Skip to main content

Urban Foraging: Is It Possible?

There's a common misconception that you cannot forage for food unless you live in a rural area.

This simply is not true.

Many urban, and suburban, locations have an abundance of natural resources. You just have to know where to look.

And in today's article, I will share how you can make urban foraging possible. As well as my own experiences foraging in city and suburban settings.

Key Tips For Urban Foraging

Parks and bike paths generally contain a lot of useful plants. As well as fresh water. On top of this, many shaded streets will have fruit trees. 

Generally speaking, parks and undeveloped residential areas will have the most resources.

And depending on local laws, you may be allowed to forage for fruits and berries.

Otherwise, it is still worth knowing where these plants grow - in the event of a worst case scenario like a supply line collapse.

Speaking of worst case scenarios, you usually aren't allowed to fish in park ponds or bike path rivers. But, it is still good to know what types of creatures live here. In the event that you would need to completely depend on yourself for food.

Here's What I Found On A Normal Afternoon While Walking In The City

Alright, time to get personal.

You might be surprised to learn that I don't live in a cabin out in the woods somewhere.

In fact, I spend most of my time in a large city of several million people!

While there are busy streets and plenty of urban locations, there's also a lot of greenery - within easy walking distance from downtown!

Most major cities (like New York or Chicago) have large park areas and natural settings.

They also have access to lakes, ponds, rivers, and sometimes the ocean!

I bring this up, because there are plenty of foraging opportunities - if you know where to look.

Here's everything I saw on a while out and about on a normal Sunday afternoon.

At a nearby the bike path, I encountered a fresh water river (the water looks dirty, but could be consumed after you bottle it and add purification tablets).

The river also contains plenty of fish. As well as attracting ducks and other waterfowl.

And close to the river, I also found a large patch of wild raspberries.

Then, in the park itself, I noticed several groups of squawking killdeer. And guess what? They were protecting their wild eggs!

On a regular day, with minimum effort, I still managed to find multiple sources of food. And a constantly replenishing supply of fresh water. Urban foraging isn't just possible. 

It's also extremely easy.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Foraging In Action: The American Civil War

Many preppers dismiss foraging as a waste of time. They'll say things like "You can't live off nuts and berries." Or claim that stockpiling canned goods is more efficient. Keeping an emergency supply of non-perishable food is great. But foraging is practical too. And anyone who thinks foraging is "useless" or a "waste of time" needs a quick lesson in military history. Foraging In The American Civil War Canned food was invented by Napoleon to feed his armies as they marched through Europe. Before then, soldiers got most of their food through foraging. And even after  Napoleon, a lot of armies still relied on foraging. During the American Civil War, both Union and Confederate soldiers foraged for food. While troops were issued rations, supply lines were inconsistent. And many goods never arrived to the front lines. Because of this, soldiers would often hunt for eggs, pick fruit and berries, and shoot rabbits or ducks. Knowing how to forage allowed t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Recommendation: Last of the Breed, by Louis L'Amour

Last of the Breed , by Louis L'Amour is a fantastic piece of adventure fiction. And, a book that's centered around foraging and survival advice. The story follows Joe Mack, a U.S. Air Force pilot and Native American. Mack has been shot down by the Soviets, and is trapped inside Siberia wilderness, forced to rely on his survival skills as he slowly makes his way to freedom. Foraging, plant identification, and tracking all play key roles in the story. With author L'Amour sharing practical survival advice. He considered himself. From boyhood he had at every opportunity gone back to the woods. He had lived and survived under some of the bitterest conditions. He had killed or gathered his own food; he knew how to make clothing; he had often made moccasins, something not every Indian knew how to do anymore. Joe Mack banked his small fire and bedded down in a mound of leaves with fir boughs over him. It was cold and it was drafty, but Joe Mack had lived so before this. The story i...
Post a Comment
Read more

3 Easy To Grow Perennial Vegetables For Your Survival Garden

Plant once, harvest forever. That's the gardener's dream. Especially if you're growing vegetables to eat. In this article, I'll share three easy to grow perennial vegetables that you can grow. These are low maintenance, low effort crops - perfect for a backyard garden. If you're a homesteader, prepper, or just someone who wants high-quality and fresh vegetables - you're going to love these three plants. 1. Globe Artichoke Globe artichokes are a perennial vegetable that keep coming back, year after year.  Artichokes are flavorful, nutrient-rich, and filling. Globe artichokes are also fairly easy to grow. A spot in full sun with plenty of room for the plant is ideal. Also, because these artichokes get big, you'll want to leave plenty of space between each one. Globe artichokes will begin to produce edible buds within two to three years. So you aren't getting an immediate food source with these. But, you can plan ahead and have a regular supply of fresh art...
Post a Comment
Read more