One of the biggest turning points in human history was when our ancient ancestors transitioned from hunter-gatherers to sedentary farmers. This enabled them to generate a more-reliable food source, stockpile their crops to avoid starvation, and build permanent villages that would eventually become towns and cities. So, if you someday find yourself in a situation where obtaining food isn't as simple as making a trip to the grocery store, it's best to avoid reverting all the way back to hunting and gathering. You'll want to know how to grow your own food.

It may not look like much, but this half-eaten old yam can be the start of a garden.

Gardening is obviously made easier by modern irrigation systems, fertilizer, and disease-resistant selectively-bred crops — but those aren't necessary. In a pinch, you can go back to basics, and simply plant something that can already be found wild in your surrounding environment. This is much simpler and more efficient than foraging every time you're hungry.

In his latest video, the host of Primitive Technology shows how he planted, cultivated, and cooked some yams he found in the surrounding Australian jungle. Pesky wildlife such as wild pigs and turkeys are a problem in his area, so he builds a woven fence from vines to protect his crop. Soil, dead leaves, and water are added, and vertical poles give the green tendrils the means to reach the sunlight.

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The yam harvest was carefully dug from the ground using a stick, then buried under hot coals to roast. In the video description, he says, “The yam was eaten while steaming hot and tasted similar to a potato but with a crunchier texture near the outside much like bread crust… They are versatile in that they can be cooked into chips, roasted, boiled, mashed and made into a type of dough called “fufu” typically eaten with stews.” Check out the video below:

Written by Patrick McCarthy