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Home Packing a Survival Bag: Money & Bank Card
In my Survival Bag, I have already packed
1. my emergency foil blanket, plus silk sheet-bag and a sleeping bag.
9. my torches
2. a mosquito head net and a tube aloe vera
3. my clothing
4. my food and my drink bottles
5. my first aid kit
6. eating and cooking utensils
7. my Tommy Cooker Hexi Stove and fuel tablets
8. Windproof and Waterproof Matches (or a fire flint or cigarette lighter)
3. my clothing
4. my food and my drink bottles
5. my first aid kit
6. eating and cooking utensils
7. my Tommy Cooker Hexi Stove and fuel tablets
8. Windproof and Waterproof Matches (or a fire flint or cigarette lighter)
10. my washbag
11. soap for washing dishes and clothes
12. whistle & glowstick
13. camera, MP3player and mobile phone
14. printed Important Information
Today I will pack some money and a bank card
*I will pack a credit card kept specifically for emergency.
I have only used this card a few times, so check periodically to make sure that it still works as sometimes banks close accounts which have not been used for a couple of years. This card has a high rate of interest as soon as something is bought, but the card has no fees. I have put $100 on the card to prevent being charged interest on a purchase and have set the limit to $200)
A debit-visa card could be useful, but it is hard to find one that has no fees.
Garden Bush Tomato Australian Bush Tucker
The term bush tomato refers to the fruit or entire plants of certain nightshade (Solanum) species native to the more arid parts of Australia. While they are quite closely related to tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), they might be even closer relatives of theeggplant (S. melongena), which they resemble in many details. There are 94 (mostly perennial) natives and 31 (mostly annual) introduced species in Australia
Bush tomato plants are small shrubs whose growth is encouraged by fire and disturbance. The fruit of a number of species have been used as food sources by Aboriginal people in the drier areas of Australia. They have a very strong flavor and scent when ripe and fresh, so that one can actually smell a richly fruiting specimen from quite a distance.
A number of Solanum species contain significant levels of solanine and as such are highly poisonous. It is strongly recommended that people unfamiliar with the plant do not experiment with the different species, as differentiating between them can often be difficult.
Some of the edible species are:
- Solanum aviculare Kangaroo Apple[2]
- Solanum centrale, also known as Desert Raisin,[1] Bush Raisin or Bush Sultana, or by the native name kutjera
- Solanum chippendalei Bush Tomato, Named after taxonomic botanist George Chippendale[1]
- Solanum coactiliferum Aborigines roasted the fruit before eating.[citation needed]
- Solanum diversiflorum Bush Tomato, Karlumbu, Pilirta, Wamurla[1]
- Solanum ellipticum Potato Bush, Very similar to S. quadriliculatum which is poisonous.[1]
- Solanum laciniatum Kangaroo Apple.[3]
- Solanum orbiculatum Round-leaved Solanum[1]
- Solanum phlomoides Wild Tomato.[1]
- Solanum vescum[citation needed]
In 1859, the Aborigines were observed burning off the outer skin of S. aviculare as the raw state would blister their mouths. Aborigines eat the fruit of S. centrale raw or put it on the hot earth by the fire, sprinkle some water on the fruits and cover them up to cook them. S. chippendalei is consumed by first splitting the fruit, scraping the centre out and eating the outer flesh as the seeds and surrounding placenta are bitter. S. diversiflorum is roasted before being eaten or dried. Fruit of S.orbiculatumis edible, but the fruit of the large leafed form may be bitter. Fruit of S. phlomoides appears to be edible after the removal of seeds and roasting or sundrying.
Mardu people would skewer them and dry them so the food was readily transportable.[citation needed] In Mardu they are known aswamurla, while the Warlpiri call them wanakiji.[citation needed]
In the Central Australian language of Arrernte, the species are distinguished. S. ellipticum and/or S. quadriloculatum are calledmerne awele-awele, S. cleistogamum is'merne mwanyerne, and S. centrale is merne akatyerre.[citation needed] The Arrernte termmerne means "fruit or nut".[citation needed]
S. aviculare contains solasodine, a steroid used in the manufacture of oral contraceptives.[2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_tomato
Kutjera 
(Kampurarpa – Pitjantjatjara language, Akatjurra – Alyawarra language) is a small desert plant approximately 30cm in height, with grey to bronze leaves and attractive mauve/blue flowers. It grows naturally through the central deserts from Tennant Creek, NT to Marla, SA.
