Get Ready for a Great Year Outdoors

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Spiced Bannock from a Skillet

1 1⁄2 cups flour
1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1 1⁄2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped nuts, and/or raisins and/or other dried fruit (optional)
Water (about 1 to 1 1⁄2 cups)

Combine the dry ingredients. (If you're going camping, mix them at home beforehand.) Stir in water slowly until the batter is thicker than pancake batter, but not quite as thick as biscuit dough. Generously grease and heat a small skillet over a low fire. Spoon and spread batter into pan. Bake slowly on one side, checking to make sure it doesn't burn, about 10 minutes. When bread is browning on bottom and firm enough to turn, flip over and bake the other side. Turn as necessary until both sides are crisp and golden-brown and the inside is no longer gooey. Cut into wedges and eat as-is with honey, syrup or jam.

Nature Knowledge

There’s no better nature knowledge than that gained firsthand outdoors. But the off-season is a great time to learn exactly how and what to look for in your ramblings.

Books and Software. Your library and Internet connection are doorways to tutorials on everything from basic ecology to the fine art of identifying insects. You’ll find scores of guides to birds, wildflowers, butterflies and almost any other life-form. Here are just a few:

Guide to Birds of North America. Produced in collaboration with the renowned Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, this computer field guide includes photos, videos, species profiles, range maps, regional lists and self-quizzes to help you learn about 925 species of birds in the United States and Canada.

The Mushroom Identification Trilogy by Taylor F. Lockwood. This DVD is a common-sense introduction to the diversity of mushrooms and their key identification characteristics. Next, get a good guide to the mushrooms of your regions and you’ll be on your way to a lifetime of ’shrooming.

Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb. Never mind flipping through endless photos or trying to translate technical botany terms into plain language. Just answer the five questions this classic guide poses and flip to the flower you’re looking for. Study now and come spring you’ll be able to put names to nearly every wildflower you see.

Master Naturalist Programs. These programs combine classroom instruction and field study in ecology, biology, geology, and plant and animal identification, as well as in environmental education. Most programs take six to 12 months and result in certification as a master naturalist. In return, participants serve as volunteer interpreters at parks and schools. Check with your local or state agricultural extension, conservation and wildlife agencies to see if your state offers such a program. You can also find a listing of naturalist programs below.

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