Bug Out Location Gardening 101

[SkiwM1A]

Several years ago it occurred to me that I should be able to cultivate some of my favorite wild goodies back in town so I decided to dig up some yampas, some onions, some camas and also gather seeds from what I thought may grow at the lower elevations in town. Not that 7,200 feet is what most would consider to be "lower" elevation but here in Wyoming it is.

HOLY CRAP!!!! Did it EVER work!!! In two years I had a friends front yard almost entirely covered with wild strawberries and black currants. Another friend is STILL growing several species of wild onions, garlics and chives. A former lady friends flower bed is still full of raspberries and now chokecherries and the list just goes on.

So?? What about traditionals up in the mountains??? Hmmmm. The alium family did well. The asparagus is still doing well. The domestic blueberries are going gang busters(Yogi really LOVES this!)and so are the smaller sunflower and medicinal herbals like echinacia.

The REAL epiphany came when I dicided to try cultivating the wild stuff that was already growing up there.
This was the beginning of my own personal "Garden of Eden" at some of my better hiding spots. This has actually done so well that a significant part of my forageing is now primarily to gather rootstock and seeds for re planting in ideal locations. Lets have a closer look.

[SkiwM1A]

This is a small bucket nearly full of service berries. Notice the Osmocote? It is a time release fertilizer that all my goodies up in the mountains just thrive on. I know where I can now literally fill the bed of my truck with them.

These are red currants. They have responded to care and cultivation beyond my initial best hopes. These also ferment well.

I know where there are acres and acres of these. I've never seen any one else up there nor have I noticed anybody but the bears harvesting them.

See how big and fat they get???

Chokecherries! These are some of my favorites because they are so prolific and? They ferment well. This particular patch is probably two or more acres right next to one of my favorite brook trout fishing streams too so I have plenty of reason to go in there.

[SkiwM1A]

These are goose berries. Same family as the currants. I tried to convince some friends to come up harvesting with me and all I got was "Are you sure they're not poisonous!!!?"
Gawd! There's no hope.

Rose hips. Best to harvest them before they are full of mature seeds. Early summer is best and they are still real chewy and sweet. I love 'em.

Creek berries. These are among the absolute sweetest eating fruit up there.

HUCKLE BERRIES!!!! CAUTION!!!! Grizzly bears consider these to be one of their very most favorite foods on earth.

[SkiwM1A]

More, more more!!! I know where to harvest pounds and pounds of these. This is one of my all time most important plants guys and gals. They have many uses. Any body guess any of them? Hmm?

Thimble berries. Uber delicious and beyond prolific. Harvesting them is a stunt though as the bushes can be well over eight feet tall and the huge leaves blot out the sun. You hafta dodge the thorns too but they are more than worth it. These have responded perhaps better than even the huckleberries to the osmocote and weeding. I now have more than a few streams lined for miles with them.

[SkiwM1A]

My son harvesting black currants. The problem here is that he will just eat them as fast as he can pick them. I have no issue with this. See how trim and fit he is?

They're lots easier to pick because they have few thorns.

[SkiwM1A]

Bubbie again with a handful of thimble berries.

Us swimming after a hard day harvesting wild goodies.

[SkiwM1A]

Supper. This is my Wyoming wild stir fry. Lotsa internet gurus will try to tell you that "You'll starve up in the mountains!!"
They probably will. I and my son certainly will not.

[SkiwM1A]

Wild onions. We have nearly thirty species of wild alium here in Wyoming. I have only found perhaps a dozen or so.
Monsanto and Con Agra will never own a patent on their genetics and they are far better than the cardboard ones sold in the commercial supermarkets.
You should see the clearcut west of Laramie I have nearly covered with yampas.

[DMH]

Thanks for sharing your pics.

[Tex]

Man Ski, that stuff sure looked good. I wouldn't mind getting into some of those berry patches.



Tex

[W.Lynn]

All those berries, now I want to make jam.

[Gena.KY]

Ski, you are da man. I can't get enough of your posts. I admire you so much. I want to send you a special thank you for each educational and entertaining post.