Late Summer is Berry Picking Season
It’s berry picking season in Nunavut! As we move into late summer, you’ll start to see the land providing berries. Berries are thought of as superfoods and have been shown to help with heart health, brain health and your immune system.
Berry picking is an important cultural activity that brings families together and can contribute to your overall well-being. There are many changes in the environment that have made it hard to take part in cultural activities, but berry picking is a way that you and your kids can continue to have a connection with nature. It is a way that you can teach your kids the principles of Pilimmaksarniq and Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq.
The most common berries you might find on the land are blueberries (Kigutangirnait), Crowberries (Paurngait), Cranberries (Kimminait) and Cloudberries (Aqpik). You can also find raspberries and strawberries in your local grocery store.
There is so much history behind the use of these berries. They have been used for many things from soothing a stomach ache or sore throat, to using the leaves from berry plants to make tea.
As part of a regular diet, these berries are rich in nutrients and lower in sugar, salt and fat. These berries have good amounts of Vitamin C which helps to keep our gums, teeth and skin healthy, as well as helps with healing cuts and scrapes and fighting sickness. They also have fibre which helps to keep you regular and avoid constipation.
Unfortunately, berries can go bad very quickly. Being such a valuable fruit, we don’t want them to go to waste! This doesn’t have to be a problem though, if you know what to do with them. Berries last longest when stored in cooler temperatures, so the fridge or freezer are the way to go. Once they’ve been cleaned, they can be stored in a single layer in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 1 year.
If you and your kids go out foraging for berries this summer, you might bring home a few more berries than you bargained for. That’s okay, other than freezing, here are somethings you can do to preserve them:
- Drying Berries
Using your fresh berries, you can lay them out on a tray and bake them for long hours in the oven until they are dried through. These can be eaten on their own, used as a topping or added into baked goods.
- Pickling Berries
This is a sweet and savoury option that can add spices and vinegar to your berries. These can be used as toppings for salads, sandwiches, roasted meats and cheese plates.
- Make Jam, Sauces or Syrups
Cooking your berries down with sugar and canning them is a great way to preserve your berries. Jams and sauces can be used as a topping for many things from toast to cheese.
- Baking Berries
Baking berries into muffins, loaves, or cobblers makes a great sweet treat.
All in all, berries are a great source of nutrients and can be added to many dishes. Picking them yourself allows you to get outside for some exercise, connect with nature and participate in traditional teachings. Think about adding berry picking to your to do list this summer!
References/Resources
Nutrition Fact Sheet Series – Inuit Traditional Foods
What Is the Best Way to Store Fresh Berries?
Eat Your Way to Health with Berries
*All links for References/Resources open in new window