foraging
Seeking wild edibles
Foraging is searching for food in the wild—gathering plants, hunting small game, or scavenging what nature provides.
The word applies to animals and humans alike: Squirrels spend autumn foraging for acorns.
It extends to any rummaging search: She was foraging through the fridge for leftovers.
Urban foraging has revived interest in finding edible plants in cities and parks.
Casual examination of options
- scavengingGathering discarded or dead material
- predationHunting and consuming prey
- herbivorePlant-only consumer
- frugivoreAnimal eating mainly fruit
nectar · pollen · hoarding · caching · tracking · instinct · territory · migration
Wilderness survival skill set
- self-sufficiencyIndependence from outside aid
- subsistenceMinimal means of living
- scavengingGathering discarded or dead material
- resourcefulnessAbility to solve problems creatively
survivalism · prepping · endurance · resilience · preparedness · ingenuity · hardiness · shelter
Spore-bearing fruiting bodies
- berriesSmall fleshy fruits
- nutsSeeds in shells
- herbsPlants for seasoning
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
greens · seeds · basket · harvest · edible · wildcrafting · botanical · medicinal
Organism's natural environment
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
indigenous · native · invasive · understory · woodland · meadow · wetland · hedgerow
Not domesticated or controlled
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
- localOf this area
- farm-to-tableDirect producer-to-diner philosophy
- artisanalMade by skilled craftspeople
chef · restaurant · gastronomy · terroir · flavor · ingredient · cuisine · tasting
browsing
Casual examination of options
- scavengingGathering discarded or dead material
- predationHunting and consuming prey
- herbivorePlant-only consumer
frugivore · nectar · pollen · hoarding · caching · tracking · instinct · territory · migration · feeding
bushcraft
Wilderness survival skill set
- self-sufficiencyIndependence from outside aid
- subsistenceMinimal means of living
- scavengingGathering discarded or dead material
resourcefulness · survivalism · prepping · endurance · resilience · preparedness · ingenuity · hardiness · shelter · wilderness
mushrooms
Spore-bearing fruiting bodies
roots · greens · seeds · basket · harvest · edible · wildcrafting · botanical · medicinal · fungi
habitat
Organism's natural environment
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
seasonal · indigenous · native · invasive · understory · woodland · meadow · wetland · hedgerow · permaculture
wild
Not domesticated or controlled
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
- localOf this area
- farm-to-tableDirect producer-to-diner philosophy
artisanal · chef · restaurant · gastronomy · terroir · flavor · ingredient · cuisine · tasting · recipe
- animal behavioranimal behavior, instincts, learned behavior, conditioning, social behavior
- animal behaviorsswimming, running, walking, jumping, flying
- Wild Foodswild berries, wild mushrooms, wild greens, wild honey, wild strawberries
- Bushcraftfire starting, shelter building, water purification, animal tracking, knot tying
- feeding behaviorsfilter feeding, browsing, scavenging, carnivory, herbivory
- indigenous lifewaysthree sisters, tribal customs, pemmican, wild rice, fishing practices
foragingfarming
Cultivating land for food
agriculture · cultivation · animal husbandry · ranching · gardening
foragingstockpiling
Accumulating supplies in quantity
hoarding · storing · provisioning · food storage · preserving
- foraging trip
- mushroom foragingSearching woods for edible fungi
- urban foragingCollecting wild edibles in cities
- forest foragingGathering food from woodlands
- wild foragingHarvesting uncultivated edibles
forage, grazing, foray, fodder, scavenge, foraged, forager, forages, foragers