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Thanks for that article, that's an entry point I hadn't seen before! It reminds me of this database of famine foods from Purdue University: https://www.purdue.e

by tdeck 5y ago

Thanks for that article, that's an entry point I hadn't seen before! It reminds me of this database of famine foods from Purdue University: https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/famine-foods/ https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/famine-foods/ I got into it by wandering around the SF Bay Area and looking up plants with fruits on them to see if they were edible. That was how I ended up cracking open hollyleaf cherry pits and leaching the cyanide out of them, and roasting and grinding bay nuts to add them to chocolate cake. There are indeed a lot of interesting native and introduced edible plants. It causes me to pay a lot more attention to the nature around me and to learn a lot of new things. I've thankfully avoided a visit to the hospital so far :)

culi 5y ago
This database looks really promising, thanks for sharing! I'll definitely try to get ahold of it Our stories are not actually all that different haha. I started the same way, mostly from getting into iNaturalist. I'm in SoCal right now and the landscapers seem obsessed with planting Natal Plums everywhere. I get some weird looks by people seeing me pick these big bright red juicy fruit next to their parking lots but they've become one of my favorite fruits, haha If you're interested in this type of data, I've also been collecting resources like this. One of my favorites is the FAO's EcoPort[0] which has some of the most bizarre web design I've come across, but has really rich data. There's also the NAEB DB[1] which is the most complete collection of documented edible, medicinal, and other plant uses by Native American groups that I've come across. And since you linked PracticalPlants I'm guessing you're already aware of PFAF and related projects haha [0] http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=displayMenu&menu=Basic_Search http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=displayMenu&menu=Basic_Sear... [1] http://naeb.brit.org/ http://naeb.brit.org/
- tdeck 5y ago
  Thanks! Here are a few more links that may be of interest to those on this thread: Account of how native people used various plants: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/65605/65605-0.txt https://www.gutenberg.org/files/65605/65605-0.txt Simple guide to indigenous foods of California: https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-the-wild/a-guide-to-some-indigenous-foods-of-california https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-the-wild/a-guide-to-some-... Food Plants of the North American Indians (sorry for the terrible Google PDF link, it's hard to get the real link on mobile): https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/c247dt483&ved=2ahUKEwja9MDl0qfyAhVT7J4KHSzDB2kQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1PMZP_sVeBTTWqzq6SLgSY https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/... Aside: the first random fruit I tried was Arbutus Unedo (strawberry tree), which is not native around here but is planted very commonly as a landscaping tree. Tastes kinda like a bland peach.

by tdeck 5y ago

culi 5y ago

This database looks really promising, thanks for sharing! I'll definitely try to get ahold of it Our stories are not actually all that different haha. I started the same way, mostly from getting into iNaturalist. I'm in SoCal right now and the landscapers seem obsessed with planting Natal Plums everywhere. I get some weird looks by people seeing me pick these big bright red juicy fruit next to their parking lots but they've become one of my favorite fruits, haha If you're interested in this type of data, I've also been collecting resources like this. One of my favorites is the FAO's EcoPort[0] which has some of the most bizarre web design I've come across, but has really rich data. There's also the NAEB DB[1] which is the most complete collection of documented edible, medicinal, and other plant uses by Native American groups that I've come across. And since you linked PracticalPlants I'm guessing you're already aware of PFAF and related projects haha [0] http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=displayMenu&menu=Basic_Search http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=displayMenu&menu=Basic_Sear... [1] http://naeb.brit.org/ http://naeb.brit.org/

tdeck 5y ago
Thanks! Here are a few more links that may be of interest to those on this thread: Account of how native people used various plants: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/65605/65605-0.txt https://www.gutenberg.org/files/65605/65605-0.txt Simple guide to indigenous foods of California: https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-the-wild/a-guide-to-some-indigenous-foods-of-california https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-the-wild/a-guide-to-some-... Food Plants of the North American Indians (sorry for the terrible Google PDF link, it's hard to get the real link on mobile): https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/c247dt483&ved=2ahUKEwja9MDl0qfyAhVT7J4KHSzDB2kQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1PMZP_sVeBTTWqzq6SLgSY https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/... Aside: the first random fruit I tried was Arbutus Unedo (strawberry tree), which is not native around here but is planted very commonly as a landscaping tree. Tastes kinda like a bland peach.