ABUNDANCE:
From Polish Forests to Nova Scotia Gardens
By Justyna Werbel
As the 2023 holiday season unfolded, a parcel bearing the journey from Poland to Nova Scotia arrived at my doorstep. Encased within the exterior cardboard box lay a medium-sized tin box adorned in red and green hues, with hints of gold trimming evoking the essence of Eastern Europe. With anticipation, I lifted the lid, instantly transported to the depths of Poland’s wild forests.
In my late twenties, I embarked on a journey back to Poland, my place of birth, where I resided and worked for five enriching years. It was during this time that I rekindled the communal yet independent practice of foraging for mushrooms. Guided by seasoned locals, I learned to discern the microclimates conducive to mushroom growth, learned a few identification tricks, and meticulously cleaned and rid of the small maggots burrowed deep in stems and caps.
Stringing these forest treasures up to dry over a crackling wood-burning stove became a cherished ritual, preserving them to make traditional winter hunter’s stews like my father used to make to warm us during our long winter walks on the shores of Point Peele.
The tin box sent by my parents contained just that, a precious bounty of wild Polish mushrooms, foraged by them from the forests surrounding their new home. I received a tin worth more than gold, a tin full of what binds our earth together.
Parents in Polish forest forging for wild mushrooms.
But the holidays have come and gone. It’s the beginning of February, the time we revisit our harvest gatherings and begin preparations for early spring sowing. On February 10th, 2024, I have the privilege of participating in the 18th annual Seedy Saturday, organized by Rosmarie Lohnes from Helping Nature Heal Inc. This gathering will be held at the DesBrisay Museum, bringing together over 20 vendors, trading, buying, and selling native seeds from across the province. The event will feature insightful talks by experts from various fields, including the food forest enthusiasts from the Bluenose Academy, the CP Allen school from the WABANAKI restoration project, and vermiculture specialists. Additionally, engaging educational activities for children will be curated by a Dartmouth-based organization SEEDS. The serendipitous timing of Seedy Saturday on February 10th coincides with the Chinese New Year, marking the transition from winter to spring in the traditional lunisolar calendar. As the festival celebrates the onset of the spring season, it mirrors the spirit of renewal and growth inherent in the annual Seedy Saturday gathering.
Amidst the festivities, Helping Nature Heal Inc. will unveil ABUNDANCE®, a product borne from years of nurturing Nova Scotia’s coastal ecosystems. ABUNDANCE® harnesses the power of two simple yet potent ingredients – seaweed and mycorrhizal fungi, colloquially known as “mycorrhiza,” meaning fungal root. This symbiotic relationship between fungi and plant roots enhances nutrient uptake and fosters robust root development, laying the foundation for thriving gardens. During this Seedy Saturday event, Rosmarie will demonstrate the application of
ABUNDANCE® in seed inoculation, expediting germination and fortifying root systems, setting the stage for a flourishing garden.
I can already imagine my future garden abundant with carrots and cabbage, all the ingredients that enrich a traditional Polish hunter’ stew that would perfectly accompany my wild Polish mushrooms plucked straight out of my precious gold-trimmed tin can – perhaps I will end this with a flavorful reminder of nature’s inexhaustible gifts, awaiting discovery in every corner of our flourishing world both in the dead of winter and the soon approaching spring.
Come see us at Seedy Saturday (at the DesBrisay Museum on Saturday, February 10th) where we are doing some market research on our NEW ABUNDANCE LABELING! Please drop us a line on our social media platforms and tell us what you think.
Helping Nature Heal – ABUNDANCE® Root Booster Concentrate