The Legacy of Garry Currie - Dad, Taxidermist, Inspiration

The Trip that Changed my Life

There is a defining moment in a family when everything changes.  Mine happened December 3, 1983. I was a little girl and  my dad ended up in a wheelchair after a tragic accident on the drilling rigs that left him paralyzed from the nipple line down.  A few months later my mom lost my grandpa to colon cancer.  It was ground zero for my family
. 

My dad would say it was the best and worst thing that ever happened to him.  It was the worst because he had lost the ability to walk but, the best because he now was given the gift of spending every day with his family and being retrained in a profession that he loved.  The oil field doesn't give you much of a family life so he loved every moment he now got to spend with us.  I was a pretty spoiled kid in that respect.  My dad was a really incredible guy.  It was also very hard to feel sorry for yourself or limit yourself when your dad would remind you every day the fact that limits are something you set and that if you keep an open mind, get creative, you can do anything!  Because my dad was paralyzed when I was so young lots of times I didn't even realize he was different.  Even as an adult I would often forget to even tell my friends that my dad was in a wheelchair.  They would always point out that a heads up would have been nice. 

My dad was given the choice to retrain in any career he wanted.  He could have picked anything at all!  He chose taxidermy in my dad's words "the art of preserving nature". He loved to hunt, fish, and the great outdoors.  He actually got more into hunting, fishing, and camping in a chair than before.  More time he would always point out. So WCB sent him to the worlds best taxidermists in the USA for training.  I was about seven and we got to camp, stay in hotels, and travel in the states.  My mom home schooled us for a bit and it was an amazing experience!  My dad made lifelong friends with his teachers and we got to see some of America's heritage in the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and all sorts of museums. 

My family toured all of these attractions with ease and what I felt was VIP service.  People in wheelchairs from my seven year old eyes got special parking, entrances, guides, first in lines.  I never once associated a disability with limited access. I realize now that said more about my dad's attitude on life than his ability to gain access to buildings. So when my family heard about Jewel Cave National Monument  we were all excited.  It was the third longest cave!  My dad loved caves!  He loved all of the crystals, stalactites and stalagmites, and the sense of adventure.  We were definitely going.  At first it was business as usual, our family got the preferred treatment.  Special entrance, first in line, front row seats in the first viewing platform, elevator service.  It was so cool!  You could see all of these really vast formations, the guide was giving us the explanation of millions of years of history.  To a really geeky kid like me it was heaven.  Then the tour was to continue and I looked at the rest of the path..stairs.  How was my dad going to come?  I looked at my dad and he had this expression that I will never forget.  It was this really big smile with sad eyes.  He said "Go girls!  I will be right here.  You have to see the rest of the tour!  I am just going to wait here.  You can tell me all about it so listen carefully".  I knew then what it meant to have a dad in a wheelchair.  It wasn't special service it was minimal service.  I was devastated but, I didn't want my dad to feel bad.  I knew that if I didn't go he would feel guilty like he was holding me back, but I didn't want to go on this adventure without my dad.  I knew he was going to miss out.  I looked at him and he said, "Don't worry about me. I can see lots from here and I want to hear about the parts of the cave I didn't see".  I went. 

I saw pools of water that had dripped from the ceiling over millions of years, unique rock, crystals, and dark caverns but, I couldn't shake the image of my dad waiting for me.  So when our guide wasn't looking I crouched down and pocketed a little rock by the pool.  It was a bit of calcium and orange colored.  I looked around and no one had noticed I took one.  I nervously held this little stone in my pocket and focused on everything the guide said so I would remember everything to tell my dad.  They eventually led the tour back to the beginning and there was my dad!  Waiting patiently and looking at the original cavern.  I began telling him all about it and he listened to my enthusiastic description.  He had all of the appropriate ooohs and ahhs to my story and we started out of the caves.  Back in the elevator and into the parking lot I grasped that little stone thinking about the still waters of the little pool. 

Later on that night before we all went to bed I finally pulled the stone out of my pocket and gave it to my dad.  I told him where I got it, the pool, and how the rock was formed.  My dad held the little rock up and marveled at it.  He loved it!  It was my dad and I's unspoken communication.  It was my way of bringing a little piece of a place he couldn't go back.  It was my way of telling him that I knew he wanted to go but, couldn't.  It was my way of thanking him for making me go without him and for planting a little spark of exploration and adventure.  My dad knew what I was trying to say without me saying it.  My dad told me how much he loved me and how he wanted to hear every detail of that tour.  So it started. 

My entire life as I grew older and started down the my career path as a professional camper I would bring my dad back a stone, a cool little piece, or in one case I used a little Nalgene and brought him melted snow from a back country ski trip I went on.  My dad and I would always sit down and  he would ask for every detail and then he would share his latest fishing trip. It was a routine and a way to acknowledge that my dad was the one who planted the spark for the outdoors for me and he was in a way the reason I was out there in the first place.  I had so much fun and the outdoors were becoming my life and my passion.  Every trip I wanted to try going longer, every rapid I wanted to try a bigger one, every river I wanted to see where it went.  Complete freedom.

