About

Almost four years ago, my husband and I moved to a seven-acre property near a small town in E. Ontario. The three large fields adjacent to our house were overgrown, and as far as I could see, had nothing but alfalfa, buckthorn, thistles, and lilac. Bit by bit, we have cultivated enough plots to grow a variety of perennial plants, and enough berries and vegetables to keep us going all winter. The buckthorn et al. are still thriving.

My gardening has always included a fair bit of foraging, but this is one area which I find more and more compelling. And apparently I am not alone -now there is so much information on wild foods, I no longer feel like the freak who serves weeds for dinner. What is new to me is all the nutritional information available now, and the sharing of useful hints and recipes for these ingredients.

I have not ventured much beyond our property to forage, because I hesitate to damage, trespass, or break any rules, so the wild leeks and ginseng this area are known for are out of bounds as far as I am concerned. There is still plenty I am finding right here to keep me busy, and thinking about new uses for things I have been using for years, like wild grape leaves, lambs quarters, dandelions.  The combining of wild and cultivated plants (mine or store-bought) is giving some tasty and original results, and I look forward to learning more about this subject as I create this blog.