CAUGHT NOT BOUGHT, LLC
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA

One of the most interesting things I noticed this month were people’s reactions when they heard what we were doing. I didn’t think it would be that interesting of a challenge to onlookers and I surely didn’t expect the amount of feedback and followers that we got. Day one was really tough and I actually considered calling it then. I had a headache and I wanted cheese. As I sat there on the on the first night debating calling Stephen and asking him if he wanted to go get some pulled pork my phone started going off with people saying they were intrigued by what we were doing and were excited to follow along. I felt like I owed it to them to stick it out. I’m glad I did. Not as numerous but much more vocal were those who made it a point to tell me how stupid they thought it was. People were asking why I just don’t go to the store. I had people telling me I was going to get sick and poisoned and it’s not safe to eat wild plants. It was pretty crazy, actually. My thought was, “Why do you even care about this?”. It kept us driven, though. It’s sad to me that people think that the idea of living off the land is a pointless endeavor. It’s sad to me that they think that processed food, mistreated meat full of hormones and steroids, and veggies laced with pesticides and preservatives are better options. Whether you slap the “organic” label on it or not, if you bought from someone other than the farmer or the fisherman then it’s most likely crap. Multiple degrees of separation between you and the source of your food is never ideal. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll get down on some breakfast burritos and pizza. I’ll even opt for “healthier” choice sometimes. I’m not going to lie to myself and others, though, by saying that straight from the woods and the water isn’t best. In closing, this month was an eye opener to me. I finished encouraged at the possibilities of what is wild and available. I learned that we are designed to eat based on the seasons and that everything you need is readily available if you are willing to put in a little effort. I learned that, like anything really worth doing, hunting, fishing, and foraging take time and are not always fruitful but are extremely rewarding. I learned many new skills that I’ve already been passing along to my kids. I learned that not everybody likes to be confined to the box of process that is shoved down our throats by the society around us. There is no such thing as doing something because “that’s just how or why we do it”. That truth is relevant in the way we eat and the means by which we acquire our food. We are doing the challenge again in August. This time we are having friends from around the world join us. We will be planning local meet ups/ foraging trips/and bartering days. We also have a month to prepare. I will be writing a post in the next couple days with more detail and I’d like to encourage you to consider joining us. We have some really cool stuff planned for the month of August and beyond. During this month we will be doing regular features on what to be looking for locally here in Florida during the next couple months. We will also feature info that we receive from our friends around the country and around the world. Keep an eye out for that post, and until that day comes, keep your ear to the grindstone.