Looking for a few of the best Wild Foraging Books

Hello all. I am looking to buy some of the best wild foraging books I can possibly get my hands on. I really prefer when they have the pictures of plants and not drawings of the plants. I intend this spring to spend my weekends between working learning the skill. I have looked at a few various books here and there and I've considered some but I wanted to ask you all who have probably spent more time in this area then I have. I am not worried about spending money. I really want to learn this trait and I want to learn it with some of the best material I can get my hands on. When It comes down to it everyone should know how to gather there own food and I desire to be one of the people to learn. I have spent my entire life near the forest and as a young boy was taught very simple foraging techniques and always wanted more. So thank you kindly for your time and I hope you can throw me some good advice on what books to look into. If your reading this and you have any good books on survival I would be very interested in some great books on that as well. Only if you want to take the time.

Thanks a lot!

I should probably note that currently I live in Michigan America. I wouldn't really need to know how to pick herbs in Australia!!! unless I find my self in a surprising situation. :D

This may help http://www.bushcraftusa.com/forum/do...p?do=cat&id=13

They have lots of free downloadable books on the subject.

Here is one on Australian plants should you find yourself in a surprising situation :innocent:
http://www.bushcraftusa.com/forum/do...o=file&id=1077

Thanks for such a fast response but I want something I can have hands on to go out and search and observe with. Would prefer a hard copy. Besides how long are computers going to be around?!?!?!

I am not knowledgeable enough on the subject to give you a suggestion, but I am sure someone who is will come around soon.

I've taken a couple of tours with Steve and own two of the books he's got for sale on his website.
He is terrific, and his books are fun, informative and easy to follow.
Oh, and his web site will keep you busy for hours.

http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/

Here's a link to a fella that I believe is based in wisconsin. I have both his books and recommend them. For good reading but not necessarily identification I also recommend euell gibbons stalking the wild asparagus.

http://foragersharvest.com/about/

Goodness gracious, folks. We have our own library. It has both foraging and survival books listed.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...al-Book-Thread!

My personal favorite is Edible Wild Plants of the Eastern Central North America. It's a Peterson Field Guide. I also like Edible Wild Plants - An Introduction to Familiar North American Species. It's a laminated pockets guide by the Pocket Naturalist. You can pick both up from any book store. The Peterson Guide will run around $20.00 and the Pocket Guide around $7.00. I'm from Indiana so they will work for you.

You can also download some free army manuals (like the Survival Manual) from Steve's Pages at:

http://stevespages.com/page7c.htm

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Originally Posted by randyt

Here's a link to a fella that I believe is based in wisconsin. I have both his books and recommend them. For good reading but not necessarily identification I also recommend euell gibbons stalking the wild asparagus.

http://foragersharvest.com/about/

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These are some of the best books I have came across for herb use & studies. (Foragers harvest) They have lots of info other books don't have. It even has a printed year round calendar that tells you when you should be harvesting what herbs regarding the timing of when an individual species will be peaked out for it's most potent medicine.

Having said that- every herbal book collection (east of the Missippi) should have a copy of Newcomb's plant guide. It is a simple botanical process of how you can kneel down by any random plant in the woods and in just a few minutes have it positivly identified by the quick, concise Newcomb coding system.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond to this. You have helped me greatly. I Indeed will purchase these books and look up the websites you have all provided. Now I just need to wait for my next paycheck!

The best book I've found in my local book stores is called "Wilderness Survival Handbook: Primitive skill for short-term survival and long term comfort" by Michael Pewtherer. The book is divided into 2 sections, the first being short term survival situations (7 days or less) and the second section is about extended wilderness living. It has pictures, both drawn and photographic, and covers the subjects of Fire crafting, Water, Hunting/Trapping, Fishing, Shelter, Skinning/tanning/sinew, making containers, comfort/cleanliness, and more.

Out of my local stores this book has the most knowledge for both short term and long term survival, it also does help with some plant identification but not to the extent you want. However the author did put in a recommended reading section that has several other good books that do help with plant identification.
Best of luck!

Oh and I forgot this link, http://www.youtube.com/user/EatTheWeeds
This guy has over 130 videos, each one about a different plant, and he covers topics of how to identify them and their uses. I am going to try to get him to cover trees as well, I think I've only seen a video about pine from him.

He also has a site, http://www.eattheweeds.com, where he has over 1000 edible plants listed with pictures and what they can be used for.

Thomas J Elpel : Botany in a Day - It has drawn pictures of the plants but is THE definitive resource for learning to classify plants without having to learn each of the billions of different species. Learn to place plants in one of a handfull of plant families, and you'll automatically know a lot about that plant.

Also, rather than foraging or wild edible books, I strongly suggest the identification books, like the National Wildlife Foundations "Wildflowers", and ask your local Cooperative Extension agent about the books he uses to identify "weeds and lawn pests".

As I've said before, it makes no difference whether a plant is edible or toxic if you can't properly identify it!!

The Foragers Harvest is a great book, although it only includes a few plants, and really talks in depth about them. There is a second book in the series now that I hope I get a copy of for Christmas, since I've been such a good boy this year!

Nature's Garden and The Foragers Harvest, By Samuel Thayer. These are the best books I've found, These books are full of large color pictures.It covers Identifying,Harvesting and Preparing. Every person I've showed these books that has a interest in this subject has bought these books.A draw back is a lot of the plants are found in the great lake areas, but I know a lot of the plants are found all over the U.S. The books have charts and time tables on when plants will be ready and what part to harvest, and he has all the different ways he prepares them for eating or storing. I would advise anyone to take a look at these books before any others.



www.foragersharvest.com

Although I'm being repetitive as others have already mentioned it, Samuel Thayer is the best books I've read on foraging. I would also suggest checking out eattheweeds.com and his youtube channel, TONS of wild edible information.