Some topics the internet does a fine job of covering, and the Ram River fishing experience is not one of them. Way back in season 2 of From The Wild, we fly fished the Granby tributaries and fell in love with fly fishing. Ever since, I’d wanted to have a similar experience, but it made no sense to me to … Read More
Squirrel, Grouse, and Everything Nice
Hunting season had just started, and Hank Shaw was going to be arriving in a week or so. I had plans for our fledgling bushcamp prior to his arrival, the most important of which was getting a tent frame built out of the surrounding black spruce. I have an aluminum frame for the tent, but hauling it had proved to … Read More
FROM THE WILD – S1E3 – BEAR
Don’t think I wasn’t apprehensive about tackling this one. When the prospect of bear hunting for From The Wild first came up, I scoffed. I’m now firmly on the opposite side of that fence. Rationale: Spring bear is not in fact fatty at all, which many claim is what makes it ‘gross’. Bear meat is far from ‘gross’, and in … Read More
1867 – Joy Road
On a recent [amazing] trip down to the Slow Food Canada national meeting, I happened to end up in a restaurant for dinner in Penticton, Cam and Dana happened to be there as well, and the restauranteur happened to introduce us. They’d just been back from foraging, and had a van full of watercress and nettles destined for the dinner … Read More
Mmmm…pesticides.
Dear whoever will read this, [this letter has been sent to the mayor and a number of city councillors] I would like to add my voice to all the others asking the city for a non-essential or cosmetic pesticide ban. I’m a local food writer heavily involved in the urban agriculture and foraging communities. I lead groups of Edmontonians to … Read More
Foraged Fruit, Veg, Mushrooms, Herbs + more
I love how exciting foraging can be. Again, free couple hours in the evening, so went for a walk in the river valley. Found some Agaricus Campestris [meadow mushroom] in nice shape. Spent a fair bit of time seeing a lot of not much, then found some nice, plump saskatoons. Again, not much for some time, then came across a … Read More
Lunch-hour Foraging
A couple days ago a reader offered to meet up to go for a foray in the University area on her lunch hour. Lunch-hour urban foraging, the concept alone I couldn’t turn down. Take THAT all you ‘I don’t have time people!! Now granted her co-workers think she’s strange for foraging for her lunch, but whatever. Strange can be good. … Read More
Blanched Dandelions
I’m starting to see dandelions as the single-most misunderstood wild food. People spend much time eradicating their robust roots from their monoculture of lawn. They spend money on toxic pesticides and various pieces of equipment designed specifically aimed at waging war on the dandelion. As I have in the past, I will offer the ultimate solution: eat them. Only this … Read More
Elk Brési w/ Wild Mushrooms & Labrador Tea
When butchering this cow elk in late November, I noticed how particularly perfect the shape and size of the eye of round would be for dry curing. No wonder it’s been done for eons. As usual, here I am, not innovating. As I had run out of my first ‘test batch’, it was time for a more confident crack at … Read More
Cream of Lamb’s Quarter Soup
Another cream-of-veg-soup, I know. This time, however, featuring an edible native plant that is generally considered a weed to be destroyed – lamb’s quarter. It’s been growing everywhere in my new gardening beds, regardless of the drought. I’ve been using young leaves, and will use some of the stems shortly, along with some more mature leaves as the plants, um, … Read More
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