A legacy of tundra-inspired cuisine going back more than 50 years.

Our founding chefs, Helen Webber and Marie Woolsey of the award-winning Blueberries and Polar Bears cookbook series, have spent more than 50 years developing and perfecting a unique catalogue of recipes.

Today, our culinary team is made up of chefs with a passion for adventure and creativity, both of which are reflected in the meals they craft for guests using these wildly popular recipes.

Your dining experience will include organic, locally sourced meats and fish along with fruits and vegetables from our Prairie Wild orchard and gardens. Menus are built around these building blocks which have been the backbone of our dining experience since we opened our first lodge more than 30 years ago.

Crusted Caribou Tenderloin. Ian McClausland photo.
Jalapeno goose breasts. Churchill Wild. Ian McCausland photo.
Almond Crusted Trout. Ian McCausland photo.
Sunshine Blueberry Muffins
Wild Arctic Cranberry Cake with Butter Sauce. Ian McClausland photo.
Baked brie with cranberry ginger chutney. Blueberries and Polar Bear cookbooks.

Prairie Wild

Wildly Inspired, Sustainably Grown

Prairie Wild is a sustainable orchard and produce farm located in southern Manitoba, founded on the principle of holistic small-scale agriculture. This exciting initiative will enhance the culinary experience at Churchill Wild’s lodges and bring an enhanced level of innovation and freshness to our tables.

A Holistic Approach

We believe in whole system health starting from the soil up. We aspire to work with the microorganisms, pollinators, and creatures that call our workplace home to establish a farming approach that is sustainable and self-healing. We are committed to making growing decisions that benefit our health, and in turn, yours. How are we doing this?

  • Designing no-till raised garden beds and using generous layers of wood mulch to enhance soil health by distributing moisture more evenly and keeping weeds at a minimum.
  • Choosing crops that support each other by adhering to permaculture and crop diversity practices which naturally improves system health and yields.
  • Using fertilizers consisting of local organic compost, fish hydrolysate and seaweed harvested from the very shores of the Hudson Bay that boost our system’s immune response by combatting pests and diseases and eliminating the need for chemical interventions.
beet. Prairie Wild.
Cloudberries on the tundra.
Sustainability Commitment

The bulk of our harvest will be shipped to Churchill Wild’s ecolodges on the coast of Hudson Bay and consumed by guests from around the world. We are constantly improving the efficiency of our processes and recyclability of our packaging. We use cardboard boxes in place of plastic bags, washable jars instead of tin cans, and reusable tote bags coolers for packaging orders—all of which are impeccably sanitized.

As much as possible, we grow produce on site at Churchill Wild’s lodges. Though growing in the subarctic is a challenge, to date, we’ve had success with herbs, tomatoes and rhubarb. We are northern harvesters at heart and what we grow in our greenhouses compliments the bushels of wild blueberries, cloudberries and cranberries handpicked on the tundra each year.

We strive to embody sustainability in its truest form and our practices reflect that:

  • Heat sink water barrels absorb daytime heat to be released into the greenhouses at night, reducing the need for electric heat
  • Any lost produce gets tilled back in, composting and feeding the system
  • Reusable exclusion netting keeps pests off plants and eliminates the need for any sprays, organic or otherwise
Community Benefit

According to National Geographic, 75% of the world’s food is comprised of just 17 species—12 plant and five animal—which is the result of large-scale agriculture. Small-scale farming has been proven to boost overall biodiversity, an outcome we’re eager to support with our family-run operation.

We also believe that everyone should have access to high quality, organic produce and our prices reflect that principle. We have put aside a significant part of our harvest to sell to local grocers and through CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscriptions. Though our produce will make many adventures north, we remain grounded in our southern roots.
We are committed to establishing relationships with local community food support organizations, extending the health benefits of organic produce to those in our communities who may not otherwise have the opportunity.
We are proud to be a small business with the ability to create jobs and volunteer opportunities and are grateful for our community’s support!

Wherever your travels take you, grow well!

Recipes

Enjoy a sneak peek at some of the recipes we serve up from our Blueberries and Polar Bears cookbooks!

Sunshine Blueberry Muffins
Marie’s Wild Rice Casserole Supreme
Almond-Crusted Trout with Leek and Lemon Cream
Baked Brie with Cranberry Ginger Chutney
Arctic Cranberry Cake with Butter Sauce

Interested in Finding Out More?

Please send me more information