Clams of the Pacific Coast

At low tide, the Pacific coast reveals one of the most reliable food systems in North America.

In this episode of Food Afield, John Fraser heads onto the beaches of the Gulf Islands to gather butter clams and basket cockles while exploring the deeper history of shellfish harvesting along the coast.

This is not simply a conversation about digging clams. It is a look at tides, seasonal knowledge, coastal food systems, and the long relationship between people and intertidal ecosystems.

The episode explores:

How tides shape food access on the Pacific coast

Butter clams and basket cockles

Reading productive beaches

The difference between gathering and random searching

Shell middens and Indigenous sea gardens

Why shellfish became such reliable coastal protein

Clam preparation and handling

The atmosphere and sound of harvesting food from the edge of the Pacific

Food Afield is a documentary-style exploration of wild food ingredients — hunted, fished, and foraged in their season.

Hosted by wilderness guide and writer John Fraser.

Subscribe for future episodes covering wild ingredients, seasonal gathering, field skills, and food culture from the Pacific coast and beyond.

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