Get Out There! Flint & Steel Fire & Plant ID...

Hi Folks, I was able to get out there for a few hours prior to this current deluge of life giving rain, and had some time to share my outing with you. In my previous thread on "Getting Out There", I was tracking down some morels, and creating fire with (still unknown volatile bark) & ferro rod, as well as creating some charcloth, which is going to be the focus of starting this outing's fire..

On the short hike to the pit area, I was able to gather a few more of these lovelies :



Morels

Along the way, after passing by this beautiful mountain stream:

Stream

I found out I wasn't the only one enjoying the warmth of the springtime sun, say hello to my little friend!

Garter Snake

Also along the way was this mystery plant, with pretty distinguished leaves, whenever I stumble upon a different plant, I like to take a photo so once I get home, I can scour the interwebs for info as well as my guides, to try and pinpoint ID and add to the knowledge base, always a good habit to get into IMO. Perhaps I will get lucky this time and someone here can let me know what this is :

Mystery Plant

One plant I was able to Pos ID was the Wild Ginger plant, i figured it was in this area, but until now I haven't been able to locate it, not anymore, here's a couple of pics of the plant:



Wild Ginger

Now onto the fire, as mentioned earlier, the goal this time was to use the flint & steel method with the charcloth created on the last outing, to create an ember, which would be placed into cedar bark and grass tinder bundle, blown into flame, then add the kindling, fuel to create the sustainable fire. For the steel, I just used part of an old file, and the flint was actually quartzite. It took a few minutes to get all the variables correct, good sharp edge on the quartzite, properly positioned charcloth, and the lucky spark that landed on the char igniting the ember. I need more practice for sure, but that's why I was out there.. Here's the fire deal in pics...

Firelay

When the ground is very damp, it's good to build up a platform or base to give your fire the best chance of becoming sustainable, it's quick and easy, and just something to practice so it becomes second nature when you are considering your conditions.

Tinder Bundle, Charcloth, File & Quartzite

Tinder bundle ignited, kindling added

And the fire is on it's way, sorry about not having pics of striking the spark, or blowing the tinder bundle into flame, but my multi tasking is limited, both were two hands on deals for this novice. Well that's about it for this installment, if you folks get the chance pleas tune into Bushcraft on Fire Radio Show, Thursday's 8-11PM EST part of the ATS Live family of shows, where the crew discusses survival basics and try to get more folks interested in "Getting Out There!!!"

I hope everyone get's the chance to experience nature in all it's glory very, very soon!

Nice Sir.

In my other life, I was a forest ranger.... lived out doors!

The older I get, the less I get into the woods.

But, your thread here as regeneated me to do such, since I live next doors to woods.....

I will see what we can come up with. May Apple for sure, started to grow already.

a reply to: anon72

Fantastic!! You won't regret the time spent out there, I think it's what is missing from folks' daily lives..

Enjoy!!!

a reply to: JacKatMtn

AND, I just saw this. PUMP coming warning:

if you folks get the chance pleas tune into Bushcraft on Fire Radio Show, Thursday's 8-11PM EST part of the ATS Live family of shows, where the crew discusses survival basics and try to get more folks interested in "Getting Out There!!!"

Will try the show out this week. Thanks again.

edit on 4/29/2014 by anon72 because: (no reason given)

Excellent thread. I have some research to do now. That is the best picture of wild ginger I have seen in my research on this plant. We are supposed to have it here, but I just didn't know what it looked like. I have seen plants like this here, I will have to research this more.

The other plant looks like it's related to the hosta. I want the morrells. Imagine that and without a pig. n reply to: rickymouse

a reply to: rickymouse

Here's a helpful video on wild ginger, the lady goes into the uses, however, when researching plants, always seek out as much information as possible, don't fall prey to using a single source for anything.. There are some potential benefits and some concerns as well from a brief scouring of available information, so for now, I'll just jot this one down as a known plant, with much more research to do before I would consider utilizing. YMMV, but I always try to err on the side of caution when dealing with new species of wild plants. baby steps

originally posted by: AutumnWitch657
The other plant looks like it's related to the hosta. I want the morrells. Imagine that and without a pig. n reply to: rickymouse

I have spent a few hours trying to track down an ID on the mystery plant, but so far .. no luck, I may have to check it out in a couple of weeks to see if it flowers, that might give me a better clue..

Having had my fill of the morels gathered so far, I needed to preserve them. After the trimming, slicing, I toss them into a container, add a touch of salt, fill with enough water so that when a plate is placed on top, it keeps them all submerged for a final cleanse. I usually toss that in the fridge overnight, then rinse.

I lay them out on a paper towel to absorb as much of the water..




Then I lay them out on a dehydrator tray, in this case, I needed only use one since I have consumed most of them already



After a few hours, the dehydration is complete, and I can save them for future use...



If you have any other preserving methods for these tasty treats, please share

If it flowers with small blue or light purplish white flowers on tall spikes it's definitely related to the hosts. I grow them. I have quite a collection as they sport different color combinations on the leaves. I have green with white, yellow green, blue green. Dark green with yellow markings. Some are long slender spear like leaves some are rounder heart shapes leaves, I have two giant versions one with blade shaped dark blue green leaves and one with heart shaped leaves that are medium green with dark blue green markings similar to the one on your photo only much larger. Since there are so many different hosts breeds it seemed safe to put this plant in that family. Here is a website dedicated to the shade loving plants . You can search by color or size.

www.bridgewoodgardens.com... r reply to: JacKatMtn

You didn't say where you live. Can I find these in Virginia coastal forests? a reply to: JacKatMtn

Now you done it. I showed the wife your thread.......

Well, I had gotten her a new Nikon camera over the winter and boy she is now itching to get it
in the woods to show everyone what we have going on here in Central PA.

I am working w/ my neighbor to get his Trail cam pics of the four bears we have around. I never see them, as I don't feed them and the dogs....

Anyway, you ignited a fire in us Jack. Let's see how it goes.

(I am excited about a chestnut and walnut trees we found recently. Always a good hang out for the animals).

Here is where my students were standing when they swore to me they would starve...







I educated them...

originally posted by: semperfortis
Here is where my students were standing when they swore to me they would starve...

I educated them...

Please educate me. What are we looking at that is edible? I spend a lot of time in the forrest.

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

Mayapples.....

When they produce fruit, it can be eaten in small amounts.. Very nutritious...

Leaves, stems and roots... NO

a reply to: semperfortis

I have a BOAT LOAD of them behind my house (I had mentioned them in my frist post).

The wife found an old ........ "settelers handbook" and in there is a couple of ideas for
doing them up.

Apparently they were a mainstay to the original indians in the area. More when we do them up.

Star for the nice pics@!

a reply to: semperfortis

Do I see some young pokeweed near the mayapples?

a reply to: anon72

That's good to hear, I certainly hope you enjoy yourselves, and please share some PA with us

a reply to: JacKatMtn

Lots of Polk, Wild Lettuce, Wild Onions, Garlic, Young Blackberries and more

a reply to: semperfortis

What?! No Burger King! No wonder they thought food was nonexistent..