ADVENTURE
FARE
GAME ON WHY YOU SHOULD EMBRACE A FIELD-TO-FORK LIFESTYLE. BY LAURA SCHARA P H OTO G R A P H Y BY C A M I L L E L I Z A M A
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE FIELD-TO-FORK MOVEMENT HAS GROWN
in popularity as many of us are wanting to get back in touch with where our food comes from. It comes on the heels of the farm-to-table boom, in which restaurant chefs share the local food producers they support on their menus. This has helped spur an increased interest in harvesting our own dinner locally through the ancient practices of hunting and gathering. When we harvest our own food, it allows us to appreciate the nourishment of wild fare as there is no guarantee one will be successful in the field. It also honors Mother Earth as wild game is organic, sustainable, free range and a very environmentally friendly way to feed our families. Hunting places us back into the natural circle of life ecosystem that has existed on this planet for thousands of years. Here in the North, deer hunting season is akin to a national holiday. According to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources data, more than half a million deer hunting licenses were sold in 2019. If you’re not a hunter, you may wonder what the appeal is all about. Hunting enthusiasts will share many reasons for their love of the sport, from creating memories with family and friends in the deer blind to playing an important role in wildlife conservation. In fact, hunters are some of our greatest wildlife conservationists as 100% of proceeds from licenses supports wildlife and habitat conservancy efforts managed by the DNR. One of the most popular reasons is plain and simple: Venison tastes good. Hunters set out each fall to get in touch with their ancestorial roots by stalking deer with the hopeful outcome of providing for their family with a freezer full of locally sourced meat to enjoy yearround. Venison is also a nutritional powerhouse. It’s richer in protein and lower in fat than other red meats, plus it’s high in iron, magnesium, selenium, and other important vitamins and minerals. If hunting skills haven’t been passed down generationally in your family, there are many resources available to help you get started. The DNR offers free webinars about hunter safety, gear, licensing and finding public land as well as access to experts, groups and communities available to mentor you along your hunting journey. I’m proud to partner with the DNR to encourage Minnesotans to get it local and get curious about harvesting their own dinner. Embrace the circle of life and connect with your nomadic roots and the natural world by sourcing your own food locally.
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Artful Living