Saturday, October 12, 2013

N. L. Road Trip (15): N. L.'s Wild Fruits and Grown Vegetables

One of the things that you may want to try in NL is its wild fruit and it limited to different types of berries. We saw them are being sold on the side of Highway No. 1 in big bags. As well we picked a few ourselves and I bought a jar of spread. A few other types were not available due to the season and also limited amount. I think because of the climate you can not find regular fruits that you see them in supermarkets every time you step in but at the same time we saw many different type of vegetables grown in here and there. We saw that at the sides of the major roads, for example NL 430. There is a small lot which is fenced with ribbons and small wooden sticks and at times there is a scarecrow mounted beside it. Different type of vegetables, both leafy and roots are cultivated and sold in a little huts adjacent to the little field. Why bigger lots are not dedicated to growing vegetables I can see different reasons:
First of all there is not a big population of the consumers in the surrounding towns and neighbourhoods. Second of all the major supermarkets normally get their producer from big growers. It's not economic for them to have 3 or 4 supplier, get into an agreement with each, control them, etc, etc. So until there is not a certain amount, I guess, that a grower can supply, the big supermarkets would not have contract with it. Blueberry and Partrigeberry were the two kind that we picked up, in St. John's and Twillingate and as I said I bout a jar of Partrigeberry spread which was fine. You can find the other type by simply searching them on the net. I believe the vegetables, including big Green Cabbages are used to make a kind of stew which also includes Curd Beef but you can not get them as meal in restaurants. 
(Photo: F. F. is showing a handful of Partrigeberries. Of course the red dark ones are the ripe ones)

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