On a cool Sunday morning, Shawn Dawson leads the way down an almost-hidden path, pausing to pick huge, frost-sweetened cranberries, shielded by moss and tall grass. From thick bushes of seemingly indiscernible greenery, the professional forager spots snowberry leaves – perfect for stuffing a moose roast, he says.
Blue sky, crisp air, not a breath of wind: It’s a perfect November day in Newfoundland. At a time when most think harvest season is long over, Dawson is outside all day, every day.
Apples, plums, damsons and berries remain plentiful if you know where to look, he says. And the woods surrounding St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, are still rich with several species of mushrooms.
“We’ve always been known for our seafood,” Dawson muses. “But we’ve got some of the most pristine, untouched land in Canada, and I’d say the most wild food anywhere. We should be known for these land resources, too.”