I came to Newfoundland for the first time just over four years ago. I can still vividly recall taking the ferry across from Nova Scotia in the late winter, listening to the groaning sounds of the ice around the boat. Within two months of arriving I made my first trip to Bonne Bay, a remote fjord on the west coast of the island. I went to learn about the food system and fisheries in the region as part of a PhD program I was beginning at Memorial University that fall.
Spectacular vistas, whales breaching, ice bergs floating by, and a foragers paradise. We are blessed with many wilderness areas that offer abundant edible plants. I rarely go on a hike without stopping to have a little taste of this or that. In this post, I will touch upon some of the edibles currently available in our wonderful wilderness.
Thanks to the listing from Seeds of Diversity, I was able to locate a gentleman in Newfoundland who has a great deal of experience growing a wide variety of potatoes here. Last week, I recieved by my set of samples from George, and here's what my benefactor told me about the varieties:
Red Dutch: A very dry, yellow flesh red from Holland in the 1940’s. An excellent potato. Late maturing.
Northern White: A white flesh variety, from Quebec apparently, from the early 1900’s. Very high yield. Good taste.
EEk! Sorry everyone - I missed September entirely. Oh well, at least I have a lot to say about the garden.
As you may remember, I've been growing my first real attempt at a garden this year, with a 12x4 foot raised bed. Last time I wrote I was complaining about the water ban, but that's certainly not a problem anymore! I've harvested just about everything now (a little less then I was hoping). What remains is to pick the carrots, beets, and turnip, and to prepare the garden for the winter.
Get steamy in the kitchen! Steaming veggies until they’re tender-crisp helps keep their fresh taste, nutrients, colour, and crunch. Steaming takes very little time so you can get veggies to your table in a snap. If you don’t have a steaming basket, cook veggies in a small amount of water in a pot. Cover and cook for just a couple of minutes. Drain and enjoy!
Canada’s food movement will gather in Halifax this year for Food Secure Canada’s biennial feast of food and ideas. Over three days, people from many different walks of life who are passionate about building healthy, sustainable food systems where no-one is hungry will gather to share, stratagize and build a better future for food in Canada. We invite you to submit a workshop or presentation and encourage you to share this Call for Proposals with others.
