Willow is one of my favorite forage species and the great news is that where you find willow, they are often abundant and fast growing. Even better, they are well-adapted to browsing as they appear to be a favorite of many animals as well – I have watched beavers, deer, and rabbits preferentially devour willows.
Young willow shoots off a beaver-chewed stump
Willows have long been known as a nutritional food source and there has actually been some scientific investigation into the nutritional profile; according to nutritiondata.com they are a great source of Vitamin A and C as well as a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Flavor varies depending on the part of the tree used but is usually slightly astringent and fresh new growth has an almost citrusy flavor, which gradually increases in bitterness as the tissue becomes woodier. Any part of the willow is edible but I prefer the tender bits – my favorite being the strongest bright red new shoots off of recently browsed stems as they have the sweetest flavor and are crunchy and hydrating.
Mmmm, willow shoots!
Harvesting fresh new growth also places the least strain on the growth of the plant after harvest, though willows have remarkable regenerative abilities. This regenerative capacity is imparted in some small way to those around willows through two well-known compounds: the bark contains salicylic acid, which is the origin of aspirin and the growing tips contain indolebutyric acid, which is the basis of many commercial plant rooting hormones… and yes, that means if you cut a woody sprig of willow and stick it in wet ground, it will probably root and start a new willow. Whether you consider it foraged or farmed at that point is up to you!
A beautiful Willow Tree
Willow (Salix sp)
18 May 2020
All information in this post has been provided by Dave The Plant Guy
With Spring finally in the air here in Stowe, Vermont, all those first foragable items are a buzz among folks. I’ve been hearing a lot of people talking and posting via social media about looking for ramps. I’ve also heard a quite a few people say that they don’t really know how to identify wild ramps. So I thought I would put together a few simple tips and tricks to help embolden budding foragers in their foraging adventures.
Some very healthy looking ramps ready to be foraged
Tips and Tricks
1) If it is early in Vermont, especially in a place like Stowe which is at a comparatively higher elevation than some other places in the state, you need to find warmer areas to forage. The best tip I can give is to look for south facing slopes. A nice, gradual, but prolonged south-facing slope is ideal, and will be where the first ramps are found as the air warms. South-facing slopes receive the most sun exposure, and so naturally they are significantly warmer than everywhere else early season.
2) Know the look-a-likes. As with every foraged food, it is always important to know that you are foraging and eating what you think you are. The best way to do this is to learn what else may look like the desired wild food. In the case of ramps, this would be Lily of the Valley. A dead give away is to look at the roots. The ramp emerges from a bulb, where as the lily of the valley does not, and just has some smaller roots. The other big difference is the leaves. Ramps have 1 or 2 leaves that come from the base, where as Lilly of the valley will have multiple leaves that whirl around the stem.
3) Smell them! Ramps definitively have an unmistakable smell. If you were to rub the leaves in your hand, you will recognize the onion /garlic smell that characterizes many plants of the allium family.
4) Look in the right place. If you really want to find ramps, it helps if you look where they like to grow. First of, make sure you are in a deciduous forest. Forests that are primary composed of evergreens and meadow type landscapes will not produce ramps.
5) Practice sustainable foraging with Ramps! OK, so this isn’t really a tip or trick to help you, but instead it will help the ramps. Ramps are very slow to grow and reproduce, and with all the hype surrounding them, it would not be hard to over forage these wonderful plants. Also, ramps are very strong flavored, and you really never need more than a few to go along with any dish. Even if you are going to make a pesto, it will be too strong if you just replace all the basil with ramps. Less is more!
For more on ramps and more pictures, check out the Ramp page.
Well it has been quite the cold and wet spring here in Stowe, VT. I’m not sure on the stats, but it certainty feels like the coldest spring in the last decade. This unusually cold weather has created a slower start for the region in regards to vegetative growth, and I would estimate most foragable foods to be delayed in their appearances by 1-2 weeks.
Despite this two week delay, the early spring foraging season got off to a success with all the regular Vermont wild foods making their first appearances of the season.
Fiddleheads
Yes, fiddleheads of the Ostrich Fern are always a treat, and probably the most popular foraged item of the Spring in Vermont and New England. This year I collected about 2 dozen fiddleheads, all from the ostrich fern, and ate them spaced out over a few different meals. If you haven’t read up on sustainable foraging practices, you can here – and learn that these small meals are my favorite way to practice sustainable foraging.
Fiddleheads
Ramps
Fitting in with fiddleheads, the ramp or wild leek is a close second for most popular foraged food in New England and Vermont. In Canada as well, as Montreal has made foraging for ramps illegal in order to protect them from the ramp(ant) over harvesting that has been occurring in that region. They are delicious for sure, but you really don’t need many to toss into any dish you are making seeing as they have a strong onion and garlic flavor. I tossed a few into soups, pastas, and eggs this Spring, and it was fantastic. No need to make that pesto.
Ramps in Stowe Vermont
Morels
The fabled morel is probably the most sought after of all the wild mushrooms in Vermont. For good reason too. I’ll admit it is probably my favorite tasting mushroom. Just heating it up in water is enough to enjoy the wonderful delicate mushroom flavor this prized wild food has. I found a handful of morels so far this season in Stowe, VT with two of the biggest I have ever seen.
Foraging for Morels in Vermont
Violets
I love when the masses of violets take over the lawns across New England. In Vermont you would be hard pressed to find a single lawn without at least one lonesome violet growing in it. I love the violet flowers and will toss them onto any spring themed dish I make.
Violets are beautiful
DANDELIONS
Speaking of the edible lawnscape, dandelions can’t be missed come spring in New England. They are nutritious, but there leaves turn bitter too quick. I prefer the flowers.
Dandelions and Violets for days
japanese knotweed
Oh the knotweed. I used to chop it down as a kid for fun hacking my way through the endless armies of it, but it is now everywhere including the USDA list of invasive species. Luckily it is a pretty decent edible in the spring when the reddish green shoot tastes like a mix of rhubarb and asparagus. Don’t worry about over harvesting this one, but do be careful not to spread it.
cooking Japanese knotweed
pheasant back mushroom
The pheasant back or dryad’s saddle mushroom is by no means my favorite wild edible out there. It pops out in early spring, and it is certainly a beautiful mushroom, but it feels like a battle to try and get anything tender enough to eat off of it. That texture problem combined with a sort of funky cucumber flavor makes this mushroom pretty low on the list of choice. This spring I tried a couple sauted in butter, and even made some flavored water.
The Pheasant Back Mushroom in all its beauty
ASPARAGUS
Although not naive to America, it has been here a mighty long time (1700’s). I found asparagus growing in the woods of a friends yard, and on the coast at the beach. Everybody knows asparagus is delicious.
This one was in Maine
stinging nettle
This vicious spring green packs quite the punch, in both the taste and nutrition department. Also if you touch the needles it will sting you with poison, which is coincidentally also how you identify this weed. I think this is one of the best tasting wild greens and love making tea out of the leaves on a cold spring morning.
Stinging nettle being prepared along with other foraged foods
trout lilly
I hear every now and again that this flower is endangered, so be careful with these ones. In Stowe, VT and surrounding area, they are absolutely everywhere come spring, and the first real flower that pops out in the forests of the Green Mountains. I will occasionally snack on the flowers.
