Wildcrafting is the fusion between an indigenous survival skill and modern botany. Southern Alberta boasts hundreds of wild edible and medicinal plants right outside our front door that we all take for granted. Some of these plants are on the verge of extinction while other plants have just been forgotten. The indigenous people of southern Alberta not only survived in Southern Alberta – they thrived.
Rob and I took an Introduction to Botany course at Wild Rose College here in in Calgary in the Fall of 2008. We enjoyed the course and the instructor Blaine Andrusek so much that we decided to bring him on for a week-end wildcrafting and herb walk session. Although we did post the course on our website, it almost filled up immediately with 20 of our friends family who all agreed it would be fun to learn more about the native plants right in our backyard.
We started the herb walk right in Calgary, in Edworthy Park, where we learnt that you don’t need to go far to find wild edible and medicinal plants.
On the Sunday we traveled out to Ghost River to explore a whole new eco-tone and the different species that exist within a very short drive from the city.
Another fantastic course – Blaine has already been reserved for next year!
