What's the worst thing you had to eat to survive?

the other halfs cooking

When I started this thread I was thinking of mainly a survival setting in the woods, or jungle or desert scenario. But I realize that some have had to resort to desperate measures to survive even in an urban setting. I used to live in Peoria Illinois and there was a rather famous homeless person named, Willie York.

He was known for his ability to get himself arrested when the weather got cold so he could have a warm bed and 3 squares a day. However, when the weather was nice he used to roam the South End of Peoria. You could always identify him because he would paint his face black and white with polka dots . He would also wear a necklace of cat bones around his neck. My dad said that the cops once found him living in a spider hole he had dug and it was full of animal bones, mainly cats and small dogs that he ate.

He is a prime example of someone who shrugged off societies norms and used the resources around him to survive. It might help that he was a little bit crazy.

Whenever I talk to my wife about being mentally prepared to adapt to SHTF circumstances she just shrugs it off and says, "I would rather starve than eat that...." I think when it comes right down to the wire though, people will eat practically anything to live.




Here is a video I found of Willie York on Youtube.

When I was a kid, many years ago, we barely survived, being abandoned for weeks at a time. The only thing around for a couple of years was uncooked oat meal, cheap and raw potatoes. Sometimes on Friday if my father remembered, he would bring hamburger which we ate raw.

In one of my 22 foster homes, we were forced to eat cabbage hearts and lard sandwiches for lunch. Of course it came to a time where we were within weeks of dying of starvation before the local constable stepped in to save us.

reply to post by sailormon


You are a true survivor...My hat is off to you.

I hid from the cops once for a few weeks in the swamps, frog legs, rabbit, fish, and a stray beagle dog, all caught with deadfall or snare. Food is easy, clean water is the problem. The worst thing ever was the loaf in you get in solitary in maximum security lockdown, they take all your meals for the day along with your coolaid and milk for the day, blend them together, bake it in a loaf,and there you go.

reply to post by Sparky63


rat on a stick - litterally , the hurdle is knowing its a rat , its actually tasty and palatable

Originally posted by ignorant_ape
reply to post by Sparky63

 

rat on a stick - litterally , the hurdle is knowing its a rat , its actually tasty and palatable

I've heard that it is pretty good. I grew up eating squirrel at least once a week, and their basically tree rats.I don't think I would have a problem with rat kebobs. Like you sad the hard part would be the mental hurdle. I would still worry about getting some disease from eating it though.