Monday 7 May 2012

Fast Food

"Once you learn what wild onions look like, you'll be able to spot them at 120mph", asserted a foraging friend of mine. So, inspired by this statement, I decided to see what could be spotted at speed, albeit somewhat slower and was rather pleased with the results.

Jack by the Hedge - 3 points
So here's a game you can play in the car. It'll test your knowledge and your eye. It's really simple: taking turns (or play solo), spot a wild plant or tree with no repeats. Set up any scoring system you like. I go for ...

3 points for a wild food
2 points for a plant or tree
1 points for just the family - eg. Umbelifers or Cabbage, say

What you may find is that you keep seeing something you don't know, and it'll annoy you. The solution is to stop (safely), get the mobile out and take a piccy, then look it up later. By doing so, you'll build up knowledge of the more prolific and prominent plants, which are exactly the ones you should be learning.


You'll also start to notice those which are most confusing, and so need further study. Play this a few times and you'll get better. Play it through the seasons and it's a fantastic way of seeing things pop in and out.

All in all, this repetitive game is an excellent knowledge reinforcer.

First and foremost, this game has to be played safely, so keeping an eye on the road is paramount. Don't crash your car, just to win.

Have fun!


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