Living the Locavore Lifestyle

Book excerpt: Award-winning outdoor writer Bruce Ingram and his wife Elaine explain how they have enjoyed a healthy diet and lifestyle for many years by hunting, fishing, raising heritage chickens, growing fruits and vegetables, and foraging in the forests around their Southwest Virginia home. In a series of 25 explanatory chapters, the Ingrams show how to hunt, field-dress, and prepare wild game, ranging from deer to wild turkeys to squirrels and rabbits; how to catch bass, trout, and panfish; how to gather wild berries, nuts, and mushrooms; how to grow vegetables and fruits and protect them from other foragers such as deer; and how to raise heritage chickens and protect them, as well, from predators that could include opossums, foxes, and hawks. The book features dozens of tasty and healthful recipes. They include more than 20 ways to cook and enjoy venison; several ways to savor squirrels and rabbits; a dozen recipes for wild berry and fruit dishes, including pancakes, waffles, cakes, breads, jams, and cookies; and still more recipes for preparing wild nuts, mushrooms, and fresh-water fish.