When I was blessed with twin sons in July of 2010 my dad, of course, was over the moon for them.  I was very lucky for twins as they were very good about being easy on their mom and dad for the most part.  The biggest transition for me was more learning about mortality.  Before my kids I was immortal!  I could go where I wanted, paddle what I pleased, and hit the trail. Suddenly, I was up to my eye balls in diapers and I couldn't just take off or go where I wanted.  Suddenly, rapids looked different to me.  I would judge rapids based on what could happen to me instead of classic river class 1,2, or 3.  Suddenly, I was worried about a bear eating me.  Suddenly, I was mortal.  Don't get me wrong I was happily mortal.  I love my sons and their fascination with the outdoors is so much fun.  Like my parents I raise my boys outside.  We fish, canoe, camp, build fires, and look for caterpillars and worms. Of course, having a mom who owns a Canoeing Company helps.  My dad was right in there too.  Buying them bikes, life jackets, and living at the lake with our family in a van in our camp. 

My dad was sick.  I looked after him, changed his bandages, and fought super bugs and doctors with everything I had in between canoe trips, and hospital stays. And after every coma or near death experience my dad had (there was a lot in the last six years) my dad would fight harder, go salmon fishing, get inventive on how to take antibiotics and still camp with us. He would pick up his taxidermy every time he would come home even though some of the comas took away his ability to use his hands. He got an electric chair but, went to physio every Wednesday to get back in his push one. Nothing would stop his iron will.  I still brought him little rocks from new rivers and now so did my little sons. 

We lost him last year.  Going threw stuff in my dads shop I keep finding little rocks, the melted snow I brought him, and little pieces he put away.  There is so much you discover losing a parent.  My dad died thirty years later almost to the day that he ended up in his chair.  I would not trade a single day of that thirty years.  One thing you realize when someone you love is gone is the things you thought they would pass on to your children.  I thought about hunting this year.  I always  thought my dad would take my sons hunting and now I realize if I want my sons to appreciate that part of my childhood, one of my fathers passions, I would have to take them hunting.  It was now my responsibility to pass on my dads, my grandparents, my families history and stories to my kids or they would be lost too.  It was an opportunity to let my kids connect to my dad without him being there.  It was a small rock brought from a cavern in a Jewel Cave. 

It was then I realized that family stories need to become legends.  My families legends, my families morals, beliefs, passions if taught to my children would move from legends to legacy with the hope that they too will pass down stories of all of the moms and dads before them.  Small pebbles. 

 

A couple of week ago I gave birth to a daughter, Anna.  My dad wanted a granddaughter so bad that when he would wake up from his many comas he would always assume I had his granddaughter.  She will never meet him but, she will know him.  And listening to my boys playing in the kitchen making up a campsite complete with tent and looking down at my daughter sleeping on my chest I once again feel...immortal. 

Winter Camping with Kids

 

Winter Wonderland

10 Tips for a Magical Winter Adventure

"You are crazy.."  That is the usual response I get to winter camping.  I have tried for years to convince my friends and family that my passion for the winter season is justifiable.  Sleeping in snow forts, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, clean crisp air, big campfires, eating whatever you want, no bears, no bugs, no crowds, it is complete freedom!! Few in my circle of folks get how beautiful winter camping is but, the ones who do are just as fanatical as I am.  I loved planning expeditions and seeing new areas that were otherwise blocked but, now free to explore thanks to the miracle of freezing.  Still most of the time it was a solo trip due to my persuasion skills and enthusiastic testimonies always being trumped by the very phrase "winter camping". 

I decided my next strategy would be to marry someone who loved to camp all four seasons and mission accomplished!  Les and I enjoyed trips, building quinzees, tarp towns, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and nice warm fires with a reflecting tarp.  Then we were blessed with a set of identical twin boys.  I had pictured myself strapping my kids on and not missing a beat.  I pictured mountain peaks, rapids, snow caves, with smiling babes and victorious poses.  Did I mention these were my first babies?  I countered each argument from more experienced parents and skeptical friends with very public declarations of nothing will change I can still maintain my lifestyle goals.  Its too bad that they had reprioritize but, I shouldn't have to.

Cue nine months later a crazy, hormonal, huge pregnant women crying on the shores of a river in the arms of a very patient husband as my staff is leaving on a guided canoe trip without me. It was the first trip that I hadn't guided myself and the first time I had say goodbye to something I loved because I couldn't do it.  I mean I literally couldn't go canoeing.  I tried getting in one of my canoes pregnant, got stuck and had to turn the boat over and wiggle out.  Luckily it was on dry land and in front of a large crowd so my dignity remained in tact.  Very shortly after the canoe stuck incident my healthy happy baby boys were born!  Begin sleep depravation, breast feeding, breast pumping, thousands of diapers, and before I knew it was winter. 

