Podcast Episode - Learning the Grasslands

Some episodes feel polished. Others feel honest. This early Food Afield episode is one of the honest ones. Listening back, I can hear an earlier version of Food Afield. The production is simpler, the conversations wander a little more, and I’m still figuring out exactly what this podcast wants to be. But I can also hear many of the ideas that continue to shape Food Afield today. Kevin and I spend several autumn days wandering Alberta’s grasslands in search of waterfowl and upland birds. We hunt geese, flush sharp-tailed grouse from roadside cover, prepare our first sandhill crane, and end the day around the grill trying to answer the question everyone was asking: *“What does crane taste like?”* Along the way, something else emerges. We talk about missing easy shots. About learning new skills. About hunting without the pressure to fill a limit. About finding simple ways to get started without thousands of dollars in gear. We discover that curiosity is often a better guide than expectation. One conversation in particular has stayed with me over the years. We both realize that we don’t actually need a full game bag to call the trip a success. One bird is enough. Sometimes no birds are enough if the day has taught us something worth bringing home. I still believe that. Food Afield has never been about collecting limits or chasing trophies. It’s about learning to see landscapes differently, understanding the lives of the animals we pursue, and bringing wild food into the kitchen with care and curiosity. Listening back, I realize those ideas were already there. They just hadn’t fully found their voice yet. If you’ve been with the podcast from the beginning, I hope this episode feels like revisiting an old campfire conversation. And if you’re new to Food Afield, I think you’ll hear the roots of where this journey has gone. Thanks for coming along. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit foodafield.substack.com