FOUNDER’S LETTER
West Coast Bounty
The beginning of our exploration
T
BRYCE M. WATTS
PRESIDENT & CO-FOUNDER
he West Coast is fortunate to be made up of such
beautiful terrain. This rugged coastline, blanketed
in lush temperate rainforest, is abundant with wild
foods. As we get more accustomed to the ease of supermarkets and prepackaged foods, it is easy to lose sight
of our connection to and dependence upon the land for
our survival. We see nature as something separate from
ourselves. Something removed from our everyday lives.
Something only for weekend visits.
Losing that connection creates a divide between
our food, the land, and ourselves. Our identities are
no longer tied to our local communities but to a global
community that gives us ready access to whatever we
seek. This is one of the great achievements of the modern age, but when it comes to food it has had effects
on our health and identities. Geographic variability and
seasonality have been replaced by a few core staples
we can choose from at any point throughout the year.
West Coast Wild Harvest is a resource for change; a
resource that helps reengage ourselves with our landscape by showing the myriad of wild foods available in
our own backyards.
West Coast Wild Harvest is a part of Forager Foundation’s Wild Harvest Network and we have created this
publication to act as a catalyst for people to reintegrate
themselves with their surrounding landscape. Each seasonal issue will introduce new wild plants, wild food recipes, and stories from other wild harvesters. It is our mission to use this magazine as a way to help readers take
those first steps towards a new relationship with their
food and with their communities.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
9