About janet@ouroneacrefarm.com

Wildlife tracker, camera trapper, forager, and gardener, with a background in conservation biology. When I'm not outdoors enjoying these activities, I'm usually indoors writing about them.

Pumpkin ice cream sandwiches with gingersnaps

This subtly spiced pumpkin or winter squash ice cream packed between gingersnaps is the perfect fall treat to follow a savory meal, or a brisk afternoon raking leaves. I include my own recipe for homemade gingersnaps, but you could go … Continue reading

Hickory Nuts: Foraging for Pignut and Shagbark Hickory Nuts

Most hickory nuts in the US are edible, the most popular one being the pecan, which has a limited range in the south. Here in central New England (and in much of the estern US), the most common hickories are … Continue reading

Chocolate coconut milk ice cream

If you’ve been disappointed with the flavor and texture of coconut milk ice cream, try this one. Virgin coconut oil, creme de cacao, and tapioca syrup lend this chocolate coconut milk ice cream a smooth and creamy mouth feel, and … Continue reading

Autumnberry ice cream pie with hazelnuts

Why not turn an invasive plant into an elegant dessert? This sumptuous pie starts with a nutty, no-bake graham cracker crust. It’s layered with a thick, sweet-tart autumnberry sauce made from the berries of the invasive shrub, autumn olive. Then … Continue reading

Autumn olive: foraging for autumnberries

Until recently, few people were aware that the berries of autumn olive, Elaeagnus umbellata, are edible. But the secret is out. More and more are harvesting these tasty fruits for both sweet and savory dishes. In addition to great flavor, … Continue reading

Hickory nuts: Rodent sign

While out foraging for shagbark hickory nuts (Carya ovata) in Bolton, MA this morning, I noticed abundant sign of other animals doing the same. Near a beaver wetland in a mixed oak / white pine / red maple / black … Continue reading

Elderberry ice cream with chocolate hazelnut crunch

Fruit purees and syrups add great flavor to ice cream, but the extra water can lead to crystallization, giving the ice cream a gritty texture. Not so with elderberry syrup. For whatever reason, elderberry syrup actually lends elasticity and smoothness … Continue reading

Hazelnuts: Foraging for American and beaked hazelnuts

If I had to choose a favorite wild edible, it would be the hazelnut. Rich in protein, fat, and flavor, hazelnuts make a satisfying snack, and can be used in cooking wherever you would use their commercially available counterparts (called … Continue reading

Elderberries

The American elderberry, Sambucus canadensis, also called common elderberry or wild elder, is native to eastern North America. It is sometimes considered to be the same species as Sambucus nigra, the European elderberry or black elderberry. The two are at … Continue reading

Black Walnut Ice Cream With Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

Black walnuts: Either you love ’em or hate ’em, right? There may be a good reason for that division, as you’ll read later on. In this recipe, toasting the nuts mellows the flavor. Brown sugar and cinnamon go especially well … Continue reading