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Food prices have gone up by at least 15 percent from October 2021 to October 2023. As a self-sufficient prepper, this means finding different ways to save on your grocery bills without sacrificing taste and nutrient value. If you don’t want to spend money, winter foraging is one way to add more supplies to your prepper pantry for free.(h/t toSimpleFamilyPreparedness.com)

There are many benefits of learning how to forage, such as getting free food in the form of wild edibles. Foraging can also be fun for the whole family. It’s also a good way to exercise, and foraging is one way to reconnect with nature.

And while foraging in winter seems harder compared to foraging in late summer, thereare still plenty of wild edibles to harvest once you know where to look.

When SHTF, knowing how to forage year-round can also help you find food after the stores run out of supplies.

Winter is the hardest time to find wild food, but its not impossible. When youre foraging, only harvest plants and mushrooms that you are sure are safe to eat. Don’t go foraging without taking some classes or reviewing reference materials to avoid poisoning yourself and your family if you make a mistake.

Avoid these dangerous mistakes by using detailed guides or signing up for foraging or survival classes. You can also forage with a more experienced prepper so they can teach you as you harvest.

Whether you’re winter foraging or hunting for wild edibles in spring or summer, you should always forage in a way thats good for the environment. This means only taking what you need and leaving enough food for wildlife and future harvests.

Try following therule of thirds. This means only taking a third, leaving one-third for the wildlife and leaving one-third to grow back or reproduce.

If you’re not sure where to start, harvest fruits, nuts and leaves. Nuts and fruits can generally be harvested in abundance without causing any harm. Meanwhile, roots, shoots and tubers require the proper understanding of plants and their life cycles to ensure a sustainable harvest. Acorns

Oak trees drop lots of acorns, and they’re one of the most overlooked wild edibles to forage in winter. You can find them on the forest floor or lurking beneath the snow cover around the base of the oak tree.

Once you get rid of the tannins, acorns can be turned into flour. Beechnuts

Beechnuts are tiny but full of flavor. You can eat them raw or roasted.

Beechnutscan be collected in the fall to use throughout winter. Theyre full of fat and protein, making them a great snack when it’s cold. Chickweed

Chickweed is a hardy winter plant that grows almost anywhere. It should be ready to harvest when the snow melts. Chicory root

Chicory root has a strong, earthy flavor and can be used as a coffee substitute when roasted and ground. Crabapples

Crabapples get sweeter and full of pectin as winter goes on and they are great in desserts, jellies and syrups.

Many crabapple varieties stay on the tree into winter, and the fruit gets sweeter with time.

Crabapples can survive cold temperatures better than regular apples and you can usually find them clinging onto their branches well into the winter season. Cranberries

Wild cranberries can be foraged from late fall to early winter, especially in boggy areas. You can also find some under the snow in winter.

The berries are tart and add a vibrant flavor to dishes, from sauces to baked goods. Daisy greens

Daisy greens are a nutritious and edible wintergreen. Theyre a bit bitter, like other leafy greens, and are great for winter salads. Dandelions

Dandelions haveedible leaves, roots and flowers.

In winter, dandelion leaves are milder. The leaves are great in salads or cooked like spinach. Goosefoot seeds

Goosefoot or wild quinoa produces seeds that are a great alternative to expensive quinoa often sold in stores.

Goosefoot seeds are high in protein and can be used in various dishes, from stews to wraps. Hop hornbeam seeds

Hop hornbeam trees produce nutty seeds. Pick these seeds and use them like you would grains or nuts in different dishes.

The seeds are great in bread or as cereal. Lightly toasting them brings out their flavor even more, so add them to give salads or homemade granola a natural crunch.(Related: Tips for responsibly and safely foraging and hunting for food.) Jerusalem artichoke

Jerusalem artichokes or sunchokes are tubers that you can dig throughout winter. They are nutty and sweet, and a versatile ingredient.

Roast Jerusalem artichokes to make a caramelized treat. You can also boil and mash them, or slice them raw into salads for some crunch. Jerusalem artichokes are delicious and a natural source of iron and potassium. Nettles

Nettles are a winter favorite, especially in milder climates.

Nettles are full of vitamins and minerals. You can use them like other tender greens once you cook them to remove the sting.

