2022 - REVITALIZING OUR SUSTENANCE PROJECT

Updates on our 2022 Season (Check back often)

She:kon Sewakwé:kon,

We have been following the Haudenosaunee Lunar Calendar to guide what ROSP does throughout the year. Check it out!

Otsikhè:ta / Wáhta Wenhnì:tare (Sugar Moon)

During the Otsikhè:ta Wenhnì:tare Denise and Kwiyo tapped some trees!

Ratiwé:ras Wenhnì:tare (Thunder Moon)

Its the time of year when the waters in the creeks reach a delightful 6 degrees Celsius. Cold to us, but the perfect temperature for fish like Rainbow Trout, White Sucker, Northern Pike, and eventually Walleye to start their journey's up the rivers and creeks. They make their way up to areas where the creek beds are nice and rocky, the water is clear, and then they huddle in big groups to have a sexy party. Its during this time when we go out spearing! Some men in the community brought some rainbow trout for us to host a fish filleting workshop. Filleting fish takes practice! Its not as easy as it looks.

Things to remember to think 7 Generations ahead:
-When spearing fish, you should always be harvesting eggs from the females and fertilizing them in a bucket with the milt from the males. 3 males to 1 female is a good ratio. Pour the eggs back into the water in a place where the eggs can settle amongst the rocks. Congrats you just helped create over a thousand new fish, but only a few will make it to adulthood. Isn't that nuts!? That's why its so important to make this apart of your spearing practices.

-Remember to keep the head and carcass of your fish to make fish broth. You can even roast the fish heads too!

-Guts that you don't want to eat can be used as fertilizer in the garden. You can burry them in the soil a few weeks before you start planting.

-Erin's favorite dish actually is made from fish stomachs, so if you're adventurous and want to try getting real tradish, you can eat certain fish guts too.