Michelle Nelson, author of The Urban Homesteading Cookbook, graduated from SFU with a PhD in conservation biology. While at SFU, she also wrote articles for this very section of The Peak.
Her new book provides guidelines to create a better, more sustainable lifestyle that promotes saving BC’s environment, one ecosystem at a time. The recipes focus on using abundant ingredients (both native and non-native to BC), including invasive species. Her idea: to literally eat away the problem.
Invasive species, which have been introduced to Canada from other countries, outcompete native species and cause entire ecosystems to collapse. According to Nelson, “purple loosestrife, Japanese knotweed, and American bullfrog [are] three that are really easy to identify, really easy to find, and super invasive.” Humans are doing nature a favour by collecting as many of these species as possible.
Besides caring for our ecosystems, there are also moral and health-related reasons for becoming an urban homesteader, as the book explains. Commercially-produced fruits and vegetables often contain harmful chemicals, including pesticides and herbicides, which are dangerous for human consumption. It’s far safer for someone to grow and eat their own food than to buy it from the grocery store.
From a moral standpoint, many farms have become industrialized and grossly mistreat animals. They raise livestock with the primary purpose of making profit. Their goal is simply to get food onto people’s dinner plates; animals become products, rather than living beings with rights. People can instead raise their own animals, such as quail and rabbits, and ensure that they are provided a decent quality of life.
Beginning in a downtown Vancouver apartment, Nelson explored the best way to adapt homesteading to an urban way of life. She experimented with keeping quail in a rabbit hutch, growing vegetables, and foraging for invasive plants and animals. From all of this she was able to craft original and delicious recipes using sustainable ingredients. Such ingredients taste fresher and have far more complex flavours than any store-bought products.
From brewing beer to preserving jam, her recipes cover a wide range. Even someone who has little or no experience with farming or foraging can find ways to become a more sustainable consumer. It’s as simple as using a single pot to grow, for instance, Portobello mushrooms indoors.
Another great entry point is foraging. As Nelson says, “You could start with collecting things for tea, like rosehips or clover or mint; those are really easy to find.”
For bakers, chocoholics, or anyone with a sweet tooth, there’s a recipe for Dark and Stormy Chocolate Cupcakes with Cricket Flour. Tempura lovers should try the Sesame Panko-Crusted Frog Legs appetizer.
Beyond featuring just recipes, Nelson’s writing provides detailed instructions on how to identify different species and in which habitats they can be found. All four sections on foraging, keeping animals, growing, and preserving are further complimented by beautiful photographs.
Nelson describes her urban homesteading lifestyle as “rewarding” and believes individuals can help to improve BC’s ecosystems. She hopes to “inspire people to try something that’s in the book and make that connection between conservation and food production.” Whether you have a sprawling backyard or live in a confined apartment, it is possible to make a difference.
Nelson intends to continue writing her way to a better world, and future books she is considering would focus on foraging for greens, including herbs and flowers, or eating invasive species.
