Year of Plenty: Traditional Foodways

Poldi Wieland
  • 5.0 (212)
  • FOOD
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Helping you become more resilient through food. We are more disconnected from our food and drink than ever before! Generational cooking skills and food traditions are slowly withering away, and many of us have no idea where our food is coming from. We explore topics such as food resilience, nutrition, hunting, foraging, homesteading, regenerative farming, and more. Gather around our table and learn how to take control of your food supply chain and fuel yourself with nutrient-dense food.

  1. 4D AGO

    Food Sovereignty, Wild Food, and Borderlands Cuisine with Hank Shaw

    This episode is a conversation with Hank Shaw, wild food chef, author, and the voice behind Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. Hank has spent decades hunting, fishing, foraging, and writing about wild ingredients, and his newest book, Borderlands, explores the rich food traditions stretching from the Rio Grande to the Pacific. Episode Overview: How did Hank Shaw go from political journalist to James Beard nominated wild food authority, and what pushed him to go all-in on hunting, fishing, and foragingWhat does food sovereignty really mean in practice, and why does cutting out the middleman change how we relate to land, habitat, and wild places?What exactly are the Borderlands, and why is this region between the United States and Mexico one of the most culturally rich and misunderstood food landscapes in North America?What are the defining wild proteins of the Borderlands, from venison and quail to javelina and jackrabbit, and how are they traditionally prepared?Why is seafood king in parts of the Borderlands, and what makes Gulf snook, smoked marlin, shellfish, and Baja style cooking so unique?What are quelites, and which wild greens and indigenous food traditions still shape Borderlands cuisine today?How do fire, mesquite coals, pit cooking, and slow grilling define Borderlands flavor?What traditional preservation methods still matter in hot, dry climates, including salting wild chilies, drying and smoking meats, and burying ingredients in salt or sugar?Which mushrooms can foragers find in the Borderlands during monsoon season, from porcini and lobster mushrooms to chanterelles and regional Amanitas?Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/WOqNe8ut90M?si=4fziqCsltuGbtiEA Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R

    1h 44m

  2. JAN 6

    Can You Really Live on Wild Food? Robin Greenfield Is! | Food Freedom

    This episode is a conversation with Robin Greenfield, activist, forager, and author of Food Freedom. Robin has spent years experimenting with what it means to step outside the industrial food system, first by growing and foraging all of his food for a year, and now by eating only wild food. In this conversation, we explore what food freedom actually looks like in practice, the role of community, and why food sits at the center of ecological and personal resilience. Episode Overview: Robin’s background and journey away from the industrial food systemWhy food became the central focus of his activism and life experimentsWhat “food freedom” meant during his year of growing and foraging all of his foodThe real challenges of food freedom, including time, processing, and preservationWhy community support is essential for living closer to the landWhat motivated Robin to take the next step and eat only wild food for an entire yearHow he plans calories, protein, fat, and nutrients on a wild food dietKey wild food staples including wild rice, venison, fish, nuts, fruits, greens, and herbsThe hardest parts of eating wild food, including fat scarcity and food storage mistakesHow seasonality and travel shape his wild food strategyEthical foraging and reciprocity, including harvesting invasive speciesWhy learning individual plants matters more than following blanket foraging rulesHow foraging can deepen connection, purpose, and gratitude for the natural worldPractical advice for beginner foragers who want to start building food resilienceUse code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/UJ97dq8yVM0?si=huhuFqMRf7BkSs54 Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R

    1h 6m

  3. 12/31/2025

    Foragers Roundtable: 2025 Foraging Season in Review | Harvests, Lessons & What’s Next

    Poldi and Lindey are joined by Orion (Forage Colorado), Tim (Ironwood Foraging Co.), and Bryan (Healing Ecosystems) for a relaxed, end-of-year conversation about wild food. We’ll reflect on how the season unfolded, what the harvest was like, lessons learned from the land, and the traditional food projects and skills we practiced along the way. We’ll also share our foraging goals and intentions for the year ahead. Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBzbHWZUhso&t=1407s Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R

    2h 6m

  4. 09/18/2025

    Forgotten Staples: Foraging Wild Plums & American Lotus with Feral Foraging

    This episode is a conversation with Jesse from Feral Foraging about two of North America’s most overlooked wild foods — Wild Plums and American Lotus. Jesse is a skilled forager and educator who shares practical tips on plant identification, wild tending, and cooking with these forgotten staples. His work blends deep ecological knowledge with hands-on techniques that help people connect to their food in a meaningful way. Episode Overview: Jesse’s background and the mission behind Feral ForagingThe Gather Foraging App — features for plant ID, seasonal timing & lookalikesWild Plum species in North America (American, Chickasaw, Mexican, Pacific, Canada plums)How to identify wild plums vs. Bradford pear or crabappleWhy wild plums are disappearing (invasive species, habitat loss, fire suppression)Tips for scouting wild plums in bloom, best harvesting techniques, and seasonal timingWild plum flavor profile, traditional uses, and recipes (jam, wine, sauces, fruit leather)American Lotus basics — how it compares to Asian lotus and its overlooked historyForaging lotus seeds and tubers: canoe gathering, wading, and digging in mudLotus recipes & nutrition: porridge, bread, flour alternatives, and long-term seed storageWhy American Lotus and Wild Plums are still worth foraging today for resilience and food culture Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/pU2202bP58Q?si=o5_hNZ6Bq7UCNA2k Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R Connect with Jesse: https://www.youtube.com/@FeralForaging Download the Gather Foraging App: https://gatherapp.co/

