Two weeks ago, my husband and I spent a week in Payson, Arizona. Mostly, we went to rest and recreate and get out of the scorching heat of Phoenix. But we did spend a few afternoons doing a little sightseeing. I’ve lived in Arizona most of my life and visited Payson many times. But I learned some new things on this trip that surprised me, and I think might surprise you, too.
We thought the small and quaint Payson Museum would be just a little stop on our afternoon outing. Instead, we spent almost two hours there, soaking up the local history. On one wall hung a series of pictures that I almost missed and would have if my husband didn’t call me over. After reading this truly amazing story, I can’t believe someone hasn’t made it into a movie!
I tried to take the best pictures I could. I hope you can read the account in full and make out the old black and white pictures. But here’s what happened in a nutshell:
Jackie, a lion cub born in the wild, went on to become the second Leo the Lion, the trademark logo for MGM Films (he was the first lion to roar). He also appeared in numerous films. In 1927, MGM planned a publicity stunt and hired a pilot to fly Leo from California to New York. Leo and his 400 pound cage were loaded into a small plane. Over the Mogollom Rim, in the area outside Payson, Arizona around Hell’s Gate, the pilot experienced trouble and was forced to crash land the plane. By some miracle, both the pilot and Leo survived with only minor injuries.
Having no choice, the pilot left Leo in his cage with a supply of water and hiked for three days before reaching help. When rescuers at last reached Leo, he was in bad shape but revived with fresh water and a butchered calf that had been dragged to the site. Leo was eventually retired to live out his life at the Philadelphia Zoo.
Now, I’ve been to Hell’s Gate, and there’s a reason for the name. It’s some pretty rugged country, and the steep slopes leading down to the creek are almost straight up and down. I can’t imagine crashing a small plane there among the tall pines and craggily boulders and then having to hike out for three days with no food or fresh water. Not an easy feat. Both the pilot and Leo surely had the will to survive – and an amazing story to tell later!
Warning: The critical factor in using plants for food is to avoid accidental poisoning. Eat only those plants you can positively identify, and you know are safe.
Chicory: I think one of the most popular plants used throughout history is Chicory. The base leaves resemble those of the dandelion. The flowers are sky blue and stay open only on sunny days. Chicory has a milky juice. It can be found in old fields, along roads and weedy lots. All parts are edible. Eat the young leaves as salad or boil to eat as a vegetable. Cook the roots as a vegetable. I wasn’t aware that the plant are edible and had so many usages, but of course, coming from the South, Chicory used as a coffee substitute is well known. Roast the roots until they are dark brown and then pulverize them. I just image the frontiersman kept a look out for this plant.
during the spring and summer. The roots are high in vitamins A and C, as well as calcium. Like Chicory, you can roast and ground the roots for a good coffee substitute. Another use is the white juice in the flower stems can be used as glue.
Sassafras: Everybody has heard of Sassafras tea in historical stories. This shrub bears different leaves on the same plant. The spring flowers are yellow and small, while the fruit is dark blue. The plant parts have a characteristic root beer smell. The young twigs and leaves are edible fresh or dried. Small dried young twigs and leaves can be used in soups. Now for the tea…dig the underground portion, peel off the bark, and let it dry. Then boil in water for tea. Of interest, shred the tinder twigs for use as a toothbrush. Now we know how the frontiersman cleaned their teeth!
almost everybody have around them. The first is the Trumpet Vine, which climb all over fences and are intentionally planted. The trumpet-shaped flowers are orange to scarlet and climb to 15 meters high and spreads like a wild weed It has pea like fruit capsules. The caution on this plant is that it causes contact dermatitis, so be very careful working around this plant. If pruning, I’d make sure I had long sleeves and gloves on. And, I’d suggest you be very careful touching your face and be sure 
to wash your hands very good.
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