wilderness

The arrival of the Spring Equinox is very exciting for foragers. We watch as the snow begins to melt away, looking for any signs of plant life. Our eyes scan looking for bright baby green shoots and any sign of blooming color.

Spring’s bounty can be incredible if you know what to look for and where to find it. As we walk through spring’s edibles, I will show you some of the more basic plants to locate, identify, and harvest. It is difficult to choose just a few to fit within these pages, because there are books’ worth of information on the food in different areas.

Foraging For Beginners Pt. 1 went over just a few of the many wild foods available throughout the United States. Part 2 will cover some of the winter edibles available.

Food can be found everywhere in nature, you just have to know what exactly it is you’re looking for.

This short series will break down foraging by the seasons. Every season brings about something new to look for. Although Spring, Summer, and Autumn bring about the biggest bounties, Winter has some to offer as well. Depending on the climate region you live in, there may be a bounty of food for you all year ‘round.

One may not realize how many festivals there are that have to do with sustainable and eco-friendly living. I can almost guarantee that there is some sort of event or festival that takes place in your area (or close to it).

These festivals span all across the United States, as well as in other countries. You name it and there’s likely a festival that exists in its honor. Today I’m going to share 5 different festivals worth looking into.

Trekking through a nearby state forest, I stopped dead in my tracks. I was appalled. A middle-aged man - who should know better - was openly defacing an iconic bridge. Have individuals lost respect for nature or is unaccountability leading their impulses?

As winter approaches there is a lot of work that has to be done in order to prepare. I usually start with the garden.

There is a myth surrounding acorns that states Acorns are poisonous and can’t be eaten! Acorns can be eaten, but you wouldn’t want to just pick one up and eat it. There’s a leaching process that must be done in order to make the acorns edible.

One of my favorite parts about living on a farm or off of the grid is getting to work with the animals. Chickens are usually the first animal people get on a farm – or sometimes even in a backyard.

There are literally hundreds of chicken breeds out there. You could look at pictures and decide which ones you want to raise according to looks but I recommend looking into some things. Important factors to consider when choosing a chicken:

Living off the grid provided me with several encounters with nature in many forms – whether it was the weather, creature critters or the growing forest. Some of my favorite encounters were with animals and I love them all. I was far enough out in the woods that spotting wildlife was as easy as finding a game on ESPN. I have so many experiences but today I will share with you a few of my favorites.

The Big Bear