eastern and Central North America. I plan on heading out to a few local state parks here throughout the year and snagging some plantain, burdock, sorrel, bullhead lily, green amaranth, and jerusalem artichoke to plant in various areas and pots on my property. Will be good to use for teaching my friends and being able to quickly ID them. It'll be interesting eating them as well.

As stated above, someone in your area with actual hands on knowledge is great, but I think that books can be used in lieu of that, if used with caution. I wouldn't recommend snagging mushrooms based purely on book knowledge, for example.
 
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I would do your best to find some of the old dudes or ladies that grew up there. They will be your best source of what’s in your immediate area. I’m in southern WV and what grows around me and my elevation can be quite a bit different then a county or two over or can be a month later or earlier. Almost everything I know of what grows around here was taught to me by some one with grey hair that never left here.
 
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I would recommend The Backwoodsman magazine. Not every article contains natural medical information but most do. I’ve been getting them for the last 5 or so years and I’ve kept each one.

They have some really awesome field craft ideas and most topics are a step-by-step guide. They are a good read.
 

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