‘Dig in Seattle’ Visits Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Think of a cool, refreshing dessert with the taste of nature and a flavor unlike anything that might be found in the grocery store, or even on a high-end restaurant menu.

Now, imagine a beautiful green pesto slathered on crusty bread. And made from plants that carry a nasty sting when they brush the skin.

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park horticulturist/arborist Jake Pool makes both, and his work is highlighted on “Dig In Seattle,” a television show hosted by local gardening expert and newspaper columnist Marianne Binetti.

“Dig In Seattle” host Marianne Binetti and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park horticulturist/arborist Jake Pool enjoy Douglas Fir Tip Sorbet/Forager’s Delight during filming of the show, which airs on JOEtv.

Part 1 of a two-part show featuring several segments about Northwest Trek aired on June 21. A podcast of the show is available at this link.

Part 2 is scheduled to air Saturday, July 5, on JOEtv (check local listings for channel and broadcast time). The show also will be available on the ‘Dig In Seattle’ website.

It’s scheduled to feature a variety of animals at Northwest Trek, as well as Pool’s recipe for Stinging Nettle Pesto.

For Part 1, Pool whipped up his Dougas Fir Sorbet/Forager’s Delight. There’s not a more beautiful cooking backdrop, either. Pool made his recipes on the deck at the wildlife park’s Hellyer Center overlooking Horseshoe Lake.

During the episode, he also talked about native Northwest plants while showing off many of them in the wildlife park’s rain garden.

Native plants are attractive, easy to grow and take advantage of the Northwest’s temperate climate and rainfall, he told Binetti.

“Once they’re established, after two or three years, they don’t require as much water, you don’t have to use herbicides or pesticides on them,” Pool said.

They also naturally handle insects, he added.

The often colorful plants don’t require much fertilizer either, a fact sure to make home gardeners happy.

Part 2 of “Dig In Seattle’s” visit to Northwest Trek includes a tour of the wildlife park’s 435-acre Free-Roaming Area, showcasing American bison, Roosevelt elk, Columbian black-tailed deer and other animals.

It also features Pool’s recipe for Stinging Nettle Pesto.

Look for this episode on Saturday, July 5.