A British woman who describes herself as a “professional cavewoman” claims that she survives largely on roadkill, eating the meat and repurposing the skin and bones of the animals. Sarah Day, 34, works as a history teacher during the day and loves educating kids about the ways of the world and survival skills, and she definitely lives what she preaches!
- Day does eat non-roadkill as well. However, she says that she eats “roadkill at least once a week, although there isn’t always an animal on the side of the road,” according to Mercury Press (via NY Post).
- She keeps all of her spare roadkill in the freezer. This comes in handy during the winter when she’s less likely to come across dead animals while out and about. “My freezer is full of roadkill finds, which is handy during the winter because I can defrost the deer or rabbit to make a hearty stew,” Day said.
- You’d be surprised at how good some of the meat is. Day says that rat is “very similar to squirrel – it is mild and sweet. It tastes a little bit like chicken, but much nicer.” Meanwhile, pigeon is akin to “a really good beef steak.”
- Day lets nothing go to waste. In addition to eating the meat, she uses the skin and guts to make leather while turning the bones into tools and weapons. “I don’t see any harm in [picking up roadkill] because the animal has died anyway, rather than it get skinned in any other way,” she explained.
- She also forages her own herbs and makes her own traditional medicines. “I tend to forage plants and fruit, but it is so important to do your research so that you don’t end up very sick,” she said. She also offered up some tips, such as taking willow bark tea for headaches and herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme for a cough.
- Sadly, Day’s cavewoman lifestyle only goes so far. She doesn’t actually live in the wild – she has a house “in the middle of the town,” though she’s quick to point out that she would “rather live in a tent.” She even made her own sleeping bag out of reindeer skin to keep warm on cold winter nights.
