FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
New to spruce gum? Start with our beginner chewing guide here.
🌲 Pine & Spruce Resin Gum — Frequently Asked Questions
At Alberta Wildcraft, we get a lot of great questions about our wildcrafted products — how to use them, how we make them, and what makes them different.
We’re a small, family-run business rooted in tradition and respect for the land, and we believe good things should be shared with transparency and care.
Here are the most common questions we receive — answered simply and honestly, just like everything we do.
❓ What is your gum made from?
Our resin gum is made from pure wild-harvested pine and spruce resin — nothing else.
✔️ No sweeteners
✔️ No added flavors
✔️ No synthetic ingredients
Just the clean, resinous taste of the boreal forest.
❓ What is traditional resin chewing gum?
Before modern chewing gum relied on manufactured gum bases, people chewed natural tree resins harvested from living spruce and pine trees.
Traditional resin gum was valued for:
✔️ Its long-lasting chew
✔️ Its earthy, forest aroma
✔️ Its connection to the land
Our gum reflects this original form of chewing gum — simple, natural, and prepared by hand using time-tested methods.
❓ How is your gum different from other natural gums?
Pure pitch gum can be brittle at first, and will shatter in pieces until it warms and softens. This is normal and expected with natural resin. You could drink hot tea to help warm it up faster, but part of the experience it the iconic spruce gum shatter!
Our resin is carefully cured and prepared so that:
✔️ It softens naturally with warmth and saliva
✔️ It gradually comes together into a smooth chew
✔️ It develops a deep, forest-derived flavor
Chewing resin gum is a skill that improves with experience — it’s not instant like commercial gum, and that’s part of what makes it special.
❓ My gum isn’t forming — what should I do?
This is very common for first-time resin chewers. Try the following:
✔️ Warm it first by letting it sit in your mouth or gently sucking on it
✔️ Start with one piece and chew slowly
✔️ Keep the resin on one side of your cheek and work it steadily
✔️ It will shatter at first — keep chewing and it will begin to come back together
✔️ This process can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes
If the piece becomes very small or struggles to reform:
✔️ Simply add a second piece to help it come together
If you’re still having trouble, reach out to us at info@albertawildcraft.ca — we’re always happy to help.
❓ Is your gum sweetened or flavored?
No. Our resin gum is 100% unsweetened and unflavored.
✔️ No sugar
✔️ No essential oils
✔️ No artificial flavoring
The flavor comes entirely from the natural resin itself.
❓ How many pieces come in a tin?
Each 35 g tin is filled by weight and typically contains:
✔️ Approximately 20–30 pieces
✔️ Each piece is naturally unique in shape and size
Because this is a natural hand cut product, piece count may vary slightly from tin to tin.
❓ How long does resin gum last?
Resin gum does not have a fixed lifespan like commercial chewing gum.
Because each batch of resin is naturally different:
✔️ Some pieces may last for hours
✔️ Some pieces may be reused over multiple sessions
Traditional resin gum was never measured in minutes or days. It was valued for its adaptable, long-lasting chew, not a guaranteed duration.
When a piece becomes too firm or no longer reforms, simply start a fresh one.
❓ Is pine and spruce resin gum safe for kids?
Yes — for children who are old enough to chew safely and under supervision.
✔️ Not recommended for very young children
✔️ Always supervise chewing
❓ How should I store my resin gum?
✔️ Keep your tin sealed
✔️ Store in a cool, dry place away from heat and direct sunlight
If your gum softens or melts (for example, in a hot car):
✔️ Let it harden again
✔️ Gently tap to break it into smaller pieces
✔️ It’s still perfectly fine to use
❓ Is it normal to see tiny natural specks in resin gum?
Yes — and it’s a sign of authenticity.
Just like real diamonds have natural inclusions, wild-harvested resin can contain tiny forest “signatures,” such as:
✔️ Microscopic bits of bark
✔️ Natural plant fibers
✔️ Tiny mineral flakes
✔️ Crystallized resin particles
Our resin is hand-harvested in the Alberta wilderness and filtered through metal strainers and multiple layers of cloth. However, removing every single microscopic speck would require extreme heat that would scorch the resin and damage its natural character.
We choose purity over perfection — real resin, minimally processed, straight from the forest.
Every tin is unique, wild, and true to the tree it came from. 🌲
🍃 Herbal Teas & Loose-Leaf Botanicals
Are your herbal teas wild-harvested?
Yes! We hand-harvest plants such as birch bark, rose hips, pine, spruce, cedar, and many others from clean, healthy forests in Alberta.
How do I brew your teas?
Use 1–2 tsp of herbs per cup of hot water.
Steep for 15 minutes, then strain and enjoy.
Longer steeping brings out deeper flavor and herbal benefits.
Do you add flavors or artificial ingredients?
Never. Our teas are 100 % plant — no fillers, no added oils, no flavorings.
What’s the shelf life?
For best flavor and potency, enjoy within 12 months of purchase.
🌲 Coniferous Teas (Pine • Spruce • Cedar Blends)
How do I brew coniferous teas properly?
These teas need a gentle simmer to release their full goodness:
-
Bring water to a boil (about 1 tsp per cup).
-
Add your tea blend, then lower to the gentlest simmer.
-
Cover and let it steep for about 1 hour.
-
Strain and serve hot — or chill for a refreshing, forest-flavored iced tea.
About Our Product Photos
Do you use AI-enhanced images?
Yes — some of our product photos are lightly enhanced to improve lighting, backgrounds, or visual clarity, especially when working with natural materials and seasonal lighting conditions.
Alberta Wildcraft is a family-run business, but behind the computer, product listings, and website is just one person — me, Maria. I don’t have a background in photography or image editing, so I use AI as a practical tool to help present our products clearly and consistently online.
AI is used to enhance, not create. Every enhanced image starts from an exact photograph of the real product. I use it to add backgrounds, props or fix lighting. AI is never used to invent ingredients, alter textures, change quantities, or misrepresent what you’ll receive.
Every item is harvested, crafted, and packaged by hand, and you’ll also find real, unedited photos throughout our listings that show natural variation, texture, and packaging so you can order with confidence.
🌿 Thank you for supporting small-batch, wildcrafted tradition — from our family to yours.