The Foraging / Berry Picking Discussion Thread

[1stLand]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone knows of any good spots in Alberta to pick:

Wild Blueberries
Wild Raspberries
Saskatoon Berries

Mushrooms (edible, not hallucinagenic)

[jofillips]

i'm gonna follow this intently if there are any experts on CP with advice.
I'm assuming that this must be the best time of year for 'wild' salad greens and foraging in general?

[Jordan!]

Sakie-koons!!

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone knows of any good spots in Alberta to pick:

Wild Blueberries
Wild Raspberries
Saskatoon Berries

Mushrooms (edible, not hallucinagenic)

Could help you with BC if that interests you, but sorry, not Alberta.


I think (and this could be 100% wrong) that the areas these things like to grow tend to have a much longer growing season in BC, so there is more of them.

[1stLand]

I always hears of swaths of Wild Blueberries growing west and north of edmonton but I have never been given any hints of the location. Wild Blueberries are awesome to eat fresh, freeze them and use them in smoothies, or make pies.

[gordo67]

Lots of blueberries and cranberries n the sand hills around North Buck Lake. I know this because I was FORCED to pick berries when I was a kid.

[Regulator75]

Let me know if you find any magic mushrooms along the way.

[Canehdianman]

I know of a great place for wild blueberries, but it is 100km NW of Flin Flon, MB.

[RT14]

There's Saskatoon berries around Red Deer, we just did a pick and pay last year and got two full ice cream pails for $10. Amazing pies for the whole year!

[Swift]

If it's a pick and pay you're after, there's also this place in Okotoks (assuming the river didn't wash them out) - http://www.saskatoonfarm.com/

EDIT: A quick google brought up this page as the first link - http://www.ab-conservation.com/go/de...-within-reach/ (A list of places at the bottom of the page. If you go to their frontpage, and select conservation sites, you can filter it to show berry picking with maps)

[pylon]

At the ski hill (Northstar Mountain) in Kimberely BC, there is huckleberries as far as the eye can see. We used pick pailfuls of them in the summers. I've always wanted to go back. To me they taste better than blue berries. More tart.

[polak]

People actually do this here too?

I thought this was only an activity for Eastern European village dwellers.

[killer_carlson]

My place for wild strawberries was a miss last weekend. It is near athabasca. Pretty sure the bears got them judging by the poop.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Let me know if you find any magic mushrooms along the way.

In Alberta? I didn't think they grew there, but come out out to Vancouver Island in the fall, bring some green garbage bags, and pick a farmers field.

[1stLand]

Thanks for all the good info. Keep it coming.

I actually know of a great place you can pick Wild Saskatoon Berries for free and its in the city. (in a subdivisions ravine).
PM me for directions.

Theres too many to pick

[jofillips]

Originally Posted by polak

People actually do this here too?

I thought this was only an activity for Eastern European village dwellers.

lol this is awesome - I think most of the world does this if and when you can!! But personally I only do babushka on every third Friday, 4 layers of black clothing is really hard when its above 30 degrees here.

anyways i'm thinking of the foothills or rockies near Calgary must have good foraging too. I'm sure BC has more variety than here but wild raspeberries seem easy to find on the red deer...

[polak]

My extended family back in Poland used to spend full days driving to a "good spot" in the forest to pick mushrooms. Raspberries too.

I always got the strangest looks when I was a kid and I told my friends what I did in Poland.

[jofillips]

I grew up picking brambles (wild blackberries) every year but only from a selfish need for gallons of jelly/jam that the oldies would prepare.
I've heard from many people that Poland is the place to go for wild mushrooms though, i'd be a full time forager there I think!!

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by polak

My extended family back in Poland used to spend full days driving to a "good spot" in the forest to pick mushrooms. Raspberries too.

I always got the strangest looks when I was a kid and I told my friends what I did in Poland.

It's quite common on the west coast. I know lots of people that go out and pick mushrooms. I would do it too but I don't care for mushrooms. There are a ton of edible mushrooms that are supposed to be delicious. We pick blackberries every year that my wife makes unbelievably good jam from.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Zevo

In Alberta? I didn't think they grew there, but come out out to Vancouver Island in the fall, bring some green garbage bags, and pick a farmers field.

The laughing Jim is supposed to grow in Alberta. My brother in law says they're well named.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnopilus_junonius

I'd pick up a mushroom book and study it before picking and eating.

As a kid on the coast, one of favorite pastimes was disappearing for a day while picking berries. Salmon berries, huckle berries and a wild blackberry. These small blackberries grew close to the ground and were really sweet.

The big wild blackberry bushes are everywhere around here and are a nuisance that try to take over my lawn. A mother black bear comes around every fall to eat them and any pears on my tree.