PORTLAND, Ore. – Becky Lerner is hungry - but determined.

She is trying to live off “wild” food for a week in Portland, foraging the parks, yards, open spaces and even sidewalks for edibles as a way to not only connect with the land but to learn a valuable survival skill.

“Should the trappings of modernity become unavailable to us one day, knowing how to find food without grocery stores or even farms will surely come in handy,” the 26-year-old Northeast Portland woman said.

She is not allowing herself to Dumpster dive or feed off gardens during her week-long challenge, but an herbalist and survivalist are helping her find food.

On Monday, a KATU reporter ventured into a forest near the Sandy River Delta with Lerner as she searched for something to eat. Lerner was looking for plants such as plantain, clover, morel mushrooms and dandelion.

“You know I'm just looking for anything because I'm hungry,” she said. “All I had for breakfast was tea we made from pineapple weeds.”

She has left the door open to eating insects, fish or even roadkill.

You can follow her progress online at her blog.

(A warning for those who would try a similar challenge. You need to educate yourself on what plants are edible and what plants are poisonous.)