The Knowledge Transmission
[expand] The teaching of foraging skills began in childhood with simple identification and gathering tasks. The children who accompanied adults on foraging expeditions learned through observation and supervised practice.…
High Altitude Foraging
The Small Game
[expand] The birds and small mammals that could be trapped or hunted supplemented foraged plant foods. The methods used for small game were often simple—snares for rabbits and birds,…
The Preservation Methods
[expand] The drying that removed moisture preserved many foraged foods for winter consumption. The berries spread in sun or hung in smoke became concentrated sweets that resisted spoilage. The…
The Autumn Harvest
[expand] The mushrooms that fruited in autumn provided concentrated protein and calories when other wild foods were declining. The boletes that grew in association with specific trees were highly…
The Summer Abundance
[expand] The berries that ripened across summer provided both immediate consumption and preservation opportunities. The wild strawberries that grew in alpine meadows were smaller but more intensely flavored than…
The Spring Gathering
[expand] The first green plants that emerged as snow melted were sought eagerly after winter’s dietary monotony. The wild garlic that carpeted certain forest floors provided pungent flavor and…
HIGH ALTITUDE FORAGING: The Mountain’s Wild Bounty
The foraging that supplemented cultivated foods was not optional luxury but essential component of mountain diet. The wild plants, fungi, berries, and small animals that could be gathered from forests…