Food for Thought
E
arly man had to hunt and forage for roots, nuts, berries
and herbs. Simple pickings which sustained them to
wander further afield and discover new types of animals,
fish, birds and vegetation. Speculation would have
expected many of these folk to perish. However, they were
resourceful and focused on what the land had to offer and
managed to survive despite the many hardships they faced.
In the Kalahari Desert situated on the
South West Coast of Africa, a unique
group of people known as the Bushmen,
still exist on this limited diet. Their
survival has been fraught with many
challenges. Being nomadic by nature,
they set up simple campsites under the
stars and wander from place to place.
Their endless search for water in the desert has afforded
them the ability to adapt to the harsh terrain. Every dew
drop is sacred and every root dug up from the earth will
release valuable liquid when chopped and squeezed. They
continue to hunt and forage for survival.
Oats, barley, wheat and rice are some of the earliest crops
grown in ancient times. Millet and quinoa were also grown.
The growing methods were simple – plant the seeds, water
them and harvest their bounty. No doubt weather conditions
did not always smile upon early farmers and many crops
would fail.
Different lands offered different edible items. In each
of these lands the indigenous people mastered the art of
providing themselves with nourishment from their natural
surroundings. The daily menu would have been simple; a
basic vegetable stew or a f X\