DESERT FOOD PLANTS and more—the works of Richard Felger

We now know there are native food plants that are prime candidates for sustainable agriculture.
Furthermore, the concept of locally adapted “new” food crops is based on deep ethnobotanical
and botanical knowledge. We get info on food plants from earlier inhabitants—though only a
fraction of their knowledge has filtered down through the ravages of time and cultural genocide.
          Someone asked, “Why hasn’t this been done before?” Well, the seeds were there in Smith’s
1929 Tree Crops, and in Felger’s and Gary Nabhan’s early publications. Until recent decades
people thought there was plenty of water, plenty of food being produced, and that modern agriculture
would solve problems. But in a drying, warmer world the old paradigms don’t work.
          Our team combines botanical and cultural knowledge, as well as farming, culinary,
education/outreach, and business/marketing skills.
          Agronomic potential: big sacaton and mesquite are at the forefront. Apache redgrass, mega-
Mexico oaks for acorns, elderberry, and lemonade berry are high on the list for intercropping.
Vine-mesquite grass is a recent candidate. —Richard Felger, speaking at 7th Natural History of the Gila Symposium, February 22, 2018