Newfoundland Naturalist

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

🐥 Day 2 on the homestead!
The little chickies made it through their first night and everyone is looking great this morning. They're off to a wonderful start, eating, drinking, and settling into their new home.
It's always exciting to take another step toward food security, self-reliance, and knowing exactly where your food comes from. Looking forward to sharing this journey with everyone as these little ones grow.

Wela'lin to everyone following along on this homestead adventure! 🌱🐔

05/28/2026

Another beautiful day on the homestead. 🐥🌱
Spent the day looking after the chickies, doing some transplants, and taking a little break for lunch — and what a lunch it was!
Moose burgers with homegrown onions, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, homemade pickles, fresh dandelion greens, and fireweed on the side with garlic butter. Absolutely amazing. 🙌
Moments like this make me so thankful. This is what food security and self-reliance look like. Knowing where your food comes from, growing and gathering it yourself, eating healthy, organic foods from the land — there’s truly nothing better.
The more we reconnect with the land, the more we reconnect with ourselves. 🌿

05/27/2026

Excited day on the homestead today… just picked up 30 chickens! 🐥🌱
There’s something incredibly rewarding about growing your own food and knowing exactly where it comes from. In a world where grocery prices are getting absolutely outrageous and so many people are worried about food chains and food security, learning to become a little more self-reliant just makes sense.
These birds will be free-ranging, living a natural life, scratching the earth, eating bugs and greens, and helping us reconnect with real food again. Knowing what you’re eating and being part of the process from start to finish is such an empowering feeling.
This is only the beginning, and I’m excited to bring everyone along for the journey — from raising the chickens, to caring for them, to sharing what I learn along the way. Hoping to inspire more people to take small steps toward independence, food security, and reconnecting with the land.
The future is local. The future is community. The future is knowing your food. 🐓🥚🌿
All my relations Wela'liio 🙏

05/19/2026

Good morning everyone 🙏. Another beautiful morning on the land, I decided to go for a hike and medicine walk up on Indian Head, also known as Joey’s Lookout. 🌿☀️

Wanted to get out and see what was starting to pop up this season, and I was happy to find a few familiar medicines that are featured in my new book, Backyard Medicines, including Coltsfoot, Yarrow, and even some Goldenrod starting to pop up.
I also came across some beautiful Labrador Tea, which isn’t featured in this first book, but will most likely find its way into one to come. Always exciting to see what Mother Earth is offering and teaching each season.

These walks are about more than just gathering medicines — they’re about reconnecting to the land, slowing down, listening, learning, and giving thanks. And of course, like always, we left it better than when we found it. 🌱🧹
Wela’lin for another wonderful morning on the land.

05/18/2026

Good Ole 48 Ford ❤️

05/18/2026

Another wonderful day on the homestead. 🌱
Got the vegetable garden all plowed up today and now we’ll let the soil dry out for a week or so before the tiller crew moves in.

The transplants are all tucked away safely in the basement for another week or two, then it’s off to the greenhouse before finally making their way into the ground.

I also dug the last of the potatoes today and still managed to get another 10–15 pounds out of the ground. Pretty amazing considering they overwintered so well. Looking forward to some beautiful homemade lunches with them over the next little while. 🥔
Every season reminds me how important self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and food security truly are. There’s something deeply rewarding about putting your own hands in the soil, growing your own food, and reconnecting with the land that provides for us.

So much to be thankful for. Wela’lin Mother Earth for another growing season ahead. ❤️🌎
All my relations Wela'liio 🙏

05/18/2026

Made the most of yesterday's ranie day on the homestead 🌧️🌱
Got my corn planted — 80 seeds in all, which should give me close to 300 ears of corn if all goes well. I really love germinating my corn first for about a week or so until it begins to sprout before planting. I find it gives them a great start and helps speed things up once they hit the soil.
We also got things started for the yams 🍠. Yams or sweet potatoes take about six yo eight weeks to really get going, so today I took some slips and got them started for rooting.
One of the old tricks I like using is elderberry bark in my rooting water. Elderberry contains natural plant compounds and hormone like properties that can help encourage root growth and support young plants as they develop roots. Similar to willow water, it’s one of those traditional natural methods that reminds us our ancestors understood far more about the land and plants than many people realize today.