The first realization was that my priorities had in fact completely changed but, not my passion for the outdoors.  I tried putting my skis back on only to discover that my abs would need some time to recover because I had damaged them in my pregnancy.  All of those pre thoughts of winter camping, skiing, snowshoeing, mountain peaks, were starting to look like something that would have twin 16 year old boys in the picture than my babies.  I am willing to admit I went through some difficult times adjusting.  I mean first there was all of the ways I said it wouldn't change me, it wouldn't stop me, and everything would be amazing.  I was upset but, for all of the wrong reasons.  I am not sure when I realized what I missing in not trying to plan 20km trips only to be disappointed because its completely unrealistic with my sons but, I am glad I did.  Camping with my kids is magic!  Their enthusiasm, imagination, excitement, accomplishments, and triumphs are now the best part of every adventure I am on!  I still love exploring, pushing my limits, going on expeditions but, the ones with my kids are now in my top trips. 

So a couple of weeks ago in a very unseasonal warm spell of plus three in January my pregnant 33 week self, Les, and my very enthusiastic four year old twins took three days and planned the ultimate camping trip in the wild winter backcountry of our backyard.  Other than the many trips to the potty I had to make with our third child on my bladder the first winter campout was a roaring success and now my sons are obsessed with all things winter camping.  When you are taking kids outside its all about making a spark and fanning the flames of their imagination as to what the great outdoors has to offer.  I let them set challenges and make accomplishments and nothing makes me happier. I will be taking those big trips again with my kids and this is how I am going to get there.  Because my dad was such an outdoor guy my appreciation started young and now I am passing the torch to my sons.    

Getting outside in the winter is all about frame of mind.  The fresh air is so healthy for our families and with a little pre planning you can help your family to discover a new challenge and adventure that everyone can enjoy!

Here are 10 tips to get started with creating this magical adventure for your family:

1)  Go Nowhere: Whether you are an experienced backcountry winter sleeper or a first timer the first time you go out with your kids consider going nowhere but your back yard or apartment patio.  This is all about family adventure, making it fun, and getting your kids involved in a new challenge.  It is way easier to be able to use your house for the first time.  If your kids aren't quite ready, or the weather changes, or you forgot something, take the pressure off and camp close to the house.  It gives you freedom to bail if its just not working and the comfort of less packing and stress.  For your kids its a family activity they could care less about where you are setting up the tent. 

2) Check Weather:  Plan as best as you can for a first night out in milder weather.  Its again less pressure on you and makes a missing toque in the middle of the night not as much of an impact.  We were sleeping at plus three and it was almost too hot for all of us crowded in our little tent.  It also makes planning activities more fun too.  If you have fresh snow make some snow ice cream or snow candy as part of the adventure.  Clear skies?  Take a look at all of those stars and look for different constellations. 


3) To Pitch or not to Pitch: There are many ways to camp outside in the winter!  First of all no bugs-making the need for screens or tents an option.  I suggest the easiest and use your tent.  Its what your kids are used to.  If you have a little more time look up building a quinzees!  Its basically a snow fort igloo for sleeping in or look at different tarp options with fire support. If you look up winter camping on line there is countless options for sleeping outside and staying warm. We used our tent because it was quick, easy and the kids like to set it up.  If using a tent, put a tarp or ground sheet underneath, consider removing the fly for air circulation and moisture release from your breath and bodies, if you have access to a four season tent it will already be ready for winter. 

4) Little Hands make Light Work: What fun is a winter camp without playing in the snow?  Get the kids involved in making camp.  We had them shovel out a spot for out tent with us and pack it all down with snow angels.  They built and packed down trails for our pee spots and to our house.  You can get them stacking wood and hauling warm gear.

5) Build a Nest: One of the strategies to staying warm when camping in any season is get off of the ground.  With our kids we call it building a nest.  We have all sorts of camping gear so we layered off of the ground thermarests, sleeping pads, foam mats from the camper, blankets and then put our sleeping bags, pillows and one big blanket for on top.  We were almost to warm.  If you are going to use an air mattress remember changing temperature will deflate your mat so you will want back up padding and loft.  Be creative!  You do not have spend a bunch of money or buy more equipment.  We have used bubble wrap insulation as a layer, lots of clothes that you want to keep warm for the next day.  You just need to get as much between the ground and you as you can to stay nice and warm.

