Found a large patch of my fave early #wildberries to #forage for & eat - #thimbleberries 😀 I look forward to picking them, every Summer!

Thimbleberry aka redcaps is a #NativePlant & #WildFoodSource in PNW areas. It's thornless & good for #rewilding or creating #FoodForests. They're very seedy #fruits are sweet & similar to raspberry taste. They are great raw or cooked.
Their large, soft leaves can be used as natural toilet paper alternative. Leaves, shoots & roots are used by #Indigenous peoples to make #medicinal tea & leaves/roots were also used for burns & acne treatment.

#VancouverIsland #nature #botanical #WildFoodPlants #EdiblePlants #FoodForaging #BerryIdentification #DisabledPhotographers #YYJphotographers #PacificNorthwest #BritishColumbia #Canada #photography #Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #NatureLovers #YYJ #PNW #VanIsle #PlantIdentification #PlantLovers #FoodPlant #FoodSecurity

Close up of #IndianPlums - one of the first #wildberries to ripen on the BC coast.

#VancouverIsland #nature #botanical #WildFoodPlants #EdiblePlants #FoodForaging #BerryIdentification #DisabledPhotographers #YYJphotographers #PacificNorthwest #BritishColumbia #Canada #photography #Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #NatureLovers #YYJ #PNW #VanIsle #PlantIdentification #PlantLovers #FoodPlant #FoodSecurity

It's the start of #wildberries season on the island 😀 I found a large #IndianPlum bush/tree, filled with #berries. They look like tiny plums, hence their name. You can collect some wild seeds, at end of Summer, to grow in your gardens.

Once established, craftspeople can use their #wood to make self bows & straight shoots made into fine arrows. Wood can also be made into spoons/forks, knitting needles/crochet hooks & combs.

PNW #Indigenous #FirstNations used their bark, twigs & fruits for #food & #medicine sources. Sunnier locations provided larger, sweeter tasting berries.

#Osoberry #VancouverIsland #nature #botanical #WildFoodPlants #EdiblePlants #FoodForaging #BerryIdentification #DisabledPhotographers #YYJphotographers #PacificNorthwest #BritishColumbia #Canada #photography #Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #NatureLovers #YYJ #PNW #VanIsle #PlantIdentification #PlantLovers #FoodPlant #FoodSecurity #FoodGardening #OemleriaCerasiformis

My friend, Tom, is a private #gourmet chef & he also teaches about #WildFoods #foraging, harvesting from wild nature & cooking with wild foods. He taught a seaweed #ForagingWorkshop recently, at Whiffin Spit.

Check out his website, for info on past & upcoming events. Next #EducationalWorkshop is in late June - Cooking In Nature.

https://natureschef.ca

#VancouverIsland #SeaweedForaging #seaweed #VanIsle #Tsouke #LearnToForage #FoodForaging #PacificNorthwest #SalishSea #PNW #WildSurvival