Free foods….. A stunning, potentially earth-changing concept? FREE not just in the monetary sense, but also, the freeing from labouring, and the perverse idea of ‘controlling’ nature.

Recently I have been thinking, how would I feel if all the food stuffs I ‘believe’ I like (and are such a twentieth century thing) disappeared tomorrow -
 what would I find, 
and eat, 
and what would I enjoy as much as my familiar diet?

Strange that we are all trained to fear the produce that used to grow all around us: poisonous, toxic…..blah,blah. 
And yet, surely, it makes perfect sense that this is what we were born to eat!

Would I really miss tinned beans, jars of coffee, and chocolate bars? 

I used to be enchanted by the idea of ‘organic food’ …..but I have to acknowledge the fact that this is still far from gentle, loving, and real – why, the whole agricultural system is abusive! The very first time some guy decided to store more than he could eat, from there sprang the ideas of preservatives, pests, wealth, land ‘ownership’, protectionism…. Ugh!

Let’s walk through the Wild, and laugh, and chatter, and …..nibble, explore….share. THAT sounds wonderful, to me.

And think on; no dish washing, no recipes, no measuring, no supermarkets, no farms….

Brazil nut anyone?

So, because I like to control things….I thought I would plant some seeds of a wild plant that I knew was 100% verified edible and I planted them in a small little patch in my yard. They grew giant (it’s a chenopode family plant—magenta one) and I was supposed to pick and eat the leaves (like spinach). But instead I was in awe at how lovely the plant was and how pretty the color was and the leaves were so silky and smooth that I didn’t want to touch it. So it just sat there and I imagine it was thinking how stupid I was not to eat it cause that is what it is there for. I then thought that perhaps it is not edible…perhaps it is toxic and then I didn’t even trust it so I didn’t do anything. How non-intelligent.
Isn’t that funny. That’s me in a (brazil) nut shell!
I am hoping that one day me and the plant kingdom will meet eye to eye and understand one another…right now the plants laugh at my human misknowledge.

Jennifer, whatever you uncover regarding the ‘mysteries’ of the Plant World, please share more, I would love to know! Hmmm…. The only thing I can think to share at the moment is that the white fluffy bits of a (turned to seed) dandelion are edible? Wait! Surely not? Like you, I fear the ‘information’s varacity’ when afterall, we may not know the source from ‘Adam’???
Only one way to find out…. Gulp!

By the way, Drew’s ‘consumer review’ of cast iron cook-ware was passionate, and factual. Now if he/she were to say something wild was edible, I would trust THAT information

Oh you guys we have got to share more on this. I’ll bring my questions soon. Karm you are going to be my and Cindy’s source. Spring is coming and I am going for another plant kingdom connection this year. Karm you are so fortunate to have experienced food as you did. You must have a special confidence in nature that I long to discover and am working on . Do you live nearby?

• This reply was modified 81 days ago by  jennifer from Belgium.

I have tried raw dandelion leaves in my salad….heard that cultivating them (of course) gives a less bitter taste—so our first course of salad (get the juices flowing) can consist of young dandelion leaves, plantain (goosefoot) leaves, and my favorite lamb’s lettuce (feldsalad) all together to make a tasty appetizer–organic and maintenance free. So for the main course…PIZZA. Love it…also love sourdough bread with ‘levain’ that is really old.like 40 yrs! I’m thinking about putting a clay wood stove (pizza and bread oven) in the new kitchen of new house (like the Italian restaurants–but smaller!) and then decorating it with the iron slag a bit…any ideas anyone????? Anyone here make their own cheese?

I live in Oklahoma USA but no longer on the homestead. we where part of the back to mother earth movement of the 70′s
We planted a number of things squash, corn, beans, peppers, tomatoes, peach trees. apple trees berry plants and bushes and others. You plant them in areas there suited to if something needs a lot of water we planted it along the creek or by a pond if it needed shade it was planted under the trees. if it needed lots of light got planted in the open fields some things never became self sustaining and saved and planted the seeds every year.
we also foraged the native plants. dandelions. chickweed pawpaw long list of others.

It’s weekend and that’s synonymous with cooking! Today’s secret ingredient will be fresh goose egg omelette. Delicious, mild and sweet, 1 fresh goose egg is equivalent to approx. 3 chicken eggs. It’s the start of laying season for my embed geese. I found this egg laying there right in the middle of the yard on the green grass. She doesn’t have her nest quite in order yet so she lets the first few eggs of season drop n’import où–wherever. When the cast iron skillet is hot and ready, i’ll pour the egg, flour (optional), cheese, and milk mixture into the pan. When ready the omelette will be served on a bed of romaine or field salad with linseed and walnut oil. Bon appetite!