I often joke to my daughter when she objects to my tree cutting habits that
the day she lives on acorns and pinecones is the day I will stop cutting
them and replacing them with fruit trees. Plants For a
Future(http:www.scs.leeds.ac.uk./pfaf/index.html) states there are over
20000 edible species worldwide including 6900 that grow in temperate zones
though most are not what we are used to or would want to eat. They have
1600 of the most promising and common types in trial gardens in England. In
these parts the legendary year without a summer 1816 with a killing frost
every month forced those who wanted to live into the woods for barks,
roots, etc. A mister totally natural could cheaply, but probably not
lazily live by foraging the forest, but I am putting my bets on a Forest
Garden a la Robert Hart. Buying . planting, and caring for edible trees and
shrubs I find quite enjoyable. More difficult is to learn the herbs and
perenials for their companions and culinary use. Often while working ,
planting and replanting lettuce beds all summer I wonder if there are not
more perenials with edible leaves for my climate but find little
information in that area. The few I have tried hardly substitute for a
crisp romaine salad so I am left with my assortment of vegtable beds, and
techniques. more and more trees until a balance comes of effort expended to
needed return.
JVH zone 4 southern NH
