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.