Use nettles for soups, stews or as steamed greens. Oyster mushrooms

In winter, oyster mushrooms will grow on the sides of trees and are easy to spot because of their unique shape.

Oyster mushrooms are tender, slightly sweet and full of protein and vitamins. Serve oyster mushrooms sauteed, add them to various dishes like stir-fries, or use them to make creamy pasta sauces. Pine nuts

Pine nuts have a buttery flavor, especially when toasted. Add pine nuts to pasta, pesto or salads.

Pine nuts are also a good source of energy and healthy fats and they are a great addition to your winter diet.However, you should make sure youre picking from trees that are safe to eat from.

Pine nutsare an early winter forage item because squirrels love them and will gather as many as they can find before winter sets in. Purple dead nettle

Purple dead nettle is easy to spot. Just look for its purple tops, even in winter.

Purple dead nettle is a littlebitter but it mixes well with other greens.

Dry it out for homemade smoothies. You can also use purple dead nettle to make a healing salve that can help with inflammation and allergies.

Purple dead nettle can also be used to dye wool a beautiful spring green. Watercress

You can find watercress growing near streams and rivers.

Watercress adds a fresh, peppery flavor to any dish. You can often find it all year round and is high in nutrients.

Watercress is remarkably spicy, making it a great green for winter meals like soups and stews. Wild violet

Like other common plants, wild violets are beautiful and a versatile ingredient.Wild violet leaves and flowers are edible and will add a lovely dashof color and a sweet, floral flavor to winter salads or desserts.

If you love to bake, use wild violet flowers for decorating cakes and other desserts. Use the heart-shaped leaves to add a mild, sweet taste to salad greens.

Learn how to forage so you can find wild edibles even in winter.

VisitGreenLivingnews.comfor more useful foraging tips.

Watch the video below for more foraging tips.

This video is from theNon-Toxic Home channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories:

Food supply tips: How to forage for edible nuts for your survival stockpile.

Protect yourself against food shortage with these useful prepping practices.

Prepper pharmacy: 17 Medicinal plants you can grow indoors year-round.

Sources include:

SimpleFamilyPreparedness.com

RobinGreenfield.org

Brighteon.com
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Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

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Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

Boston Red Sox SS prospect Marcelo Mayer is getting the call to the major leagues, as starting 3B Alex Bregman (calf) is headed to the injured list. Fantasy managers should not expect Mayer, 22, to replace Bregman’s excellent numbers (.938 OPS), but he should see opportunity for playing time over the likes of Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro. Mayer is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he has played second base and third base at Triple-A Worcester as well this season.

Ranked No. 6 in Kiley McDaniels’ recently updated top 50 prospect rankings, Mayer hit .265/.342/.465 over 43 games and 193 plate appearances at Triple-A, with 9 home runs, 43 RBI and 2 stolen bases. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 amateur draft, Mayer hits left-handed, makes solid contact and drew a 10.4% walk rate this season. There is power upside, but as with most prospects, fantasy managers should keep initial expectations well in check.

Everyone loves the prospects until they reach the majors and alter their narrative (as most do). Chicago Cubs rookie IF Matt Shaw struggled earlier this season and was sent back to Triple-A, though he has returned to the majors. Arizona Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar remains hitless in the majors this season. New Red Sox teammate Kristian Campbell is hitting .225 with a 27% strikeout rate. Hitting big league pitching can be problematic even for long-time veterans. In ESPN’s shallow standard leagues, with no middle infield spot and only nine active hitting spots, it is tough to make an argument to rush out and add Mayer. At the time of the promotion announcement, he was available in 94% of ESPN standard leagues.

Those needing to replace Bregman at third base should look at the Texas RangersJosh Jung and Jake Burger, and the Philadelphia PhilliesAlec Bohm, proven players with job security. For those looking at adding Mayer as their shortstop, Angels star Zach Neto somehow remains available in 71% of leagues, and he certainly comes recommended over Mayer, as does Colorado Rockies starter Ezequiel Tovar. Mayer will likely hit near the bottom of the Boston lineup. If he hits well, he might move up, and he might keep his roster spot even when Bregman returns to health.

It is exciting when one of the top prospects in the sport earns a promotion, but hitting a baseball against top pitching can be challenging for all. Those in deeper formats can make a better case to add Mayer and hope for the best.