6) Bring on the Feast: Winter camping and outside activity in the winter burns a lot of calories and you need to replace them to stay warm, happy, and healthy!  Plus there are a few luxuries in the winter that are awesome like ice cream!! One of my favourite treats in the winter are ice cream sandwich smores.  You roast your marshmallows, get your graham crackers, put your chocolate in your warm marshmallow, on top of ice cream and a graham cracker and smoosh it all together!  Heaven.  Or toast an apple pie on the fire with ice cream.  It may sounds wrong but a spoonful of butter in your hot chocolate is dreamy.  Lots of carbs and fats are essential to winter camping so indulge guilt free because you will burn it all and be toasty warm.  If you have some daylight homemade toffee poured in clean snow is so much fun with kids! Again close to the house is nice for all of this activity.  I will post again about advanced winter camping menus and tips.

7) Build a Sleepy Bird Snack Pack:  An essential tip for sleeping warm and again is fun for the kids is a night time snack kit.  One of my treats is sleeping with chocolate bars.  I never do this in summer for bear aware reasons so winter time is my fun.  The secret to warming up is carbs.  If you sleep with a chocolate bar the sugars will kick start your metabolism to create heat and the fats will sustain the burn to keep you warm and toasty in your bag.  For the kids I look for little bars because if they freeze they still fit in their mouths to thaw and chew, some small fruit snacks or chocolate chips, some crackers, and glow sticks.  We pack it all in a Ziploc cracked the glow stick and chucked them in the sleeping bags.  The kids had no problems finding the snack pack because of the glow stick and were warm and toasty. 

8) Do a Tribal Dance: Another technique for staying warm in your tent is get in your sleeping bag warm. Before getting in your tent dance around, go for a walk, move shake, and make it fun!

9) Snug as a Bug:  There are lots of way to sleep warm outside!  Get into your bags warm is the first step.  You can sleep with hot water bottles or water bottles filled with hot water.  Make sure the lids do not leak.  Wear light layers to bed with loose clothing.  Constrictive clothing or sleeping gear can get cold.  Wear clean dry warm socks, mitts and keep a toque on your head.  Keep your face outside your sleeping bag because moisture will collect on the inside of the bag.  If you are close to your house why not use an electric blanket?  Cuddle up and make sure that your sleepy time snacks are close.  Pack extra insulation on areas that get cold like little butts.  Make sure everyone uses the washroom!  You do not want to get finally all bundled up in your bag and getting warm and then hear little ones calls for bathroom.

10) Waking up to the call of Nature: Last but not least the bathroom.  We have all been there winter or summer.  You are all bundled up, nice and warm, and then you need to go!  You try and ignore it but, its there until finally you concede and get out.  In the winter give in!  The more energy your body uses to keep your pee warm the colder you are going to get. So get out and go.  Little ones however, I highly recommend the pee bottle.  Sounds gross yes but, often they wake up especially camping and have to go now.  Its dark, in the tent with lots of layers so if you have a bottle, with a non leaking lid, clearly marked it can be easier to help them go quickly without getting to cold or very unbundled.  Just remember to dispose of the waste and container the next morning. 

Winter camping in a luxury and a truly Canadian thing to do!  Introducing your kids to this little adventure is the first thing in establishing a lifelong interest in a healthy lifestyle in the great outdoors!!  So get out bundle up and eat some candy in a snow bank!

Wild Winter-Lets Get Started!

What Can I Eat Wild in the Winter?

Pine- A tree of Abundance

There is so much wild eating in the summer.  Summer, Spring and Fall are season of abundance and winter is the season of silence and reflection.  But there are some plants that you use for eating or medicine and winter is the perfect time to gather them!

The bustle of the holidays are done, the new year has been rung, and your Christmas lights are put away. The Christmas tree has been unadorned and waiting for storage or hanging out in the backyard for that epic winter bonfire. But your pine worship need not end! Because winter is tis the season of Pine.  In all of that white wash there is always the beauty of the evergreen or pine.  The tree that brightens are days of winter and reminds us of the green summer to come.  But what an amazing tree it is.

You can utilize a large portion of the pine tree for both food and health. Just like anything else you try in nature there are a few tips for gathering pine:

1. Consider the source-try and choose trees that are away from pollution and contamination.

2. Consider the health and quantity of the plant- Does the tree look damaged? Does it look like it may be partially dead? Is it a single tree or a forest? In the case of harvesting bark use a branch instead of cutting into the trunk.  You want to preserve the health of the plant as best as you possibly can.

3. Do not strip the plant or one branch.  Spread out your harvesting so you do not kill or harm the plant.

What does the Pine Tree have to offer?

Medicinal Properties:
Pine is has been known as an Analgesic, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, disinfectant
It has been a remedy for colds, flus, mucus, skin infections, and maybe not so prevalent today but its been used to treat scurvy.

Pine tree or evergreens in general emit at natural chemicals called phytocides that have been found to help strengthen our immune systems.  So just hanging out in a forest and breathing in the air can help improve your health and reduce stress. 

