Wild Food Summit

We got back from the Wild Food Summit at White Earth, MN. yesterday. It was a positively great event again this year. Getting together with a hundred or so people with mutual interest in foraging wild foods and some of the top teachers and experts in the field for four days is a hard event to beat. Add to that great food, much of it foraged on the spot, and prepared by outstanding chefs with all volunteer staff helping. Here are a few pics I managed to snap between classes.

Top is bannock, a quick bread, being baked in dutch ovens. It was delicious! Next pic is the bread of course. Back to top pic ,that kettle off to the side is full of acorns being leached to remove excess tannins , this was from a class by Sam Thayer. He is a outstanding teacher. If you are interested in foraging wild foods, get his books, there are none better.

Here is a pit oven that was used to bake 22 chickens for the hungery hoard. I didn't get over in time to get a pic of chicken coming out, root vegetables are just coming out in pic. The chicken had a very delicate smoked flavor that was fantastic.

 Here is a demonstration on black walnut preparation.   This session was by Mike Krebill, another nationally known teacher in the field with many awards to his name. Both Sam Thayer and Mike are really very modest, down to earth guys, despite the many awards they have earned. In this pic are nut crackers capable of taking on the black walnut. It was very nice to be able to try the different brands in case you were planning on buying one. My personal choice would be the nearest one.

 Here is a sulfur shelf, a.k.a., chicken of the woods, that was found near by.

And here is a totally awesome moth I got a pic of. No idea what it's name is as I haven't had time to research it yet. So, enough of my vacation pics. If you are interested in wild foods attend some event of this kind. Not only will you learn, you will meet great people with similar interest and if you are lucky you will make new friends as we have every time we attend.This particular event feels like a family reunion to me! AND, you lucky folks, I happen to know of such an event coming soon. Check it out.
   The Midwest Wild Harvest Festival will be another great event. www.wildharvestfestival.org