Subsistence Living

 Yesterday we took part in our first subsistence activity - berry picking.  For those who have no idea what subsistence living is (I didn't till we moved here), subsistence is literally living off the land.  The people who live out here don't hunt, fish and berry pick for fun, they do it to live.  A spring with low salmon counts means a really tough winter.  Right

now is berry picking season, the only subsistence activity we can take part in.  Once we have been here for a year, we can hunt and fish, but for now it's just berries.  The tundra is full of ripe blueberries and salmonberries.  Later this summer cranberries will be ripe.  There is no designated blueberry patch, you simply walk out onto the tundra and look down.  We

took advantage of a rain free morning yesterday and all 4 of us headed out, crossed the street, entered the tundra and started picking.  Walking on the tundra is hard work!  It's like walking on pillows.  You think you are on solid ground but then you sink 6 inches deep.  After 2 1/2 hours of walking we were all pretty tired (except Gianna who rode in her sling). 

Tundra Blueberries

          At first glance the tundra isn't very appealing.  There are no trees, it's mostly flat, and the standing water doesn't amount to much more than an oversized puddle.  But on closer inspection the tundra is really beautiful.  There are so many different mosses and flowers, and of course, berries.

Salmonberry

Fruit of our labor

So we are pretty slow berry pickers.  We have a lot to learn.  But we had a good time, we got some good exercise, and we managed to pick enough berries for a blueberry pie.