I’m also super excited to see that my true potato seeds are sprouting! 🥔🌱 That’s one of the most exciting parts about growing from true potato seed — you never fully know what you’re going to get. Blues, reds, pinks, whites… every plant can produce something completely unique. It’s almost like opening a surprise package from Mother Earth. I can’t wait to see what surprises come out of the garden this year.
Got my suncokes planted Kevin Vincent thanks again my friend 👍 🙏great addition to my food forest for this year

My rutabaga got a little leggy on me from a bit too much heat and the grow lights being a little too high, but that’s all part of learning and growing. I’ll transplant them deeper and get them back under control. Nature always teaches patience and adaptation.
There’s something deeply satisfying about working with nature instead of against it — trusting the process, learning from the land, and reconnecting with old ways of growing food and medicines.
Also got my suncokes planted thanks again so much Kevin Vincent what an amazing addition to my food forest for this year 🙏.

Every seed planted and every slip rooted is another step toward food sovereignty, self-sufficiency, and reconnecting with the land. 🌽🍠🥔❤️
All my relations Wela'liio 🙏

05/17/2026

Reflections on yesterday… ❤️

I am truly humbled and honored by the incredible turnout and support for the launch of my new book, Backyard Medicines.

Seeing so many people come together to celebrate reconnecting with the land, traditional knowledge, natural medicines, and food sovereignty meant more to me than words can express.

This book has been a lifelong dream of mine, inspired by teachings from elders, time spent on the land, and a deep passion for helping people reconnect with Mother Earth and the medicines growing all around us. To finally share it with the community and feel such overwhelming encouragement was emotional and deeply meaningful.

A very special wela’lin and thank you to the Spirit Bay Drummers 🙏Troy Bennett , Perry Young and Uncle Wayne Alexander for coming out and sharing your songs, spirit, and energy with us. Your presence helped make the gathering incredibly powerful and meaningful.

I would also like to extend my deepest gratitude to Elder Frank Russell, Elder Bernadette Cooper, and Elder Scott Butt for your wisdom, support, and guidance. It was truly an honor to have you there.

Special thanks as well to former Chief of Indian First Nations, Hayward George Young former Chief of Port au Port Indian Band, Mary O’Quinn, and current Chief of Port au Port Indian Band, Chief Shana O’Quinn, Vice Chief of Indian Head , Jason Burroughs, Chief of Corner Brook Indian Band Jerry Lyver ,director of Indian Head Raphael Cormier Cormier , Leo Corimer, Gerard John Gaulton Gerard John Gaulton ,Lenny Tiller, John Sheppard Sheppard ,Wendell Benoit Marion Benoit
,Amanda Benoit-Whitelaw and kelly Family Yola Benny Scott LeDrew & family Isabel Thistle Power , Steve Power Power ,Ivy A Benoit and too many more to list for your support and for taking the time to attend.

And of course, a very special thank you to Sterling Tulk Tulk and his wife Corinne Peddle Tulk Peddle Tulk for traveling across the province to be there. Sterling, I truly cannot thank you enough for all the hard work, dedication, and support you put into helping bring this project to life. This book simply would not have been possible without you, my friend 🧡

To everyone who traveled near and far to come to the event, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support means the world to me and reminds me just how important this work truly is.
Thanks to my loving mother Marg Alexander and partner Lorraine Thistle Connolly for helping with the food prep and support❤️. thanks to Cindy Coffin at Juniper printing & her husband Matt Coffin who spent endless hours the past week trying to complete printing in time for yesterday event
Thank you as well to Aunt Phyllis Doucette Doucette and aunt Patsy MacDonald MacDonald for being there it meant the world i felt Nan there also ❤️.the People of the Dawn Indigenous Friendship Centre and everyone who helped organize, everyone who attended, purchased a book, shared kind words, or simply came to support this journey.

Yesterday reminded me that people are excited for connection to the land, to culture, to community, and to each other.

This is only the beginning. 🌿
All my relations Wela'liio 🙏

05/13/2026

What an exciting day! Everything is all set up and my station is ready to go for tonight’s culinary event — showtime! 🍄🌲🍵
I’m beyond excited to showcase some of the incredible natural medicines and traditional teas that Mother Earth provides. Tonight I’ll be presenting:
✨ Chaga Tea
✨ Dandelion Tea
✨ Spruce Tip Tea

As well as a variety of other beautiful teas and medicines including Turkey Tail, Rose Hips, Mullein, many of which are featured in my upcoming new book, Backyard Medicines.

This journey has truly been about reconnecting with the land, traditional knowledge, and the healing gifts growing all around us. Looking forward to sharing stories, knowledge, and some amazing flavours tonight.

Wela’lin / Thank you everyone for the support hope to see some familiar faces there tonight! 🌿🔥