permaculture

["Permaculture West" <permawest@olywa.net>]

        Alright, here's a tangent from the usual conversations on permaculture
design.  This has to do with finding the ideal diet for optimum human
nutrition on a long distance hike.
        Here's the scenario:  this Fall I will be hiking a large segment of 
the
Pacific Crest Trail along the Cascade Mountains of the West Coast.  The
typical way to conduct this hike is to be on the trail for 7-10 days, then
drop down into a town to pick up a food box that was previously mailed to
the post office, restock, and get back on to the trail for another 7-10
days before restocking in the next town, etc.  Hiking for 7-10 days
requires that all equipment, food, etc. must be pared down to the
essentials to keep the weight of one's pack within a tolerable range
(50-60#).  
        It was perhaps five or six years ago that I did my last long-distance 
hike
and at that time was less conscious of the nutritional needs of such an
exercise.  Every other meal was either a rice or pasta dish and this became
tedious to the taste buds very quickly not to mention packing both of these
staples added enormously to the weight of my pack.  This year I want to
diversify the trail cuisine while being more conscious of both weight and
optimum nutrition.
        Here is where my diverse permaculture garden fits into the picture: 
ideally I'd like to use foods primarily from my gardens and orchards
(including animals) to construct the meal plan for this hike.  This would
mean drying fruits, vegetables, and meats; packing nuts and dried berries;
and taking along items processed from each of these categories (energy
bars, fruit leather, hard tack breads, muffins, etc.).  The two primary
considerations for food selections are: light-weight and/or compactable and
non-perishable.  The other obvious considerations are that I must optimize
carbohydrates, proteins and other enduring energy sources; provide for all
essential vitamins and minerals; and make the food taste good.
        As I am no more of an expert on human nutrition than I was 5 years 
ago,
any suggestions as to how I can design an appropriate meal plan would be
greatly appreciated. 

                                                                        
Thanks is advance,      
                                                                        kh