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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 3, 1962)
7 MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 19u2 Nature's Food Store ii , i i.ii..KVW .-hlli .t -run Odd Bjerke, wilderness survival expert, explains to three young outdoorsmen how the native blue camas is prepared. The Rogue River Indians depended upon the camos as a food staple and tribal wars sometimes occurred over ownership of certain camas fields. The camas grows throughout the valley and Bjerke found these along the highway near Camp White. It is so rich that one bulb equals three potatoes in starch value and the Indians used it as a base for pemmican, adding to it dried berries, dried meat and animal fat. The three boys are (left to right), Jerry Hopkins, John Jackson and Arthur Hill. By Robert Vroman On the surface of the earth there are some thing like 125,000 species of edible plants, some more palatable than others, some more nutritious than others, but all a source of food and able to sustain life. Naturalist Odd Bjerke, YMCA camp director at Diamond lake this sum mer, has pointed out numerous edible plants in this area. These range from wild mustard, wild onion, blue camas, the common dande lion, skunk cabbage and stinging nettle to the seesls of wild grasses and various wild nuts and ke-rries. Nature is a storehouse of food, but, unfortunately most people do not know what to look far, Mr. Bjerke said. Part of the wilder ness survival training that will be offered yisungs-tetfs at YA'ACA camp will be a course in the ressgirwtiora ef esMMe wild plants. On this pa-gie are pict'wresd a few f tfoe hundreds to be kwjuW it swtfbrwm 0ega. The skunk cc&bage, which grows in profusion in the moist high country in this area, is another very palatable plant. The young leaves can be cooked like spinach and thts roots can also be boiled and eaten. They are first brought to a boil, then the first water is poured off and new added and brought to a boil again. Mali's ', 5 Early sttlrs in this area maWe U5 of mny eJikte wild plants. One of them ws pig-woci or lamlt's quarters shown alteve, anW malva (rounl leaf low9r left.) Oiers tht mke W pet greens e tw wiN mustwd,. seur 4A, common altinMiin, stinging nettle una1 lnfelin. Siinging nettle tea, acara'tng t Mr. Bjerkie, was claimed to have great healirfg praaertios ana1 there was a kaeis far this. It is 75 per cent ascaraic ociat. BjerUa saiW t fAianaJ r tourants in Europe serve rrettte stvp. The raat, when dried, can be ueW as suW'tu3 for coffee or tWac. . ,- . .:S-r ffiw' Wii iaiiiiimi'".".;'-iawi Ingredients for a stimulating hot drink are either mint leaves or new fir needles, both rich In vitamins. Steep them in boiling water for several minutes before drink ing. One can live indefinitely off the land If there are trees at hand. The cambium layer found under the outer bark is tender and sweet and about 40 per cent starch. John Jackson holds a freshly-dug camas plant to show its height ond how the flower grows on the stem. The flower is light to medium blue, and Mr. Bjerke warned that there is also a white camas which is poisonous. He said the flower of the two plants is quite similar, but as long os it is blue it is good to eat. The blooms of the white ond red clover are really very tasty, and rich in vitamin A. John Jackson, above, looks a bit skepti cal obout popping a white clover bloom in his mouth, but eventually did and found it not unpleasant. The taste can be improved, of course, if they . are soiled lightly. The blooms can serve as on interesting addition to salads, either chopped or used whole. The commofc cat tail is on excellent source of food, the spiked roots of which ore lender and succulent ond eon be eaten raw or boiled like potatoes. Above, Jerry Hopkins samples one of the snow white shoots os Arthur Hill looks on. The dust-like pollen of the cat tail can also be used for flour, being high in protein ond starch. Mr. Bjerke suggested that families collect and eat wild foods, both os an interesting variation to the diet ond to become fomilior wilh them on the off-chance thai one might hove 'o moke use of the knowledge some day. fry; ' 'V - . li; ku rv vi iu Art
