hidden resources

[kengr]

An idea has come to me for hiding some things in plain sight.

I'm wondering if you can create a "food forest" and something similar in adjacent non forest areas (ie bushes and grasses) that would sustain a decent number of people, but still look "wild".

So it shouldn't look like (for example) an orchard or fields of crops. More intermixed and using plants that support each other (like the Native American "three sisters").

I'm thinking the pacific Northwest, and either the mountains and hills surrounding the Willamette Valley or maybe something up north of Spokane.

"Decent number" would be anything from a dozen to a hundred or so.

I'm pretty sure it could be done, but I don't have a clue about which plants that are native or at least seem to be common "wild" introduced species would be involved.

do note that I'm looking for a varied, balanced diet . Preferably one that can get them by with minimal hunting. But besides food, other resources (crafting materials, some construction materials and firewood) should be sustainably harvestable.

Yeah,, not asking much.

Comments

[siliconshaman]

Should work... you'd have to pay careful attention to planting so you don't do it in to regular a pattern.

There are patterns of planting still from when people did something similar in the amazon, and it's taken years for them to be recognised as man made.

[kengr]

Well, it helps that the sort of terrain likely to be involved won't be flat. Or at least not for large stretches. So between topography, sun/shade, soil types and water distribution, it'd likely make sense to plant things where the conditions are best for them.

Things like the (invasive) Himalayan blackberries are more a case of keeping them from taking over everything else. :-)

And with at least one native plant folks who don't know the area *thoroughly* are at least as like to poison themselves as get food. (Camas vs Death Camas)

[stickmaker]

IIRC, the Pre-Columbian Californians actually farmed their forests. Primarily, they harvested and processed acorns on a huge scale. There is some evidence they actually planted oaks in ways which would help with this in a generation or two.

Of course, they also ate a lot of other things from the forest besides acorn flour.