Forage the Forest

As people who don’t eat animals, we are often asked the theoretical question of, “Would you eat animals if you were stranded on a deserted island?” In fact, J Bird has been hearing that SAME question for TWENTY-THREE YEARS. Before the Appalachian Trail, our answer was usually something along the lines of, “But when would that actually ever happen? We’re not on a deserted island, likely never will be, and would never have to even consider such a thing unless we were actually in that situation.” Basically, it’s never been a practical question or a question that would even have room for debatable entertainment value. After all, how can any of us really tell what we would do when put into truly desperate situations? 

On the Appalachian Trail, we weren’t stranded on a deserted island, but we did find ourselves in many situations of food and financial insecurity. In some of these cases, it certainly felt like we were on a deserted island, not being able to afford food or reach a town in time to restock on food before our supply ran out. In times like these, we found ourselves in truly desperate situations…. So here’s our new answer to all of those who love to ask us what we would do on that godforsaken desert island–

If non-human animals are surviving on this island, it means that so can we. We would consume the foods ideal to our bodies’ physiological composition and share it responsibly WITH our non-human animal friends. We would eat the plants, mushrooms, roots, bark, nuts, and berries. We would leave sentient beings in peace, ultimately achieving the best physical health for ourselves, while contributing to the natural cycle of life by dispersing seeds and organic matter when we sh*t in the woods (and bury it in a 6″ hole). And that’s exactly what we did while hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

And now we’d like to share our foraging finds with YOU!

*DISCLAIMER: The information provided is not designed to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any illness, or injury. We also cannot guarantee that the edible plants, mushrooms, or berries listed will agree with YOUR body. Some people experience allergic reactions to certain plants and mushrooms. Please do your own research before foraging for yourself! While foraging is an amazing way to connect with the natural world, there are inherent risks and dangers to foraging wild foods. Pay close attention to factors such as the environment that the edible food is found in. Consider if the wild edible has been exposed to any pollutants, touched other toxic plants or mushrooms, or has toxic mold growing on it. 2 Vegans and a Van possesses no responsibility when it comes to your foraging decisions. With that, good luck and enjoy! ?