Optimal Foraging in the Mandala

Dandelion root tea (dailyhit.com).

Preston LaFarge - UNT Anthropology Major

The group theme for this mandala observation was nutrition. We as a class had just read a chapter on the fundamentals of human nutrition as well as a section on optimal foraging strategies.
In previous observations I had noticed wild edible plants in my mandala but with the theme of nutrition I was curious what was available and how would I actually eat these plants. I know from previous experience that wild edible plants have comparable and often superior nutritional make-ups compared to their cultivated relatives, but domestication was may have been more about quantity than quality of food. Maybe cultivated plants are lacking nutrients comparatively but they have certain characteristics that have been selected for that allows faster more uniform harvest.

Wild plants also have characteristics that influence decision making in a forager. That is what an optimal foraging strategy is all about. Plant’s characteristics and how they relate to time of gathering, nutrients spent, nutrients gained, seasonality, and depletion are important considerations.

In my mandala I observed 7 wild edible plants, they are:

1. Dandelions
2. Wild Plum
3. Yucca
4. Henbit
5. Clover
6. Acorn
7. Mesquite

Dandelions are a highly nutritious weed with tender leaves, edible flowers, and tap roots.

Pros: dandelions are weedy. They grow everywhere, so they have abundance on their side. They are high in vitamins and minerals, so they are nutritious. Multiple parts of the plant are edible, so harvesting does not necessarily kill the entire plant. The leaves are edible raw so processing time is minimal. Their seasonality is long. Dandelions will grow until there is snow on the ground.
Cons: the distribution can be variable. Patches of dandelion can be random. Harvesting leaves is somewhat intensive; it requires bending down and picking individual leaves. There is also a chance for depletion. There needs to be a system of harvesting limits of leaves so that the plant does not die. The plant is also low in calories so it cannot be a staple.