The early colonists depended on wild plants and animals for their food until land could be cleared and crops established. Even after our early agrarian society was well underway, crops sometimes failed, forcing people to find wild alternatives. In frontier areas, as well, people still utilized what was growing wild around them to survive.
Fast forward to the 20th century, and society quickly forgot about wild edible plants growing all around them. In 1962, Euell Gibbons published the book, “Stalking the Wild Asparagus.” Gibbons had spent a good share of his life in the outdoors. He promoted eating healthy foods, especially those which could be found growing in the wild. I remember a line from a TV commercial he did for Grape Nuts cereal, saying they ‘tasted like wild hickory nuts.’ Some mocked him, and even went so far as to say that he died from choking on a ‘wild hickory nut.’ Nonetheless, he was at the cutting edge of the movement to eat healthy foods.
I’d like to begin a series about wild foods, and how you can ‘live off the land,’ or at least derive some wild goodies to add interest and zest to your meals. I will try to identify edible foods as they become available throughout the course of the growing season here in the Finger Lakes region of NY. I might even throw in a couple of recipes while we’re at it.
Thursday, April 7, 2022
The early spring landscape looks rather bleak right now. Buds are starting to pop out, and lawns are getting green (ugh! – mowing will start soon). However, there doesn’t seem to be much else happening, plant wise, in the deciduous woods around me. I decide to take a walk to see what can be found. Knowing my property well, I make my way to a spot that has ‘produced’ for me in past years. Sure enough, I find what I’m looking for: Wild Leeks. They are just coming up, so I’ll wait a few weeks before coming back to harvest some.
The Wild Leek (Allium tricoccum) is a member of the Lilly family. It is a cousin to our cultivated onions. Known as ‘ramps’ to some, they are pop
ular and considered a delicacy in the Appalachian Region of the U.S. There are even Ramp festivals in West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee!
Wild Leeks have flat, broad leaves growing 6-10” tall. The base of the leaf often has a burgundy color. The flowers grow in a ball, or umbel, at the end of a long naked stalk. However, the plants do not bloom until the leaves disappear later in the spring. Leeks have a slender bulb, bigger than scallions but much smaller than cultivated onions.
Wild Leek bulbs have a rather strong onion-garlic taste. I like to use them in quiche. They make a nice addition to soups or casseroles. Don’t overdo it, though! If you find some and decide to try them, a few go a long way. Also, get permission if your search takes you to private land. I suspect they could be purchased in specialty markets or road-side stands, particularly in the southern Appalachians. Always gather wild foods with a view toward the future. Some plants can be wiped out by over-harvesting. Good stalking!
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