Picking
admin
As We Fish and Farm

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.

As We Fish and Farm
Picking, Preparing
admin
DIY Maple Syrup

Maple syrup conjures up images of towering arboretums in places like Quebec or Vermont, but it’s a little known secret that the rugged and hardy maple trees of Newfoundland make darn fine maple syrup. With nothing more than a half dozen maple trees, some old salt beef containers and a handful of 25 cent metal tree taps, you’re good to go and can expect to end up with over a dozen bottles of hand made maple syrup.

DIY Maple Syrup
Picking, Planting, Preparing
Andreae C
My front yard grocery store
My front yard grocery store
Events, Picking, Planting
Costa Kasimos
Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore

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.

Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore
Planting
Matthew Middleton
Growing In A Potato Box

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.

Growing In A Potato Box

food skills

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Planting the Seeds of Food Security : A Conversation with Dan Rubin of Perfectly Perennial Herbs and Seeds

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Planting the Seeds of Food Security : A Conversation with Dan Rubin of Perfectly Perennial Herbs and Seeds

Dan Rubin's enthusiasm is infectious. A former teacher and curriculum designer, now a writer, musician, and seed company owner, Dan runs Perfectly Perennial Herbs and Seeds on the edge of the ocean at his Pouch Cove home. Growing for seed and consumption on the lot behind his house, as well on an adjacent lot shared with four neighbours, Dan currently stocks eight seed varieties of flowers and vegetables alike. The passion and creative energy that Dan puts into his project yields results. He's interested in growing as much as possible in our windy, wet, and cold climate, which means that he uses as many tricks and tools as possible to make that achievable.

Get Steamy in the Kitchen!

Get Steamy in the Kitchen!

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!

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St. John's Native Friendship Centre sharing traditional food skills

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St. John's Native Friendship Centre sharing traditional food skills

This October the St. John’s Native Friendship Centre hosted its annual Women’s retreat at Woody Island Resort, just a few hours outside of the city. This provides Aboriginal Women in our community the opportunity to reconnect with nature, connect with peers, and learn from one another’s experiences. At each retreat we learn a new skill: last year we learned how to skin and clean small game (rabbit and partridges), and this year, thanks to the Food Security Network, we learned the ins and outs of safe bottling and canning.