Nutritional Properties:
Pine needles and the tree has been found to very high in Vitamin C and has been referenced to have as much as five times the amount of vitamin c in an orange.  It has also been found beta carotene, starches, sugars, and vitamin A. According to some research Pine needles are higher in vitamin C in the winter which makes it an excellent choice for colds or just boosting your wellness in the winter.

Other Uses:
Pine has been used as a cleaning and disinfecting agent for hundreds of years. The pine wood has been used for all sorts tools and building. Pine boughs are excellent to sleep on to provide both cushion and insulation in winter camping.  Pine Pitch or sap has been used in the construction of canoes, as a waterproofing agent, and it also makes an amazing fire starter. 

Warnings:  If you are looking for side effects of using this tree one of the biggest I have found is that the ponderosa pine (not native to Saskatchewan) has caused abortions in cattle.  As with all things new you are trying start small and use moderation when enjoying tasting the wilderness. 

My Favourite Pine Recipes:

Pine Needles:

Pine Needle Tea-This amazing little part of the pine tree is so versatile.  The most common use of pine needles is to make a tea.  The tea is a great way to get your dose of vitamin C and helps to clear congestion and clear up cold symptoms.  I have to admit the first time I made this tea I was thinking it would taste horrible. I mean drinking a pine tree does not sound the most pleasant, but it was delicious and surprisingly sweet!  I was really impressed and we now mix it with other wild herbs like mint or Labrador tea for a great bush brew. 
To make the tea you just need to find a pine tree, harvest some needles (about 1 teaspoon per cup), cut them up with scissors or a sharp knife, and add some hot water.  You want to boil your water first, let it sit for a minute or two, and then steep your tea for about 10min.  You don't want your water too hot or it will harm some of the delicate medicinal properties of the tea.  It has almost a citrusy taste. 

Pine Needle Steam or Bath- Add some needles to hot water, put it in a basin, and add a towel over your head.  Breathing in the pine and I like to add peppermint loosens up tough mucus and relives congestion.  Its also nice just to throw some needles in your bath.

Pine Needle Vinegar-  Take some nice fresh needles, add some vinegar, and seal them up in a jar.  When making infusions like this you want to consider your container.  I like glass because then nothing else will leach into your mixes.  Add some fresh oranges peels as well and you have your own homemade, antimicrobial, antifungal, cleaner!  Or add a bit with some lemons, rosemary, or raspberries and you have a very unique boreal salad dressing.

Pine Needle Butter- This was another great recipe that I love!  You simply cut up some needles and mash them with some soft butter.  Let sit in a sealed container and add the butter to whatever dish you want to infuse with unique flavours. 

Pine Needle Sugar-Add some needles to a cup of whatever type of sugar you prefer to use. Let it sit for about a month for a good flavour infusion.  I made some really tasty pine needle shortbread that I was very excited about.

Pine Needles as a Spice- You can dehydrate or dry out some needles, throw them in a grinder and add them to some Celtic salt or as an extra seasoning to any dish you are making.  I love making a very fragrant rice pilaf with both pine and wild sage.  Pine is a strong taste so start small and add to enhance your dishes.  I have also used a bit in with some Montreal steak spice as a rub and it turned out so good. 

Cooking on a Pine Needles or a Pine Bough-  This is another interesting way to inject some boreal forest into your cooking.  A cast iron pan on the fire works great.  I have taken a small pine branch, soaked it, wrapped it with some fresh rosemary, laid it on the bottom of my frying pan, and then set fish on top.   It smokes a bit but gives your fish an awesome bit of flavour.  Again experiment with flavour and strength.  If you think a branch will be too much try starting with just some needles.

Pine Bark:

Inner Cambium Layer- This inner layer of bark in a pine tree has been used as a survival food and is very high in sugars and starches.  I always look to a branch when harvesting bark but, should you need to harvest from the trunk you want to cut vertically along the trunk not horizontal line.  The sap or blood of the tree travels up and down and you will create less of an impact cutting up and down strips versus across where you cut off the trees sap supply to a larger area.  I haven't tried it myself but, friends of mine have not been enthusiastic about the taste. 

Bark-  There is an outer bark and inner bark.  What can you use the bark for?  First of all some folks have raved about using the inner bark of the tree to make a tea. I have combined it with the pine needles to give my tea a boost. There has been some research into the medicinal and immune boosting properties that lie in the bark of the pine tree.  The other fun and interesting way I learned to use the bark was making pine back crackers.  For the inner bark you peel the grey yellow outer pieces of the bark to reveal the reddish bark underneath.  Then you dry it out and throw it in your grinder.  You now have a pine bark flour and you can add this to breads or cracker recipes for another way to make your meals pop.  There is a great pine bark cracker recipe in the Boreal Herbal by Beverly Gray. 

