Surviving and Thriving in the Utah Desert

Рет қаралды 1,291

Күн бұрын

This is the second movie in my survival challenge series. Using minimal gear during late spring 2023, I headed to a new spot in the Utah desert to see if I could survive and thrive on the edible plants of the region. This high desert location is a new spot to me. To thrive, I need to find a sustainable water source, create a warm shelter, and locate wild plants that will sustain me for my survival foraging trip. In addition, I will need to cook any wild plants to an edible state for consumption. Please watch my video to see how I did.
Disclaimer: As always, please remember to do your own extensive research before using any plans for consumption or medicine. Do not rely on any of my videos for positive identification. If you find written sources from credentialed authors, you can develop the knowledge and confidence to safely engage in foraging. I am an amateur ethnobotanist myself, so everyone can forage safely and confidently if they are willing to put in the time to develop an “expertise” derived from expert sources.
00:00 Intro
2:15 Shelter
3:17 Search for Edibles
8:32 Water
9:01 Friction Fire
15:24 Search for Edibles, Part 2
21:38 Edibles Prep
27:47 Sleeping by the Fire
30:35 Campfire Story 1
32:01 Campfire Story 2
35:08 Waking up the Second morning/Breakfast

Пікірлер: 42

@sheilam4964 5 ай бұрын

I really enjoyed this vid. Thx for doing this, filming it and sharing it with us. 👍👍👍👍👍

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for your kind words!

@cyanyeti1556 5 ай бұрын

I love what your doing

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the encouragement!

@presentjourney 5 ай бұрын

Love this video! I'll keep checking back on your channel to hopefully see more videos!

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching. I am going to try to release content on a more regular basis.

@backwoodstrails 5 ай бұрын

Fantastic video, I enjoy your knowledge of the plants. Your bed appears to be about as comfortable as a Motel 6 bed. The rock reflector wall will certainly work better than all the log fire reflectors seen out there.

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Haha! Yes, I have had the profound misfortune of spending numerous nights in cheap hotels. One advantage that my natural bed has over an uncomfortable mattress is the joy of the fire serving as a wonderful companion through the night. :)

@BCVS777 5 ай бұрын

I just finished the book you suggested “The secret knowledge of water”. There is something truly poetic and maybe even spiritual about desert water! This may be something only desert travelers appreciate. Thanks

@KHbanjo 5 ай бұрын

Sir you are so down to earth and knowledgeable. Thanks for sharing with us.

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for your kind feedback!

@mikerandle5713 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for not editing out the failures.

@bertnerny 5 ай бұрын

Awesome video, thank you. Sorry to hear about your dad.

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for the kind words!

@BCVS777 5 ай бұрын

Excellent close up views of each plant. In my local area of the SW we call those rain catch water pools “Tinaja’s”. Making friction fire is an accomplishment for sure…congratulations!

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind feedback! Thanks for mentioning the more interesting regional term, “tinaja”. That is definitely a preferable term to “ephemeral pool”. You mentioning the term reminds me of one of the best books I have ever read, Craig Childs “The Secret Knowledge of Water”. Have you had a chance to read it? It is absolutely extraordinary.

@BCVS777 5 ай бұрын

@@rockymountainedibles3593 I have not read it but I will. Thanks

@Riverbugger 28 күн бұрын

Hello, Great channel and glad I came across it. Love identifying medicinal and wild edibles. Been on many walks and classes with Christopher Nyerges who is a friend and has written many books on this topic. Thanks for sharing your knowledge as well! Keep up the great videos!! Enjoying the survival mixed in with the primitive skills and plant identification!!

@starmhz1 4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the video. It is just what I needed help me learn more about plants.

@bertnerny 5 ай бұрын

By the way, i know life gets busy but I hope you can keep putting videos out more frequently than you have the last few years. I know this year you’ve been more consistent but I can’t help but think that you could have a big following with continued consistency.👍🏼

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Great feedback! I do need to try to release content on a more regular schedule. I am trying to edit another video to be released in 3-4 weeks and few other short ones after that.

@bertnerny 5 ай бұрын

@@rockymountainedibles3593 cool, I’m looking forward to them.

@noonenowhere6920 5 ай бұрын

Howdy neighbor. Fantastic video. I'm from New Mexico. 4 corners area. I recognize all of these plants. Spring is coming soon. I look forward to foraging some new flavors.

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! I am so excited about the arrival of spring and the prospect of the foraging opportunities. Glad to hear that you are familiar with the plants in the video! Have you had a chance to forage for Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppy mallow)? That is a plant which grows in abundance in New Mexico more on the northeastern part of the state. I have not yet done a video about it but I hope to soon.

@noonenowhere6920 5 ай бұрын

@@rockymountainedibles3593 no, can't say I have. There are about 7 or 8 plants I've had a lot of experience with. Really basic stuff. Cattails, dandelion, prickly pear... Stuff like that. Looking to expand my knowledge and diet.

@bradlafferty 5 ай бұрын

Great vid! I learned about some things, and I really enjoyed the campfire stories! Thanks!

@MoniMeka 4 ай бұрын

That Indian Bread Root reminds me of Blue Boonet! 😊

@starmhz1 4 ай бұрын

Yeah me too. I'm also afraid I would get parsley confused with poison hemlock. That would be my luck.

@angieurban2069 Ай бұрын

Excellent video! I think I’d like to try the spiderwort and Indian bread root. Could you have also made juniper leaf tea?

@bertnerny 5 ай бұрын

I’d like to try all of the plants you ate. Spider wort and smopterus sound interesting because I believe it’s important to eat greens as well.

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Yes, both of those are great options. Cymopterus (springparsley) is one of the most enjoyable plants to eat if it is earlier in the springtime.

@GIITW.5OKC 5 ай бұрын

39:22 Definitely spiderwort, Living in the SLC valley Sego Lily is easy to come by. When hiking around I'd often chew on the Mormon Tea Grass Opens up my sinuses and I don't really mind the flavor. Never tried it as tea, been trying to grow some for a couple years to no avail, however my Banana Yucca is thriving.

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Awesome! Spiderwort is delicious!! I also enjoy chewing on the Mormon Tea leaves. Banana Yucca is an incredible plant. Have you ever tried the fruits on those? Thanks for the comment and thanks so much for watching!

@GIITW.5OKC 5 ай бұрын

@@rockymountainedibles3593 I have not, at the time I picked the single fruit I had no idea how to prepare it. Instead I let it dry out and planted 1/3 of the pod, I got about 5 plants out of that. So there will be more fruit to come in a 2-3 years. Really looking forward to it. How would you prepare it? Grilling is what I see as the most common.

@naesews 2 ай бұрын

This might be a long shot but at this point i'm asking everybody. Any ideas on cheap motorhomes /tiny houses for a young pregnant couple? We are in Colorado and need any help we can get. They need stability and a camper is all they can afford to buy. Anyone reading this, thank you for your time.

@Addicted2outdoors 5 ай бұрын

Have you ever shared some “Herb” around the campfire?

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Haha. No, but it has been offered to me. 😂

@R.E.A.P 4 ай бұрын

My wife and I want to learn more about living off the land, I'm wondering, do you have a course or a recommendation?

@rocktalk4stonedeaf 5 ай бұрын

I would try the spider wort and your interesting soup. About what altitude where you at 6500'? I know you don't want to give away locations.

@rockymountainedibles3593 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! Yes, you are correct my elevation varied between 6200’ and 6500’. There are a few species of both the Cymopterus and Lomatium genera which grow throughout much of Utah.