Harvesting Nature's Bounty 2nd Edition: A Guidebook of Wild Edible, Medicinal and Utilitarian Plants, Survival, and Nature Lore [Paperback]

Kevin F. Duffy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2008

Harvesting Nature's Bounty is a treasure trove of nature wisdom and lore. It not only covers wild edible and medicinal plants, and survival skills, it also covers subjects as varied as fish stunners, weather predictors, cricket temperature, pine pitch glue, natural bug repellents, and a wide variety of exciting new culinary sources. This book will show you how to commune with nature and reconnect at a level known only our distant ancestors. This book will empower you with the knowledge and resources needed to begin your re-connection back to the Earthmother. You will learn where the treasures of nature are located and how they can be used and will learn how to assist nature in her recovery as they learn. As you begin to see nature at deeper level, you will recognize all of her inhabitants both large and small and see the significant role each play in the big scheme. When this happens, you will never look at a field, forest, or blade of grass the same ever again.

Editorial Reviews

Review

He is excellent. He really knows his stuff, and if you pay attention, you learn something.

J.E. Clermont, KY -- Louisville Courier Journal Newspaper

He is excellent. He really knows his stuff, and if you pay attention, you learn something. -- J.E. Clermont, KY

He'll ... teach you how to build a shelter that will protect you... -- Louisville Courier Journal Newspaper

He'll teach you how to build a shelter that will protect you from the rain, wind, hail, and freezing temperature. -- H.G. Louisville, KY

If you spend anytime in the outdoors camping, hunting, hiking, or just enjoying nature, this book is a must. -- Bill McCormick, Eagle Scout, Louisville, KY

Kevin's book, Harvesting Nature's Bounty is the best survival book I have ever seen. Bill McCormick, Eagle Scout, Louisville, KY -- Louisville Courier Journal Newspaper

From the Author

This book is written for anyone who wants to cut to the chase when it comes to Wilderness Survival and living in harmony with the Earthmother. All the fluff has been left out of this book so you can quickly and easily get to the good stuff that you really want to know. This book contains the best of the best. The best foods to collect and eat, the most nutritious, tastiest, easest to find. The safest and most effective natural rememdies. The best survival techniques that all of our ancestors used on a daily basis.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Airleaf; 2 edition (June 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159453294X
• ISBN-13: 978-1594532948
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,212,050 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Be sure this is what you want before you buy..., May 14, 2009

By 

J. Andres (Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harvesting Nature's Bounty 2nd Edition: A Guidebook of Wild Edible, Medicinal and Utilitarian Plants, Survival, and Nature Lore (Paperback)

...I, unfortunately, was too hasty and consequently quite disappointed with this book. I was under the impression that this book would tell me how to identify edible plants and how to prepare them. Well,...it doesn't. And, the author admits that in the introduction stating that this book is "not a plant identification book". Unfortunately, Amazon's description of the product is kind of misleading. Or, at least, I was misled by it.
In terms of the book itself, I will agree that the author is very knowledgable about this subject, I however found the reading to be quite repetitive with endless references to how Native Americans could survive anywhere with just a knife and a loin cloth.
Also, be aware that all the pictures are in black and white, and most are taken from such a distance that you cannot identify any characterstics about the plant in question. The author states in the preface (2nd edition preface) that "the production costs of having the pictures in color throughout the book are still prohibitively expensive", which is understandable, but as you look through the book you tend to notice that a good portion of the photographs are of the author's son either holding a plant, or just standing in the wilderness alone or with friends. Maybe if the author refrained from such "family outing" photographs and inserted only photographs of what he was talking about there would have been enough money in his budget to print them in color.
Also, if you're looking for tips on survival, don't depend on this book. It's not much better than the old army survival manuals from the 60's. For example, the author describes how to make a Native American "scout pit" which requires you to dig a pit "six inches wider than the width of your shoulders and eighteen inches longer than your body" which should be a depth of "crotch deep for moderate weather and waist deep for severe". He then covers the pit with nicely cut logs which can be seen stacked up in the background. If you know anything about emergency survival shelters, you will see that this is definitely not your first choice.

So, my advice is, if you're looking to "get in touch with nature" and know nothing of the wilderness or how the true lords of North America (the Native Americans) lived in harmony with it, then buy it. If you are already aware of this quite blatant fact and have any experience in the wild at all, and are looking to enhance your plant identification skills, I would strongly urge another choice.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and informative, February 28, 2007

By 

Stephen A. Brown (usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harvesting Nature's Bounty 2nd Edition: A Guidebook of Wild Edible, Medicinal and Utilitarian Plants, Survival, and Nature Lore (Paperback)

This book is unlike any other I have ever read. It shows you how to
connect with nature at a very intimate level making the natural world
accessible to all of us as it was to our native ancestors. You will learn
where to begin and what to focus on in order to integrate with our natural
world. This book covers what was second nature to our ancestors. Almost all of my how-to and what questions were answered in this very extensive book. For instance you might want to know what is available for cooking spices or deodorant or how to keep the mosquitoes and ticks away. It's all in this book and so much more. This is the must have book for anyone interested in reconnecting or finding their place in nature. Nature enthusiasts, hikers, hunters, campers, and anyone curious about how or what in nature will love this book. Check out this great nature book. I keep a copy to use as a reference manual.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting, I recommend!!!, February 7, 2005

By 

A nature fan (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harvesting Nature's Bounty 2nd Edition: A Guidebook of Wild Edible, Medicinal and Utilitarian Plants, Survival, and Nature Lore (Paperback)

I completely enjoyed the information contained in this book, everything from poke weed to how to build a waterproof hut in the woods. I enjoy being outdoors, this book taught me a about things that I see frequently and plants I will now look to see. Some of the information I will never use, some I hope I never have to use but I still love learning about the possibilities of natural living / survival. Easy to read and interesting, two good combinations.