Anyplace that vegetation can develop is an efficient place to search for meals—and that features Arctic areas. Studying discover meals within the wild is an efficient ability to have and may show very important in a life-saving state of affairs.
“Studying stay off the land is a vital ability for anybody who desires to be ready in case they ever discover themselves in a survival state of affairs,” says Bear in his ebook Excessive Meals.
Arctic areas will not be apparent locations the place you’d count on to have the ability to forage for meals—actually, meals might be fairly scarce, circumstances may be difficult and also you may need competitors from wildlife.
Nonetheless, Bear says that if you understand what you’re searching for, you will discover one thing to eat even in among the planet’s most inhospitable locations.
So what does Bear forage for within the Arctic?
Disclaimer: Foraging for wild vegetation just isn’t for learners. By no means eat something you’re not sure about. Many vegetation are toxic and might be lethal. Take warning and do your analysis earlier than foraging and consuming something foraged within the wild.
Arctic Willow
“This is among the finest sources of Vitamin C within the tundra,” says Bear in Excessive Meals.
Look out for a low shrub—the Arctic willow doesn’t develop greater than about six inches excessive. The leaves are spherical, shiny and inexperienced. It might probably additionally develop for a very long time—a plant can stay greater than 100 years.
Whenever you discover the plant, you possibly can eat the whole lot—the bark, the roots (peel them first), the leaves, and even the younger shoots.
Iceland Moss
That is an Arctic-alpine lichen, which appears like moss. Iceland moss solely grows a number of inches excessive and it may be any shade from white to gray, or chestnut-brown.
Bear says: “Most lichens are edible, together with these things, which grows properly within the in any other case forbidding Arctic areas.”
Soak it in water, after which boil it, to take away its bitter style. It feels dry to the contact however turns into extra malleable when soaked. Bear’s tip is that it shops rather well when dried.
Fireweed
This can be a herbaceous flowering plant, and whereas the identify doesn’t sound very appetizing, it will also be a helpful survival meals. It might probably develop as much as 8 ft tall, and the flowers are a magenta-pink shade.
“For the Inuit, it’s a precious meals supply—they eat it as a salad alongside seal and walrus blubber,” says Bear in Excessive Meals.
You’ll be able to eat each a part of the fireweed plant—Bear eats the younger shoots, stems, and leaves both uncooked or simmered. His tip is to separate the stems in half to get to the tender edible sections of within the center.
“Later within the yr, the seed pods change into lined in a wooly fluff which you should utilize as tinder for beginning a hearth. I assume that’s the place the identify comes from,” says Bear.
Bear says to look out for cloudberries and salmonberries too—however do not forget that many vegetation are toxic and might be lethal. All the time use a discipline information and professional sources to determine vegetation accurately earlier than foraging for them.
