Episode 24: The Boundary Waters part 1

I recently came back from a short stay in the Boundary Waters where I brought the camera along. This week and the next show my adventures of fishing and foraging in the greatest of Minnesota landscapes.

I spread the extended video out over two weeks because I think the Boundary Waters deserves that time. As I just moved back to Minnesota a year and half ago, this was only my second trip (of what I hope becomes a yearly expedition) to this great wilderness area. Hopefully, my future visits wont be mired by sulphate mining.

http://www.thegoodcooknj.blogspot.com The Good Cook

Some of the best meals of my life have been while camping. Simple, nutritious and cooked over a open fire – does it get any better than that? Thanks for sharing, the Boundary Waters area looks stunning!
http://www.kevinkossowan.com/ Kevin

Pretty place. I love chanterelles – sad they're not local to here as far as I know.
Man you keep these real. Well done.
Michael

I had the opportunity and absolute pleasure to be able to work in the BWCAW this summer. During one of my crew's trips in July we discovered wild raspberries at one of the portages. I picked for a few minutes until I got to the top of a hill. I stretched my back and took a look around when I realized that there was nothing but raspberry bushes for as far as I could see. Acres of wild raspberries. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The BWCAW is truly a special and precious place.
Will Tanner

Daniel,

You've had props for a long time coming on this project. I've watched most of the episodes over the past year as it was put on my radar early by your cousin David Anderson. I just graduated from Olaf too. While at Olaf, I spent the last two years living in an honor house dedicated to exploring educated consumerism and local food eating. Our senior year we even bought 1/2 a grass fed steer to eat for the year. Most of us in the house did reduced meal plans in the caf and spent weeknights cooking and eating together. We set out with the goal of knowing our way around the kitchen and grocery store after we left college and feeding ourselves well. What I personally didn't expect was how important sustainable food issues would become. It started from a joy of eating, to a joy of cooking, to a joy of celebrating food that is actually FOOD.

After graduating, I've spent the summer up here in the Boundary Waters as a canoe guide for Wilderness Canoe Base. So it has been a joy to see these recent episodes and even the Grand Marais fishing one. I only cringed once when I saw you carrying the canoe by the flotation pocket. Bummer. There is a lot of bush tucker available up here, but I haven't had the nerve yet to try wild mushrooms. Maybe I'll do a little more research and give it a go. I've forwarded your site and mission onto the rest of the staff and sorry that I couldn't do it sooner. Don't really use the internet much as a summer canoe guide.

But as a winter retreat host… I've signed on to work the off season doing winter and fall retreats, so I'll be staying up here through the changing seasons. I've spent some more time now trying to located the local food options up here and what the co-op in town has to offer. It'll be tough since camp here is at the end of the Gunflint Trail on Seagull Lake. But, I took my first stab at canning blueberry jam yesterday. Just blueberries, honey and a little lemon juice. No pectin or granulated sugar. Baking some bread today to give it a sampling.

Well, I've rambled enough for a stranger. I just wanted to pass on compliments and encouragements as you continue with this project. I've started a small blog the other day (http://seasonsnorth.blogspot.com/) that will just be reflections/devotions throughout the coming year, if you want to check it out.

warm regards from the north,

will
Daniel Klein

Hey Will, Those are some beautiful pictures on your blog, thanks for sharing. And thanks for watching the show and passing it on. I'm envious of your work in the Boundary Waters, I would love to spend a summer up there, or the fall, maybe I would prefer that. Anyways shoot me an e-mail when you are back in town, I'd love to hear more about your experience. cheers
Keith

Hey Will, if you would ever like a lesson on how too solo flip a canoe I can teach you.

Anonymous

Who is will? Yes, canoe flipping with that hunk of metal is tough

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1218678004 Mika Turner

Enjoyed the episode, but you use the rhizome and not the root from the lotus plant. That’s why it was gross and looked wrong. Sam Thayer’s two book’s on foraging are excellent should you want to avoid future foraging mistakes.