Island group teaching people to grow and find food, instead of buying it

A new group on P.E.I. is hoping to help people struggling with the high cost of food by teaching them to find and grow their own.

New Roots Social held its first event on Sunday in Breadalbane, covering topics from medicinal herbs to using worms in composting.

"A lot of people on P.E.I. are doing amazing things and nobody really knows about it," said Anne Gallant, one of the organizers.

"We wanted to bring together people and it's really an exchange of information, connecting with people, and we're trying to create a new community so that if people have questions, they can get answers."

Gallant said it's just a matter of where to look and what to look for.

"When you have a small salad, you can make that salad three times bigger by adding some wild greens, and it's so good for you."

Gallant says there is lots of food that grows in the wild that can be added to a salad. (Stacey Janzer/CBC)

Rene Lombard is passionate about mushrooms. She grows and forages for her own, and sells gourmet mushroom kits through her business, Mushroom Nerds.

"They've always been something a little bit magical and mysterious, somewhere between plant and animal, not belonging to either of the two categories exactly. They grow when they want to, when the conditions are just right. So there's a lot to try and understand about them. And … they're tremendously nutritious and healthy for us."

While mushrooms are plentiful on P.E.I., it's even more important to know which ones are edible.

Rene Lombard, who calls herself a mushroom nerd, says it's important to know what to look for. (Stacey Janzer/CBC)

"Do not just start picking any mushrooms, particularly not any white mushrooms and eating those. We have the most toxic mushroom in the whole of North America on the Island here."

New Roots Social plans to have more events throughout the spring and summer. Gallant said the growing season offers something new every few weeks.

"I find that it's almost like it's empowering you and it's giving you a certain sense of freedom and security because you just walk outside and you pick some food and you bring it in and you make a nice meal out of it. And there's just something really, really satisfying about that."