(Kampurarpa – Pitjantjatjara language, Akatjurra – Alyawarra language) is a small desert plant approximately 30cm in height, with grey to bronze leaves and attractive mauve/blue flowers. It grows naturally through the central deserts from Tennant Creek, NT to Marla, SA.
Part of the tomato family (which includes potatoes and capsicums), there are over 100 species of Solanums (Wild Tomatoes) in Australia, but only some of them are edible. Kutjera – Desert Raisins – are the most well known and certainly the most consumed species of the “bush tomatoes”.
In the red, sandy desert, the plants grow quickly after summer rains, mainly from dormant root stock which can last for many years between favourable seasons. The plant also responds and grows rapidly after soil disturbance (along roadsides) or after bushfires.
This arid lands fruit has been a staple food of the indigenous desert dwellers of Central Australia for many thousands of years. A rich source of minerals, particularly potassium, they are also high in vitamin C. The traditional harvesting method is to collect the sun dried fruits of the small bush in the autumn and winter months. In the dried form, Bush Tomato can be stored for several years.
The fruit is rich in vitamin C. 1 to 3cm in diameter and yellow when ripe. They dry on the bush and resemble raisins.
Traditionally the dried fruits are collected from the small bushes in late Autumn and early Winter. In the wild they fruit for only two months. These days they are grown commercially by Aboriginal communities in the deserts of central Australia. Using irrigation, they have extended the fruiting season to eight months
Traditionally the dried fruits are collected from the small bushes in late Autumn and early Winter. In the wild they fruit for only two months. These days they are grown commercially by Aboriginal communities in the deserts of central Australia. Using irrigation, they have extended the fruiting season to eight months
Bush Tomato has a strong sun dried tomato, caramel and tamarillo flavour and aroma which is just delicious in recipes with tomato, cheese or eggs. Also goes well with Salmon and stronger flavoured white or game meats. Can be used as a Dukka or crusting for meats.
The roots of this plant are used by our traditional people to treat toothache. The roots are baked in ash and then peeled and placed on the aching tooth. It is also an important bushfood, but can act as a laxative if too many are eaten.
This plant requires smoke treatment before it will germinate. Smoke treatment is the simple process of covering the sown seed with smoked vermiculite and watering in.
There are several warnings associated with this fruit. Green fruit contains the toxin solanine and only fully ripened fruit should be eaten. There are several related species which look like Solanum centrale but the fruit remains toxic even after ripening.
*A NOTE FROM ROBYN: Because the leaves of potatoes and our garden tomatoes are poisonous, I assume that the leaves of the bush tomato are also poisonous. Therefore, only the fruit should be eaten. I believe that un-ripened, green garden tomatoes are also toxic.
Un-known plants - fruit, leaves or roots - should never be used before checking whether they are safe.
I used to experiment, but no longer, as once I ate a few ripe red-coloured, quite sweet and delicious berries from a garden weed, to later discover that if I had eaten several green berries from that same weed, it could have killed me! So, no more experimenting for me!! And you can't even eat by observing what the birds eat, because they can pass seeds through their digestive system without breaking them down, while our bodies can digest the poisons from that same seed.
I used to experiment, but no longer, as once I ate a few ripe red-coloured, quite sweet and delicious berries from a garden weed, to later discover that if I had eaten several green berries from that same weed, it could have killed me! So, no more experimenting for me!! And you can't even eat by observing what the birds eat, because they can pass seeds through their digestive system without breaking them down, while our bodies can digest the poisons from that same seed.
The top layer of earth is called the crust,
keeping it healthy is a 'must'
to give desert plants a chance to thrive
in our wonderful world, so grand and wide.
May we not miss the unique beauty of our desert lands.
from Robyn
painting of robin by Brenda, my mum.