Picture Book Hikes are a fun and easy way to bring learning outside. Read a book (you can even read it outside!) and then enjoy the related hike, activity and snack suggestions!
Wake Up, Woods
Written by: Michael Homoya & Shane Gibson, illustrated by:Gillian Harris
This book is absolutely packed with information about spring ephemerals– delicate North American native flowers that grow in the forest the early spring before the tree canopy leafs out. This is less of a story book and more of a nonfiction information book, its almost a feild guide but with beautiful illustrations. If you are looking for more of a story, or working with younger friends, try the Possum and the Peeper by Anne Hunter. It doesn’t specifically mention spring ephemerals, but depicts them in the illustrations. The two books work well together as well!
Spring Ephemeral Hike
First read “Wake Up, Woods” preferably while sitting on a nice log in the woods.
Next, start hiking. Keep your eyes peeled for spring ephemerals. You may want to visit a nature center or get a field guide for your area to determine what spring ephemerals are prevalent where you live. It’s always exciting to find them, especially when you come across a particularly rare one. Spring ephemerals hikes are the biggest motivator for our family to get outside and explore on those in between days when it’s not quite spring and and not quite winter.
When you find some spring ephemerals, take pictures, draw them in your nature journal or just enjoy them, but never pick them, nature needs them more than we do!
Read more here.
Wild Violet Tartlets
There are several spring ephemerals that are edible, the most famous of which are ramps, but they are also wildly over-harvested (and not easy to find everywhere) so I wanted to stay away from that. A spring flower that is easy to find and is in no danger of over-harvesting is the humble violet. I know these are a little fancy for a hike, but they are bite size and portable. I also always feel like spring is the time for tea parties and these have serious tea party vibes. A thermos of tea might be a nice accompaniment. Use shop bought shells to make these tarts super simple. The panna cotta layer is delicious on it’s own, but is next level with the violet jam. Panna cotta is one of those things that seems tricky to make but is actually dead simple. You could use any edible flower for this if something else is blooming or just use your favorite store bought fruit jam to save time.
Ingredients:
- 12 pre-made tartlet shells
- 1/2 cup oat milk
- 1 cup coconut cream (just the solids from a can of coconut milk)
- 1 1/4 tsp unflavored gelatin (half a packet)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- violet jam (recipe follows)
- violet flowers for garnish
Method:
Prep the pre-made tart shells if needed.
Make the panna cotta:
Add the coconut cream and oat milk to a sauce pan and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Allow it to bloom for 5 minutes. It will look wrinkled and almost dry.
Turn the heat on to medium and stir until the gelatin is dissolved, about two minutes.
Add the sugar and salt and stir until the sugar is completely melted. At least another two minutes. Don’t let the mixture boil. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
Pour the mixture into the tart shells leaving a little space for the jam. Pour any extra into greased ramekins– I had two in addition to my tarts. (There is going to be some variability depending on the size of your shells however)
Cover the tarts with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.
Top with violet jelly and an edible flower.
To make violet jam:
- 4 cups violet flowers (just the flowers, try to remove the stems as much as possible)
- 3 3/4 cups boiling water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 package powdered pectin
- 4 cups sugar
Rinse flowers and place in a heat resistant bowl. Pour boiling water over them, cover and allow to sit on teh counter for several hours.
The water will turn a deep blue as it steeps. Strain and reserve the liquid, pressing the flowers to extract as much color as possible. You should have 3 1/2 cups of violet tea.
Add the violet tea, lemon juice and pectin to a large sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. (The acid from the lemon juice will turn the mixture pinky- purple.)
Stir in the sugar and return to a rolling boil. Boil and stir for one minute.
Remove from heat. Ladle into 5 sterilized half pint jars with 1/4″ headspace. Screw on lids until fingertip tight. Keep refrigerated or process in a boiling water canner. (Process for 5 minutes.)
***Ensure that you only collect flowers that have not been sprayed with chemicals***