Linking EA

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Need to post this to link to EA.

[Survival] Edible Plants Test

Here is some information (with some notations) regarding survivability in the wilderness. Apparently the pared down (without my notations) version is available as the new test in the USAF ejector seat manuals. Wanted to document it, so I wrote it up and am going to post it here.

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Plant Edibility Test

Rules of Eight

Your Senses Can Identify an Unknown Plant's Edibility

SIGHT

1. First look for plant parts that contain high energy

a. Fruit

b. Seeds, grains or nuts

c. Roots, bulbs or tubers

2. Never Test:

a. Fungi (mushrooms, mold, etc.)

b. Seeds in Pods (beans, peas, etc.)

c. Plants with umbrella shaped flowers (dill, hemlock, etc.)

d. Plants with milky sap (poinsettia, poison oak, etc.)

e. Shiny/glossy leaf plants (many tropical house plants, poison oak, etc.)

SMELL

1. Stop the test if:

a. unpleasant odor is present

b. plant is moldy or musty

c. unusual odor is present

2. If there is an almond scent, STOP TESTING.

SKIN

1. Place the juice of the plant on the outer lip for 8 minutes.

(This is the fleshy part of the lip just outside the dark part of your lip or lip ridge. It has sensitive skin and is far enough away that the juice won't reach your mouth)

2. If reaction occurs, STOP TESTING.

3. If no reaction occurs, move onto the next test.

TASTE

1. Taste a small amount of the plant juice.

2. Chew a small pinch of the plant and leave it in your mouth for 8 minutes.

3. If an unpleasant taste or reaction occurs, STOP TESTING.

4. If no reaction occurs, swallow.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

1. After swallowing, wait 8 hours.

2. If no reaction occurs, then:

3. Chew a handful of the plant, swallow, and wait 8 hours.

4. If no reaction occurs, consider the plant part edible.

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Remember that this is no substitution for actual plant knowledge and just and additional tool to use in survival situations! :)

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And an update for those couple of you that follow me and haven't heard from me in ages :

I flew out two months after Morgan went back from her trip here to visit me and we drove across the country together in a pretty awesome experience. She now lives with me and we are ecstatically happy. Life is very awesome right now. :)