Wild Food Foraging- Tree Bark- Cambium- Emergency Food

Sometimes, wild food sources can be scarce. Especially during the winter months. But did you know that many kinds of trees contain an emergency food source, which can be accessed all year round?
Certain trees contain an edible inner bark, known as cambium. The cambium layer in edible trees contains loads of starches, minerals, vitamins, and some sugars.
Knowing which trees to harvest from, and how to harvest them could save your life one day.
However, cambium is known as an emergency food. That means it should not be harvested under normal circumstances, because doing so can cause severe damage to the tree.
By far, the most popular tree for harvesting cambium from is the pine. Most pine species contain edible cambium, although not all. This is why it's good to thoroughly research the trees in your area so that you can become familiar with the edible species, and also the ones that aren't good to eat from.

[seigeengine]

This is actually the coolest thing about trees. The cambium is basically the living part of the tree, whereas the bark on the outside is like the protective outer skin layer, and the wood inside is like the bones.

[guidefisher]

Eating cambium raw will only provide the nutritional value from the juice, the bark itself is indigestible. However, roasting the cambium makes it digestible, and better tasting, kind of like potato chips.

[jeanettewaverly]

Here in the American West, there are old trees with scars on one side of their trunks where Indians once harvested the cambium during lean times. These are traditionally known as "squaw trees." I've always wondered how it was done and what it tasted like. Thanks for this very informative video!

[stellap.]

When you fried that cambium you made it look darn tasty! And that was a good tip about drinking the water afterward if you boil it. I hope I never find myself in a survival situation but it's nice to know that I could fall back on this if something did happen!

[dizzious]

How did I not know this? I've cut down thousands of pine trees and never knew the cambium was edible. Needles, wood, nuts, pitch, and now cambium... is there any part of the pine tree that isn't useful? What a wonderful species.

[XanaU]

I'm from Finland and as I started to watch this I was about to comment that we've made bread out of this but you mentioned it later in the video ^^, It's not commonly made in Finland, it was most used when farmers didn't get enough crop and they needed to survive so they added some cambium flour in the mix. Trees harvest is called "pettu" in finnish :P "pettuleipä"=bark bread

[trulyinfamous]

I love it when people show respect to trees. They are most likely older than you, so don't hurt them unless you are desperate.

[crfowlerutube]

Great responsible instruction on wild food. It was a VERY important warning to refrain from harvesting from the tree needlessly.

[ergile]

"don't do this unless its a survival situation"
"its an acquired taste for some"

[charlieredeemed]

Now I'll never go hungry. Gonna go eat me some trees.

[TigreCorazon]

Out of a few vids Ive watched now, you are the first to mention to use caution as not all cambium is edible and to do your research first (and in your pine needle tea too). **Subscribed** Thank you for being so informative!!

[plciferpffer]

This was a food source in Norway as well, in hash times.
Latest during WW 2.
This was used to make bread.
"Barkebrød"

[reflexreaction]

seems to me that the most efficient way is: step 1) either chew on it raw and spit it out or boil it and only drink the boiling water ("tea"). then after that roast a portion and eat some for the fiber which will have been broken down by the dry heat. it's important to do them separately because raw or boiled fiber is not digested well - yet on the other hand when you roast it you will kill too much of the nutrients. so it seems you gotta do both if you want the best of both.

[naxel]

I like he actually ate it instead of jus saying it like some videos. Thanks.

[SQLUniversity]

This was a truly informative how-to video, my deepest thanks! This one skill alone could save someone's life.

[belogio]

The Lorax ain't gunna like this video

[TheAmazingJimmy]

I think I'll go harvest all the cambium from my local park for dinner. Thanks.

[brandeedobson-sletto]

My mom died a couple of years ago, she taught me this when I was a kid while at the river.... thank you for that memory release and thank you for sharing.

[theurbanabo]

Very good video! Your editing and narration is very good. Thank you for the thorough information. :)

[JJr-cevv]

Thanks for sharing, eating elm tree bark can be found in some old Chinese stories, the flowers and young leaves of elm tree can also be food resources, but elm tree bark and root are always ready, in case of food become an issue.