    1h 39m

  5. 09/04/2025

    Feed Us With Trees: Ancient Wisdom for a Resilient Food System with Elspeth Hay

    In this episode of the Year of Plenty Podcast, we’re joined by Elspeth Hay — writer, public radio host, and author of Feed Us With Trees. Elspeth takes us deep into the overlooked world of edible trees, exploring how they’ve sustained humans for millennia and why they hold the key to building a more resilient food system today. From acorns and chestnuts to hazelnuts and maples, this conversation uncovers the ancient wisdom and modern science behind tree-based foods and agroforestry. Topics We Cover The inspiration behind Elspeth’s book Feed Us With Trees and why she believes trees belong at the center of our food future.Acorns as a staple food: how they’ve been processed, eaten, and valued across cultures.Chestnuts and their importance across Europe and North America, including their culinary revival.Hazelnuts as both a wild foraged nut and a promising perennial crop.Differences between perennial tree foods and annual crops — and what that means for resilience.The role of trees in storing carbon and sustaining long-term food supplies.Why many tree-based foods disappeared from mainstream diets and what it takes to bring them back.Indigenous knowledge and cultural traditions surrounding oaks, chestnuts, and other nut trees. Stories of modern farmers and projects reintroducing edible tree systems into agriculture.Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/HXgxNj72rGc?si=92eG2Bi5iqd3HHEX Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R Connect with Elspeth Hay: https://elspethhay.com/

    1h 17m

  6. 08/22/2025

    Foraging for Huckleberries, Ground Cherries, and Tumbleweeds | Tips from Wild Food Girl

    In this episode of the Year of Plenty Podcast, we sit down with Erica Davis — better known as Wild Food Girl — to explore the fascinating world of wild edible plants. Erica has spent more than a decade teaching, writing, and foraging across the Rocky Mountains and beyond, and she shares her deep knowledge on identification, harvesting, and cooking techniques for some of the most interesting wild foods in North America Topics We Cover How Erica became “Wild Food Girl” and built her online school.Dandelion soup (manest), including how to blanch greens to reduce bitterness, recipe variations, and pairing ideas.Huckleberry foraging with seasonal timing, elevation tips, species differences, and the regional naming confusion between blueberries and huckleberries.Oregon grape, with tips on safe identification, its tart flavor, and how to use it in jelly, wine, and other recipes.Tumbleweed (Salsola), how to harvest young shoots, different cooking methods, and the ethics of foraging invasives.Kochia “land caviar” (tonburi), including seed processing, rinsing to remove saponins, and creative flavor pairings.Ground cherries (Physalis), how to identify species, clear up toxicity myths, know the best harvest times, and find their favorite habitats.Foraging safety tips, from avoiding lookalikes to harvesting ethically and steering clear of beginner mistakes.The unique challenges and opportunities of foraging in the Intermountain West. Use code “yearofplenty” for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/lH80VIp2b4A?si=yQO1XqW46Dyad8kM Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R Connect with Wild Food Girl: https://wildfoodgirl.com/ https://www.instagram.com/wild.food.girl/?hl=en

    1h 27m

  7. 08/06/2025

    Mayapples, Wild Coffee & the Foraging Onion Approach with Hoosier Forager

    Hoosier Forager joins us for a thoughtful conversation about how we approach foraging, why it matters, and how to build confidence with new wild foods. We also dig into two standout plants: chicory, one of the best wild coffee substitutes, and mayapple, a native fruit with a short, tricky harvest window. Plus, we talk about a surprising fungal shift with Golden Oyster Mushrooms happening across the U.S. Episode Overview: The Foraging Onion framework: how to build confidence with new wild foodsHow to safely identify and harvest mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum)When mayapples are edible — and what parts to avoidForaging for chicory (Cichorium intybus): ID tips, uses, and wild coffeeThe spread of golden oyster mushrooms across the U.SWhy golden oysters may reduce native fungal diversityHow to deepen your foraging practice beyond just identificationUse code “yearofplenty” (all lower case) for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/n5Ni_hTKhmo?si=5gpfBCBU4L7r-FTl Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R Connect with Hoosier Forager: https://linktr.ee/hoosierforager

    1h 27m

  8. 07/10/2025

    Guerrilla Grafting, Wild Carbs & Foraging Japanese Knotweed with Healing Ecosystems

    In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Bryan from Healing Ecosystems. He’s someone who’s not just talking about food resilience—he’s living it, experimenting with wild foods, and creating abundance on the land in ways most people haven’t even considered. Episode Overview: Guerrilla grafting edible pear varieties onto ornamental Bradford pears in public spacesHow to grow and forage wild carbohydrates like turnips, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, and groundnutsTraditional acorn processing through cold water leaching and how Indigenous peoples did it at scaleForaging Japanese knotweed: why it’s invasive, how to harvest it, and what it tastes likePractical strategies for building food resilience with wild and perennial calorie cropsUse code “yearofplenty” (all lower case) for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.com MY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it out Leave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes. Watch the Video Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/ZwbSdmZfjdY?si=aaKO6bVHfTf1zcE- Sign up for the newsletter: www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletter Support the podcast via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yearofplenty Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentyvideo Do you follow the podcast on social media yet? IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/ X: https://x.com/yearofplentypod I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53R Connect with Healing Ecosystems: https://www.instagram.com/healingecosystems/

    1h 43m
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5
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About

Helping you become more resilient through food. We are more disconnected from our food and drink than ever before! Generational cooking skills and food traditions are slowly withering away, and many of us have no idea where our food is coming from. We explore topics such as food resilience, nutrition, hunting, foraging, homesteading, regenerative farming, and more. Gather around our table and learn how to take control of your food supply chain and fuel yourself with nutrient-dense food.

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