West Kelowna Forager

06/19/2024

Wild Nodding Onion

Not to be mistaken with Death Camus! Onion will ALWAYS smell like Onion.

06/19/2024

Stinging Nettle

Do not consume after the plant has begun to flower.

06/19/2024

12/10/2023

Homemade wild foraged Elderberry jam, harvested from my local area of West Kelowna.

Best jam I've ever had! Didn't even need to use pectin.

Great way to intake a medicinal food that boosts the immune system this winter season ☃️

09/30/2023

Alfalfa seeds

It is no surprise that Alfalfa is part of the Pea family. Look at these tiny pea-like seed pods 🥰

Tis the time for seed harvesting. Alfalfa is one of my favorite Wild edibles and is a good idea to grow yourself 🌱

18% protein and packed with nutrients!

Collect these seeds and grow them in your garden to add this amazing plant to your diet !

09/16/2023

As a Survivalist, I always aim to understand WHICH 'Edible' plants are actually a legitimate food source.

Today we are gonna dive into BIRCH leaves!!

There are various tree species with said 'Edible' leaves, from Maple to Aspen, Rose's to Apple and Hawthorn and Birch....But!... have you actually tasted these? Ate them, tried them?

You'll find out very quickly that all are very fibrous aside from... BIRCH!!

So are any of these leaves actually a possible source of food and which is the best?

Let's get into the science here!

I google and oggled and all the rest on the ethernet and there was no clear answer in regards to Birch leaves offering human caloric value... I guess people must figure they won't need to eat leaves if our society ever faces famine 👎

So I DO know that all other leaves do not offer the high saponin like Birch leaves... their carbohydrates are in the form of Cellulose. HOWEVER! Humans do NOT produce the enzyme cellulase to break down the cellulose. So as a food, it is NOT a viable option!!!

But, let's look at Birch leaves...

If you eat a Birch leaf, you will find it is 'mucilagetic', like slimey. That is because of the Sapponins. Now! These Sapponins MIGHT offer caloric value to humans. This is my personal interpretation based on my thorough studies! So just a hypothesis..

Plant cells are made up of phospholipids. In a Birch leaf, the Oligosaccharide Triterpenoid attached to a protein is called a Glycolipid. The Algycone which is hydrophobic, is linked to the hydrophilic Triterpenoid to create the Sapponin.

This Sapponin (Soap) which is both hydrophilic and hydrophobic, creates a foam when disturbed.

It is my personal hypothesis that the hydrophilic carbohydrate Glycone can be extracted in boiling water and removing the hydrophobic foam, can then be consumed as a caloric drink.

It is an experiment that I will have to play with...

Be sure to follow my page on all socials to keep posted!

09/11/2023

Virgina Creeper (Poisonous)

Generally grown as an ordimental vine plant, it is also native to North America and Southeastern Canada.

The berries are high in Oxalic acid and considered Poisonous. The vinegar itself has volatile oils.

Pretty but not a useful plant...

09/03/2023

Smooth Sumac!

The 'Canadaian Lemon' as I like to call it.

It is so sour, it will make your lips pucker.

Sumac is more well known as a spice in the middle-eastern parts of the world but is overlooked here.

Harvest, dry and blend this up to be used as a lemony spice in your dishes 👌

09/03/2023

Elderberry is now ready for harvest!

Made Elderberry Jams and Syrups. It is delicious with three benefit of being immune boosting 💙

09/03/2023

Score!!

Found these Sheep Sorrel! They are absolutely sour and delicious, but careful only to eat a little...

They are packed with Oxalic Acid and unless already bound to calcium, can create a big problem in the kidneys...

09/03/2023

Starry False Solomons Seal

This here is a new find for me.

Always neat to identify new plants.

Berry is edible.

09/03/2023

I love love love these berries when they come out!

They do have a few potent uses but none which I will mention. As far as I'll let any of you know, is that these are poisonous and probably don't eat them unless you know what you're doing.

To find out more,

Book a tour 🤙

09/03/2023

Pink Yarrow 🤗

09/03/2023

Did you know you can eat leaves from certain types of trees?

That's what the books will tell you.

But did you also know that these edible leaves are ONLY providing indigestible fiber for our human digestive tract? Damb, they forgot to mention that...

This is because the carbohydrate is in the form of Cellulose. We do not produce the enzyme Cellulase to breakdown the fiber to convert it into engery. Luck you, I happen to be fairly well read 👊

However, did you also know there IS an edible leaf that may provide carbohydrates in the form of saponin that is an abundant tree species?

But which one??

If you HAD to find food during mid summer when the land is desolate, what leaves COULD you actually consume that would provide you with energy...?

For any survivalist, key information like this can mean life or death.

For more information, consider taking a foraging tour from your local Bushcrafting, Survivalist, Everything Wilderness, FORAGER! 🤙

07/29/2023

Black Current

07/29/2023

Oregon Grape is finally here!

If you want the best sweet and sour syrup ever, wait till late fall to harvest your heart out and make a tangy syrup for pancakes, icecream and more! 🍇

07/17/2023

* Poisonous *

Lupine Seed pods look like yummy peas and are similar in taste but these deceptive 'snacks' are toxic as they contain harmful alkaloids.

Don't let their edible appearance deceive you. These are no trail nibble!

07/17/2023

Went on an awesome adventure with an awesome human and found Huckleberries!

07/02/2023

This is how I eat my foraged greens for that nutrient BUMP in my food...

Here I have my frozen harvests of wild Nettle, Alfalfa, Dandelion, and Wild Broccoli.

I simply add to my cooked dishes. Doesn't have to be a lot. Even just small portion is still gonna be a HUGE benefit because these plants are PACKED with vitamins and minerals!

Today I'm just putting it in with my lentils and rice. Then I later add grey sea salt and oil and you have a complete meal with a tone of nutrition!

To get your B12 for y'all vegans, you can add nutritional yeast for them B vitamins, drink fresh river water, or eat fresh unwashed veggies. B12 comes from bacteria, not animals. That's where they got it from 😉

You can definitely toss these in a smoothie. (Minus the wild brocolli cuz yuck lol and also because it should be cooked to neutralize the small trace of cyanide)

07/02/2023

Shoot me a PM to join in!

06/28/2023

This is R**e Seed.

This plant was the original canola before it was bred to be what it is today.

R**e seed has that delicious broccoli taste and offers a valuable oil.

Would you like to learn more about R**e Seed?

Take a tour 😉

06/28/2023

Saskatoon Season is here!!

Man I didn't realize just how high in pectin these are until I blended a bunch and it turned to a gelatinous pudding!! Lol

Great pro for jam making!!

06/28/2023

Have you seen these massive dandelion looking things around!?

But what are they?

This is a cool edible because it can harvested TWICE! Once in spring and once in fall.

To learn more, book a tour 😉