Many wild plants can be used as food. One plant of interest is wild grass. It is common knowledge that the seeds of grass are usually edible. Grass seed varies considerably in its suitability as food. Some grass varieties produce enough seed to be of good use in a survival situation.

Lt Winter lake Research Center, we discovered that grass is used as a famine food. We assumed that the grain was the part used. However, in researching the grain, we learned that other parts of the grass were edible as well.

The two other edible parts are the young stems and the roots. When the young stems of many types of grasses are still tender and chewable, they are very sweet. The sweetness comes from sugar and starch in the stem. This sugar and starch provides energy for the body. Pick the stems when they are young enough to snap if bent. If they just bend instead of snapping, they are too fibrous to eat. The sugar and starch are pretty much gone by then too. The outer husk must be removed to get at the tender center.

The roots of many grasses have a growing sprout on the end of the root. The root has a pointed end. This is the new grass plant growing out from the main clump. Many of these roots are just under the surface of the soil. The roots can be dug up and eaten cooked or raw. Bend the growing tip. If it breaks, it is still tender enough to eat. If it just bends, it is too tough to eat. The roots can be eaten whole or dried and ground into flour.

These growing root tips are filled with starch and sugar. They can be large and fleshy, with a lot of food content. Some of them are quite sweet and may have a nutty taste. If dried, they will keep for a good long time.

 

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