MOST OF US DREAM OF BECOMING A LITTLE more self-sufficient. That might mean something as simple as growing basil in the kitchen window or as complicated as canning all of the vegetables you’ll eat for the year. For my family,it means building 4’ x 8’ raised garden beds on our small backyardin southeast Wyoming and learning how to grow heat-loving plants like tomatoes and peppers at 7,220 feet. It means spending April and May chasing turkeys through the woods and raising seedlings that we’ll move outdoors when the frosts are gone. It also means thoughtfully eating what wild game remains in our freezer from the fall before. But after a dozen or more years eating almost exclusively wild game, we found ourselves in a rut. My husband and I skillfully slice, package and freeze roasts, stew meat, steaks and hamburger, and most years we make our own sausage. It wasn’t until I interviewed California wild game chef and wild food forager Hank Shaw that I truly considered the many ways I could expand our wild game repertoire. I never thought about salvaging and eating the kidneys, for example, or shanks as something other than a hassle that ends in the grinder. We use the pages of this magazine to go through the best ways to preserve the meats and vegetables you’ll eat throughout the year. We also offer some ingenious, albeit labor- intensive, ways to make your own tools for harvesting wild foods. Think of this issue as your guide for beginning a more sustainable life, or continuing your journey to sustainability. I know I will be following many of these ideas for years to come.
SURVIVE&THRIVE OFF THE GRID
Gardening & Foraging • So often we overcomplicate planting, harvesting and foraging for foods. Learn how to make it easier on these pages.
Plant Once, Harvest Forever • Create a permanent, low-maintenance garden with perennial fruits and vegetables.
How to Help Your Garden Grow
Foraging Made Easy • Start in your backyard, go slow and learn before you taste.
Common Wild Plants
Getting Started Collecting Wild Foods
A Simple Guide to Mushroom Hunting
Extending Your Season • Greenhouses and other covered structures allow you to plant earlier and harvest later.
Gardening for the Future • Saving seeds, composting and other proven ways to boost the health of your crops.
Common Plants for Your Garden
Food Preservation • Finding, growing and harvesting food are just the beginning. Learn how to store it for months, or even years.
Create Your Own Root Cellar • With the right type of storage you can enjoy seasonal produce all year long.
Going the Distance • Some vegetables store better than others. Know what keeps well and why.
Canning for Beginners • Preserve your stores long after the harvest season.
Freeze-Drying vs. Dehydrating • Weighing the pros and cons of each method.
Make Wild-Game Jerky (And Other Meat Snacks) • It’s not as hard as you think, and will be worth the time and effort.
Butchering • The work begins when an animal falls. Learn how best to care for its meat and hide.
The Other Cuts • Think outside the traditional butchering box with these tasty alternatives.
Getting the Hang of It • The benefits of dry aging, when to begin butchering and why hanging meat matters.
Upping Your Game: Must-Try Recipes
Your Animal Is Down, Now What? • Time is of the essence when it comes to field dressing wild game.
Avoid Getting Sick From Common Wildlife Diseases
Learn How to Tan Hides • Saving your animal’s skin not only prevents waste, it also create a source of comfort and warmth.
Building Tools • Learn how to make a knife, craft a bow, set a trap line or load your own ammunition.
Ready, Set, Reload • Be...