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Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

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Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

The Boston Red Sox are calling up infielder Marcelo Mayer, the No. 6 prospect in baseball and a central part of their future who they hope can play a role in their push for a postseason berth this year, sources told ESPN.

Mayer, 22, who has excelled at shortstop as he ascended through the Red Sox’s farm system after they took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, is likely to get playing time with All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman expected to land on the injured list after leaving Friday’s game with right quadriceps tightness.

At Triple-A Worcester, where Mayer was hitting .271/.347/.471 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 43 games, he played four games at third base. Mayer also could see time at shortstop, with Trevor Story in a profound monthlong slump.

The arrival of Mayer marks the second of Boston’s big three prospects, with Kristian Campbell earning the second-base job in spring training. After a hot start, Campbell has slumped likewise and is hitting .225/.321/.369. The third of the group, outfielder Roman Anthony, is the No. 1 prospect in MLB, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and is hitting .323/.455/.513 with six home runs and 18 RBIs at Triple-A.

The loss of Bregman, who is hitting .299/.385/.553 in his first year with the Red Sox, takes an MVP-caliber bat out of a lineup that has struggled. The Red Sox lost first baseman Triston Casas for the season to a ruptured tendon in his left knee and have struggled to find a productive fill-in, amplifying calls for the team to reach into its significant minor league depth.

Boston has taken Mayer’s development slowly, with injuries limiting him to 91 games in 2022, 78 games in 2023 and 77 games last year. He is a career .273/.360/.466 hitter in 315 minor league games and projects to be a middle-of-the-order bat and Boston’s long-term solution at shortstop.

Bregman’s contract includes an opt-out after the 2025 season, opening the possibility of a shift to third for Mayer. At 6-foor-3 and 190 pounds, he has both the size and the arm strength typically sought for the position. But his glove at shortstop is regarded as above average, and Boston could opt to move Story off the position for Mayer or Ceddanne Rafaela, who also plays center field for the Red Sox.

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Cora: Bregman moving closer to possible IL stint

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Cora: Bregman moving closer to possible IL stint

BOSTON — Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman could be nearing a trip to the injured list after leaving Friday’s game with right quadriceps tightness, manager Alex Cora said.

“He’s getting an MRI. He’s sore,” Cora said at Fenway Park on Saturday morning before the Red Sox were set to face the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a split doubleheader.

“We’ll see where he’s at,” Cora said before later adding that Bregman said it felt “worse” than he expected.

Asked whether a stint on the IL could be coming, Cora said: “I don’t want to jump into conclusions, but yes.”

If Bregman does need to go to the IL, who will play third?

Cora said the plan is for the team to “mix and match” and answered “no” when asked whether Rafael Devers could be in the immediate plans.

“There’s a lot of guys in the conversation,” Cora said. “Roster construction comes into play, guys in the minor leagues, how they fit the roster — all that stuff.”

Could Devers be in the mix at some point?

“We made a decision in the offseason, and this is where we’re going,” Cora said, without completely closing the door. “There are a few things that we took into consideration, and I think we’ve been very consistent with it.

“I’m not going react to the outside world because [they] think that’s the right move. Maybe it’s not, right? Maybe we’re doing it right? Maybe we’re doing it wrong?”

Earlier this month, Devers told the Red Sox he wasn’t moving to play first base. The designated hitter has been red-hot lately after collecting a career-best eight RBIs in a lopsided victory over the Orioles on Friday afternoon.

“I know the guy. He’s raking. He’s the best DH in the American League right now,” Cora said. “If he keeps continuing to do this, he’s going to be in the All-Star Game as the DH and going to win a Silver Slugger as a DH. This is where we’re going. We’ll continue to talk. I’m not going to say we’re going to close the door.”

Boston already lost a corner infielder for the season when first baseman Triston Casas ruptured a tendon in his left knee and had season-ending surgery. The loss of Bregman could be a big blow to a lineup that has struggled at times.

“We’ll be OK. Obviously, he’s a big part of our offense,” Cora said. “Triston is a big part of our offense. We’ve just got to find a way to score runs in a different way, and we’re prepared for that.”

Devers, the team’s third baseman for eight seasons, was moved to DH after Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal as a free agent and was given the job. After a slow start at the plate, Devers has heated up and is batting .299 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs.

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