Pine Pitch:

Pine pitch is one powerful ingredient for wilderness medicines.  To collect it you are going to want to use a fixed blade knife or flat head screwdriver.  Pine pitch is that yellow or golden, sticky balls of sap that the tree uses to seal up wounds or broken branches from insects or diseases.  It is highly antimicrobial and antifungal so if you have a cut or wound its great for healing. Its also very soothing on achy muscles or I have heard of some folks success with inflammation. I had a friend who did use it in a tooth emergency to help seal off where a filling fell out.  And I also have been a victim of the chew it till its gum.  I have yet to make gum because pine pitch, unlike pine needles, is not tasty.  I use it in conjunction with balsam poplar oil or other herbs to make a great boreal salve for all sorts of uses in our home.

A quick easy recipe for a salve:

1) A collection of pine pitch-half a handful
2) One cup of oil-You can use an infusion of oil and herbs, or just make sure whether its olive or just good ol' canola you are comfortable with rubbing it in on your skin.
3) 2 tablespoons of Beeswax
4) 1/4 teaspoon of Vitamin E (as a preservative)

Melt all of the ingredients in a double boiler.  Start with your pine pitch because it takes a little longer.  You want to chop or shred your beeswax into small pieces so it melts faster.  The less heat you expose the mixture too the more medicinal properties of the plant will remain in tact.  Once the beeswax is melted take it off the heat, if you want to add some extra essential oils stir them in, and pour into a heat proof container like a mason jar.  If you are using a metal one make sure its food safe.  And that is it.  It will take less than ten minutes and you will notice your mixture starting to harden up.  If it seems to liquid, chuck it back in the double boiler and add more beeswax. 


There are many more uses for the Pine tree some for summer and fall!  The above are just about the fun of collected wild ingredients in the winter.  This simple tree that is in most folks backyards is so abundant with uses and yet we often overlook how lucky we are to live in a country with so many special plants.  
                                        

Eating Wild and Healing with Plants

Collecting for Food or Medicine - Where do you start?

In every culture we are exposed to some knowledge of herbs, plants, grandma's folk remedies or local health food store.  Media reports on new medicinal cures found in nature every day. The fascination with plants and their healing properties is something as humans we have always been gifted.  Some of the most common plants may already be a part of your daily routine.  For example, willow was one of the first forms of painkillers containing Salicin a precursor to aspirin. Silver impregnated or honey soaked bandages are some of the innovations in wound dressing for combatting super bugs used today. Every plant is made up of chemical compounds that are isolated and used for medicine, vitamins, and nutrition.  We could not live without. 

There has always been a group of fanatics and disbelievers in both the herbal medicine and the pharmaceutical world.  A lot of people do not trust herbal remedies and there is growing world of concern over pharmaceuticals and doctors as solutions to health problems. I believe they are all right!  You should question what doctors prescribe you and inform yourself of side effects and stay on top of your symptoms.  You should also question herbal remedies and question where do they come from, are they safe, is there proof that they work?

 The most common question that gets left out of the conversation is what is the harm?   We fall into media campaigns and spend so much time trying to figure out whether something will cure us or not when we should ask what is the worse that can happen if I take it.  Every human is different.  We all have different genes, body chemistry, and environments and what may have worked for your neighbour may not solve your ailment but, will it hurt you?  I have heard horror stories of detox drink mixes gone wrong to my dad suffering from permanent nerve damage to his hands from the super antibiotics he was on. 

You need to educate yourself  with as much knowledge as possible to advocate for your health.  If you are in the doctors office research your condition and tell them if you plan on trying herbs.  Herbs can be powerful and do sometimes interact with medications so you need to come clean.  Educate your self about the herb in particular you want to try and ask the health food store or product reps specific questions like what temperature was this herb processed-some heat destroys medicinal properties, does it expire, what does it do, what complications can arise from taking it, where was it picked.

Or......why not try making some yourself?  There is so much amazing research, medicine, and delicious food growing on your front lawn or in your weedy back fence then you can possibly imagine.  But beware once you start tasting and trying things on your own its a bit of a rabbit hole.  You will find yourself making your own oils, tasting trees and preparing dandelion jelly or salads.  You will be fascinated with nature in its simplicity and there is no turning back. 

The other benefits to making your own creams, teas, or recipes is that you will possibly save money, you can fine tune it to your liking, you will know exactly what is in it and how it was prepared, and you will notice your vocabulary no longer includes the word weed. 

But where do you start?  Its scary to try some of this stuff if you are not used to it.  I also find it interesting the trepidation of eating a weed or a strange plant in your yard does not seem to apply to any remedy you may buy at a health food store or from a pharmacy. 

