Old Growth Table

This is the summer season. Breathe deep, take it in. Let the warmth settle into your bones, and imagine reaching out to collect a sun-ripened berry on a hot summer day.This episode is all about berry medicine — why it’s good for us, the stories and reverence wrapped around it, and how these small, vibrant foods have nourished our people for thousands of years. Berries like strawberry, huckleberry, blackberry, and blueberry are among the first foods of this continent, present in our creation stories and honored across Indian Country in the naming of our lunar cycles.We’re excited to share with you səswix̌ab Martha Lamont’s berry picking song, sung by Tulalip youth at the Lushootseed Language Camp, to be joined by special guest Colleen Echohawk (Pawnee and Upper Athabascan), a community organizer and longtime Seattle leader whose work uplifts Native visibility and Indigenous-led solutions to homelessness, food insecurity, and justice, and to be gifted a poem by her sister and dear friend, Abi Echohawk. Together, we reflect on what it means to live the berry way of life — how to bring ancestral food knowledge into urban spaces, grow what we can, respect the land and our relatives through our honorable harvest, and reconnect to the land even in the middle of the city.When we walk into harvesting with intention — making offerings, prayers, and sharing our harvest with our communities — we receive deep nourishment in return. And as the elders remind us: the best time to harvest is the time you have.Resources & How to Support Us:Follow Colleen at @cechohawk, and make sure to check out her organizations: Eight Generation and Chief Seattle Club. You can follow Abigail Echo-Hawk at @echohawkd3.Support us on Patreon! Our patrons can download exclusive content like our seasonal meditations and recipes and so much more content to come! 🌿 Find us at patreon.com/OldGrowthTablePodcast 📲 Follow us on:Instagram: @oldgrowthtableTikTok: @oldgrowthtable.podcastYouTube: youtube.com/@OldGrowthTable++++We are so grateful to be in collaboration with the team at All My Relations, and to be produced in their new home, Tidelands in downtown Seattle. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who made this show possible! T’igwicid!

In this enlightening conversation, Mariah Gladstone, a Blackfeet and Cherokee founder of Indigikitchen, shares her passion for revitalizing Indigenous foods. She and Valerie explore our sacred relationship with water, emphasizing its role beyond mere hydration. Listeners are treated to discussions about infusions made from conifer shoots, the critical need for respectful water stewardship, and ancestral practices that encourage deeper connections with nature. This dialogue reminds us to revere water as a living relative that carries healing power and wisdom.

Explore the healing powers of wild spring greens like nettles and dandelion as they awaken and fortify our bodies. Discover sustainable harvesting techniques and culinary tips that harmonize with nature. Delve into the rich connection between food and culture, emphasizing the idea that our food acts as medicine. Through storytelling and community voices, this conversation highlights traditional practices that nourish both individuals and communities, encouraging a deeper connection to the seasonal bounty.

Welcome to The Old Growth Table — a new series celebrating the deep roots of Coast Salish food traditions and the sacred relationships we hold with the land, water, and all our relations. Hosted by Valerie Segrest, Native Food Nutritionist, Food Activist, and enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Tribe, this show is an offering into the traditional foodways of the Coast Salish people: harvesting, preparing, and sharing ancestral foods with family and community.Our first episode, Food Is Our Medicine, premieres Earth Day, April 22, 2025! Make sure you’re subscribed to get notified of our release. Follow now at oldgrowthtable.com and on instagram at @oldgrowthtable. T’igwicid for being on this journey with us and we’re so excited to share these teachings with you! We are so grateful to be in collaboration with the team at All My Relations, and to be produced in their new home, Tidelands in downtown Seattle. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who made this show possible! T’igwicid!