Wildcrafted From Yellowknife With Love
I just received a package filled with handcrafted treats from my home town in Yellowknife, NT Canada. Unbeknownst to me, as I was writing a post on steemit last week titled: "The Many Surprising and Practical Uses of Birch Trees"a parcel was making it's way to me that contained some of the very items I was writing about.
About Yellowknife
Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories, Canada, is located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately 400 km south of the Arctic Circle. Formerly famous as a mining town it is a growing city that's managed to cling onto its small town vibe. The North has a way of attracting adventurous and creative spirits. The land of the midnight sun is an interesting place to live. The summers are short but the sun never goes down. The winters are extreme and intense but it's pretty fun to be able to drive your F150 across the very same lake you boat on in the summer. For those that care to appreciate it, nature is at your doorstep. Yellowknife still holds a piece of my heart, I owe a lot to that place ... although it is -34c with wind chill today and I don't miss that.
The Dettah Winter Road (Also known as the Great Slave Lake) 
So .. yes, I got this amazing parcel from a dear friend and I am sitting here tasting and touching all of it as I write this. We haven't seen each other since we tearfully said goodbye when I was leaving the North to come build our homestead. Across the miles we are still connected. We often think of the same things at the same time. ♥
Birch Syrup
Yellowknife has an abundance of birch trees and they thrive in the cold dry climate of the North. I've always taken birch syrup for granted until I tried making it myself. It's not difficult to tap trees, or make syrup but it is VERY time consuming. This little bottle represents a lot of labour. We will thoroughly enjoy every drop.
Chaga Hot Chocolate
I also wrote about harvesting the chaga mushroom from birch trees to make a healing tea. Chaga is said to have: antioxidant, anti ageing & immunity boosting properties. I don't love the flavour of plain chaga so this mix of chaga with cocoa will be a nice treat.
Pottery
There is a wonderful pottery guild in Yellowknife, I've got quite an an assortment of bowls and cups collected over many years. This mug has birch trees on it and captures the feeling of the North.
Wild Muskeg Spice Blend
Locally sourced wild crafted or foraged ingredients can replace exotic spices in the kitchen. Opening up this tin of spices has really got my creativity gears turning. This blend contains: labrador tea leaf, wild sweet gale leaf & catkin.
Crowberries
These dried crowberries (also knowns as moss berry) contain high levels of anti-oxidants. I have already been snacking on them so they won't be around for long! When harvesting wild berries it is very important to know what you are harvesting. Some berries look very similar to one another, some are safe and others are not.
It just goes to show that there is a demand for locally created, sustainably sourced, healthy products. We are learning to forage, gather and create from our own land, I have so much to learn still. These gifts have inspired me to keep studying and learning the forest and it's many treasures.
Find These Artisans On-line
Sapsucker Birch Syrup
Laughing Lichen Wildcrafted Herb
Yellowknife Guild of Arts & Crafts
Building a greener, more beautiful world one seed at a time.
Homesteading | Gardening | Frugal Living | Preserving Food| From Scratch Cooking|
You can also find me at: walkerland.ca
Photo copyright: @walkerland
I have never heard of crow berries (or moss berries) before. Are these indigenous to your area?
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"Habitat: This bush is found in forest heaths, rocky outcrops, barren bogs and in sandy locations in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions around the world. It prefers slightly acidic soil. They are native to the northern regions of Europe, Asia and North America. Interestingly, they are found in abundance on the Falkland Islands. They grow in most areas across Canada and in the northern and western areas of the U.S."http://www.ediblewildfood.com/crowberry.aspx
They are very tasty. I've eaten half the bag already :) I picked up a book recently that shares all of the berries and wild edibles native to where I am, it's pretty incredible how much there is.
It's on my bucket list to come from Ontario out to the Territories, Birch Syrup looks interesting, I have never heard of it before. Thanks for sharing a bit about my country that I did not know
well, if you ever make it out there and want some pointers on the must see and do or who to contact for certain things, let me know. I am hoping to head back next year to say hello to everyone and soak it all in. Everyone else goes somewhere warm for a vacation and I head somewhere cold :) Our son lives there so the North is still very much part of our lives.
What a wonderful gift from home.
I never thought to mix chaga with chocolate, or use Labrador tea as a spice. I will have to try these. Thanks for sharing!
chaga and organic chocolate = total win. Its really delicious :) I am obsessed with the idea of making my own spice blends from the wild, It seems so obvious now that I have received some but it just never entered my mind. I am ever more excited for spring than I was before!!
We have some chaga in the back. Now I am excited to bring it in and try it with chocolate. Spices from the back forest. Fantastic idea. Thanks
I really enjoyed it, just be sure to grind the chaga up really fine because it doesn't dissolve so there will be some "firm" bits in your cocoa. I didn't mind that but I could see how some would. The package said to simmer the cocoa/chaga mix in water for 15 minutes and then add some milk.
Good tip thank you. I will remember that.
Thanks
love love chaga! that's quite a gift package with some awesome products! you've got a cool, talented friend. nature's bounty <3
chaga with organic chocolate is quite the treat. I never thought of pairing the two! My friend did not make any of these items, she bought them from local crafters but she is VERY talented and very much a nurturer.
Wow! What a fun package to receive!! :)
It was like getting a warm hug from afar :) I am feeling very lucky.
Wonderful info, thanks so much. I had no idea Birch syrup was even made.
If you ever get a chance, it's worth buying a little bottle. It's quite different than maple syrup, more savoury.