The first step into this brave new world is called plant identification and its very important. It is also lots of fun, extremely interesting, and is something we should be passing onto friends, family, and most importantly our children.  There is a really scary stat out there that says most children can identify 100 different cooperate logos but can not identify 10 native plants in their backyard.   Scary stuff. So how do you properly identify a plant?

The Internet:
When researching a plant you can of course, surf the web but, remember to search both side effects as well as what medicinal properties that plant has.  Lots of miracle cures are discovered everyday whether based in fact or not and you want to make sure it wont hurt you. Try and find lots of different pictures or websites on the specific plant you are seeking, or find plant forums!  I have taken pictures and emailed them to professionals for second opinions.  The power of technology!

Other People or Professionals:
You can ask someone.  There are lots of resources out there both traditional and non-traditional that have knowledge on plants. Ask grandparents, doctors, naturopaths, herbalists, medicine men or women, university departments, friends that may have tried it. It doesn't hurt to get lots of information to help you make an educated choice. 

The Book:
What I love is books.  There has been books written about plants for medicine and eating for thousands of years. 

Tips for Books:
1. With a book the first things you want to look for is where are you located. Are the plants in your book native to your area?
2. Check the author and resources- you want to make sure what you are reading is as accurate as you can.
3. You need lots of pictures or a clear picture and a key to identifying plants with references for the way a plant may look in different seasons or growing stages.  Especially when you are first starting out.
4. And last but not least is a good write up on the plant.  There are lots of really great reasons to properly identify a plant so you want to make sure that the write up covers your interests.  This can be anything from medicinal properties, poisonous warning, recipes, what kind of wildlife it attracts, is it a species at risk or endangered, what type of aura does it have?  Interests in plants range and too often I myself have just bought on amazon based on title and now the book is collecting some dust.

Collecting plants and making different foods or medicines is one of my favourite things to do in the woods with my family.  I love the variety and the interesting tastes, the health benefits, and the price.  Eating delicious chickweed in my salads that I picked in the front yard cost me nothing but time.  I live in sunny Saskatchewan right in the aspen parkland and during the summers I run an outdoor adventure company in the Boreal Forest. I will be sharing all of the plants, recipes, and adventures of eating wild here on this blog. And if you want to try some of this and you live in Canada in a forest or the prairies these are my favourite go to books:

1. Plants of the Western Boreal Forest and Aspen Parkland by Johnson, Kershaw, MacKinnon, Pojar

 

This book is an amazing resource for identifying plants.  It has identification keys, easy to follow instructions, lots of variety, clear pictures, and is divided up nicely into sections like trees, shrubs, flowers, etc..  I love this book! Its small so you can throw in a backpack and the notes section contains interesting facts on the plant like traditional uses, medicines, and folklore.  If you are looking for a great book just to get you started this is the one for you!

 2. The Boreal Herbal-Wild Food and Medicinal Plants of the North by Beverley Grey

This is one of the best resources I have every found for indentifing, understanding, making medicine, and eating plants in the boreal forest.  I cannot rave enough about this book. Beverley Grey has put together a easy to follow beauty of a book with clearly laid out sections detailing each plant. Details include what the plants nutritional values are, cosmetic, medicinal, spiritual uses are, what ailments it can help, what season to pick it in, with big beautiful clear photography.  Then it gets better!  This book is the perfect companion to the next step in foraging!  She has recipes for food, medicine, and cosmetic uses of the plants all broken down into clear easy to follow steps with lots of pictures.  She has even included a section at the end on wild crafting and possibly selling some of your wares.  This book both inspires you to try some new things and really gets you interested in all of the possibilities of the Boreal Forest! 

3. The Standing People-Field Guide or Medicinal Plants for the Prairie Provinces by Kahlee Keane and Dave Howarth

I am a prairie girl and this book is another amazing guide for identifying native plants on the Canadian prairies. Kahlee Keane or Root Women is a fascinating lady with gifts and knowledge on plants that are nationally recognized.  She has been a contributor to magazines like Alive, advocates for protection of plants at risk, and also has a very comprehensive herbal course online if you want to delve deeper in to the world of plants.  I love this book because it has great photography, very insightful and interesting write ups on plants both medicinal and traditional, and warnings about the plants are included.  One really neat little detail that I appreciate is she has included the Latin and Folk names for the plants as well as, the Blackfoot, Cree, Slave, Ojibway, Metis, French, and sometimes Chinese versions of the plant names as well.  This book is also small, portable and a prairie treasure.

