CHICKWEED IS PLENTIFUL, NUTRITIOUS AND TASTY. THIS MILD FLAVORED PLANT IS A HEALTHY ADDITION TO ANY MEAL. Name: Chickweed (Stellaria media) Chickweed is a member of the pink family (Caryophyllaceae), which consists of between 83 to 89 genera (depending on which botanist you follow) and about 3,000 species worldwide. Stellaria media is one of the more common members of this family and is found globally. Description Chickweed is a weak-stemmed plant, barely able to support itself more than 6 inches or so off the ground. The plant is found sprawling low to the ground, usually in clumped, intertwi ..read more

IF YOU HAVE SKIN, YOU SHOULD GROW ALEO Name: ALOE  (Aloe spp.) Aloes are members of the Aloe genus, of which there are about 500 worldwide. Botanists classify aloes as a part of the large lily family.  In general, aloes are native to Africa and the Middle East. Description Aloe is so commonly available today that you have probably seen one at your local supermarket. If not, every garden supply shop and nursery sells them. The leaves are formed in a rosette of fleshy succulent, lance-shaped leaves, up to a foot and longer in length, with somewhat soft spines on the margins. The flower ..read more

GREAT IN SALADS,STIR-FRY AND AS A COFFEE SUBSTITUTE Name: Burdock  (Arctium minus) Also known as gobo root Burdock is a member of the sunflower family, one of the largest plant families in the world. There are at least 10 species of genus Arctium throughout Europe; Arctium minus is very common throughout North America. Description Burdock is a common wild plant in fields, farmlands and along trails. Someone seeing it for the first time may think they are looking at rhubarb. Burdock is a biennial, meaning that it takes two years to produce seed. In the first year, it produces a rosette of ..read more

AUSTRALIA’S KURRAJONG IS A SOURCE OF FOOD AND WATER Widely used as an ornamental in the United States, this tree’s seeds also make good food. Name: Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) DESCRIPTION The kurrajong is a medium-sized tree with oval-shaped leaves that are evergreen. The trunk is occasionally swollen or enlarged at the base. The fruit is a hard, little pod about 2 to 3 inches long that looks like a miniature wooden canoe. Inside the pod are about a dozen golden seeds, each covered with a fine fuzz. WHERE FOUND The kurrajong is native to Australia. The tree has been transplanted in ..read more

Wild Apples Popular and plentiful across the country and great for cooking and baking Name: Wild Apples Description Worldwide, there are about 25 species of the Malus genus, which includes all our domestic apples. According to botanists, all our apples come from the wild crab apple (Malus pumila) and two distinct forms—M. sylvestris (from northern Europe) and M. mitis (from southern and eastern Europe). The apple has been popular as far back in time as we have records and has been domesticated and cloned going back at least as far as ancient Roman times. According to the USDA, there are around ..read more

Wild Carrots These parsley family members provide a number of nutritional and medicinal benefits. Name: Wild Carrot(Daucus Carota) Wild carrot is a member of the parsley family (Apiaceae), which has about 300 genera worldwide and about 3,000 species. Many of these are cultivated for food, spice and medicine, but some are highly toxic. Never eat anything that looks carrot- or parsley-like if you haven’t positively identified it. There are about 20 species of Daucus worldwide. Description If you’ve ever grown carrots in your garden, you’ll recognize wild carrot in the field; it’ll typically be s ..read more

As the New Year is ushering in new challenges, American Survival Guide is bringing you new products to meet them. As always, we’ve selected quality items from trusted sources which, by themselves or paired together, will help you deal with whatever 2021 has to throw your way. From knives to accessories for your weapons to gear to keep you warm or organized, we think you’ll be able to find something to help you rise to the occasion. Zero Tolerance ZT0707 Folder Zero Tolerance made the all-new ZT0707 to be the ultimate EDC knife. Its long, slender design provides ample blade length, while the u ..read more

You can cut the (power) cord and still live the good life. Although it’s possible to live without electricity and still take advantage of using some technology, not many choose to do so in the first world’s urban environments, largely because cities aren’t set up for us to live self-reliantly. This means that if you choose to live without electricity and rely more on yourself, you have to find the ways to do so within your limitations. Or, you simply need to move to a more rural environment, where it’ll be much simpler to do so. To live ecologically and without electricity doesn’t necessarily ..read more

Someone else’s experiences can be a good supplement to your training. Along with many other writers, I fill the pages of American Survival Guide with useful information dealing with survival situations, gear and a host of other topics for preppers and survivalists. Two areas we cover a great deal are gear and skills. If you ask any one of us what we thought the best tool for survival was, I’m willing to bet most of us would say, “our brain”—more precisely, our ability to think and apply lessons to critical situations that we’ve learned along the way. About 90 percent of survival revolves arou ..read more

Perfect picks for prepper presents Time passes quickly. It seems as if just a few months ago, the clock was striking midnight and a new year was being ushered in, full of hope and optimism. Now, after blowing through month after month of calendar pages and more than our fair share of challenges, the holidays are fast approaching. You know what that means: It’s gift-giving time, American Survival Guide style! The needs and wants of our loved ones and friends are as diverse as the products available. From a compact kit that holds scores of survival tools to a handy dispenser of self-defense spra ..read more