Frontier Foods

During the 18th century, many hunters and pioneers ventured into the American frontier seeking economic opportunity and independence. The arduous journey limited the items carried to be those required for survival. Those engaged in trapping and long hunting planned very carefully on what they would carry with them. Selecting which foods they would carry versus what they would find along the way was a major concern. Should the food run out, a premature return to the colonies would be required or suffer starvation.
This program talks about the various foods that a frontier man would carry and what they would obtain from the wild through either hunting, trapping, gathering or growing. The frontier men for the most part followed a diet similar to that of the Native Americans. The foods chosen were those that could be stored for long periods of time or could easily be obtained in the wild. Their diet therefore was centered on dried beans, parched corn, wild berries, wild game, and pemmican.
This presentation provides examples of the various foods making up their diet along with a discussion on how they were obtained and prepared. Should time allow, a cooking demonstration can be included in the presentation.
This presentation can be adapted for various age groups and available time.