4. Mushrooms of the Boreal Forest by Eugene F. Bossenmaier

We have here in Saskatchewan some top notch, high sought, special mushrooms that gourmets go crazy for!  There is even a mushroom picking industry up north that is really interesting and worth a google search.  But we also have some poisonous mushrooms and when it comes to tasty mushrooms I find that most people are definitely scared of picking the wrong ones so they do not indulge at all.  Which is a huge loss!  If you are worried about mushrooms or are just generally curious then this is the book for you! First of all color photos and really good descriptions!  I have a few mushroom books and a lot of them are pencil drawings and that did not give me a lot of confidence.  I was so very excited to see all of the photography in this book.  Also its very clear, easy to follow, simple descriptions, and what I appreciated was the edibility rating.  He details whether the mushroom is edible but, also takes the time to mention whether its tasty or will advise not to eat because a poisonous one is very similar.  And the books includes recipes and preparation instructions for the mushrooms that are very easy to identify and delicious.  This book is a definitive confidence builder for eating wild mushrooms. 

5. Mosby's Handbook of Herbs and Natural Supplements by Linda Skidmore-Roth

My super awesome cousin found this book for me and I have found it a very important reference for herbs and wild plants.  This is not an plant ID book rather a book for the medical profession on herbal supplements and possible interactions with drugs or treatments.  What I liked about the book is there is not a lot of judgement on whether the herb has been proven worthy just more on what people take it for, dosage, possible complications with medicines or medical conditions, pregnancy safe, and any studies to reference.  If you are interested in herbs, plants, and are going to start taking some this is a good quick reference guide and is a really interesting read.  You should always still talk to your doctor but, for interest sake and as a starting point this book is worth it. 


I love books!  I may have hording/addiction problem with books.  But I find the way my brain works with my busy family its nice to be able to quickly reference or look something up. I have plenty of other great books on plant medicines and wild eating but, these five books are what I think anyone who is interested in getting started should look at.  They are all well written and lugged on every canoe trip, backpacking, or environmental education program I am running.  Because what is more fun than discovering what's in your world? 

Rose Coloured Glasses

Greenwashing your Pregnancy

NOUN

noun: greenwashing

disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image:

"the recycling bins in the cafeteria are just feeble examples of their corporate greenwash"

    I am currently pregnant with my third child my first two which are now identical four year old twin boys. I was so excited to be pregnant with a third baby and the topper...it was only one baby.  In my head I could leap tall building being pregnant with only one baby, go skiing, go snowshoeing, and manage my very busy family, household, and my company Clearwater Canoeing. I mean it was just one baby, then couch ridden nausea for six months straight, bed rest, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, heart burn and still very active twin boys.  Lets just say I have had to step back and I may have had to let a few things go.  I am very proud of the two times I got my snowshoes on and I have now become very proud of the times I have made it to my shower. 
   I know I am not the only mom out there that has been hit with a difficult pregnancy or just a busy life in general so in defense of those who may want to judge my current situation (including me) here are my top five greenwash reasons for my current state of affairs.

1)  My living room is an explosion of toys and I cannot get off couch for lack of energy or fear of vomiting. Visions of my children growing up to being hoarders because they grew up in this living room are now taking over my mind due to uncontrollable hormone surges.

Greenwash-  I am a mom who believes in creative play with no rules or judgements. As a parent the fact that my kids need every toy they own to build a trap for a ghost is just budding geniuses working on engineering degrees.  Who am I to stand in the way of creativity? Yes that's why my living room is a disaster...I am just that good of a mom.

2) I have fallen off the face of the planet as far as visiting friends, attending board meetings, participating in general because my current state of affairs has made travelling or concentrating very limited.  I feel out of touch and I miss human adult communication!

Greenwash-I am just taking some time for introspection, meditation, and creating a stress free space for the new life I am creating.  It is in the best interest of the baby and my family for me to bond with the new life I am growing and its what I feel is the best right now. Yes this is what I tell myself longingly catching up on emails and minutes of meetings I cant attend.

3) My need and ability to shave have fallen to the wayside-its winter right?

Greenwash-  I am proud of armpit hair!  It says I do not believe in societies rules for beauty!

4) My hair hasn't been washed in lets say almost a full moon cycle and that would also mean I have had limited time for showers and no make up in a while.

Greenwash- I am trying the new no shampoo revolution to protect my baby and my body from harmful carcinogens and chemicals found in most personal hygiene products.  Its not that I don't have time its just that I am so very environmentally aware.

5)  I am drinking out of mason jars and giving the kids cereal in sour cream containers because I ran out of dishes and have not wanted to even look at my sinks. My laundry may have started to pile high enough to declare themselves sovereign nations.

Greenwash-I am using mason jars and sour cream containers because mason jars are the new shabby chic and the containers are my 'I recycle everything' statement makers. I would do my dishes and laundry but I ran out of biodegradable soap and I have to make some more. Pinterest has so many good make your own laundry soap, dish soap, and dishwasher tabs.


So there you have it!  If you feel down, wish you could do more, enviously stare out your window at people getting in vehicles to do tasks like get mail and go for coffee, remember you are just an environmental, green, super cool, fighting societies rules, parent for a new generation of super kids.  Yes this is what I tell myself and anybody else who braves our home to visit.