One of the most fulfilling parts about being able to do what we do not only at store but on our social media channels is connecting with some of the most amazing people on our beautiful planet.
One of those people with whom we always enjoy having around is our dear friend Jen, who many of you know as The Wild Yam. Jen has dedicated the better part of her life to living wild in the Canadian wilderness and has the stories, tips and tricks that come with living such an amazing and wild life.
In addition to showcasing outdoor living and bushcraft, Jen has really honed her foraging skills and has become a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to get some more natural ingredients into their diet. It was this very idea that led us to including Jen in our conversation surrounding natural gardens, that not only can benefit our environment and birds, but also our own diets.
In doing some research herself, Jen began to learn about not only what was edible in her very own backyard but also how best to prepare it. This, however, was no easy feat and as anyone can imagine, took a bit of research. She leaned on experts in the field, particularly through YouTube videos and Facebook pages where she continued to learn about what was edible and how to find and identify it. Moving beyond that, she learned how to prepare things such as nettles or dandelions in a variety of different ways.
The Wild Yam’s Library
Every professional keeps an extensive library and when it comes to living in the wilderness and foraging for your own food, The Wild Yam has a few recommendations for those of us looking to get started.
Adventures in Wild Foraging
This simple and easy-to-read guide was created with the novice forager in mind and not only acts as a simplified reference for edible plants across North America, it also provides a helpful glossary of terms that will help anyone get their start in wild foraging.
The Complete Mushroom Hunter
If you know Jen, you already are aware that she is a dedicated mushroom hunter. As such, she highly recommends this book that dives deep into the history of mushroom hunting, how to get equipped for mushroom hunting and where to find and identify them.
The Idiot’s Guide to Foraging
The world’s favourite how-to books even has an edition on wild edibles and foraging and much like their other instructional content, they lay out everything perfectly. This handy guide visually identifies plants and provides facts on the plant’s habitat, physical properties and the edible parts.