Foraging Wild Plants in a Human Dominated Landscape

Ramps in early spring. UWExtension In April, my friend Laura brought me some ramps—not just parts, but the entire plant, broad, smooth leaves, small, shallot-size bulbs, roots and all. I know she wouldn’t go out in the local forest preserves and dig them up, foraging or poaching, depending upon your perspective. So where did she get them? Her CSA has begun growing them. Because they were intact, neither of us ate them, but planted them in our respective gardens, watered them in well, and are hoping for the best. I did remember to mark where I’d put them, luckily, because the leaves soon faded away and disappeared, as happens with many species of spring ephemerals. I’ve never eaten ramps that I know of, though I hear they’re delicious. I know where they grow, at several undisclosed locations, but they are on forest preserve land, and a strict no-poaching policy is in place. As such I would not go harvesting against the rules, partly because, as a volunteer steward, I have engaged to fol...

Guest Post at Beautiful Wildlife Garden

Carole Brown, at Beautiful Wildlife Garden, has put up a guest post I wrote about giving away native plants to unsuspecting gardeners. You can find "Stealth Native Plant Gardening" here.

Previous Guest Post at BWG:
Reconciliation Ecology and the Beautiful Wildlife Garden

Comments

Loret said…
AHHH! Found the comment section on your site!

I posted a comment asking if I could use your :Stealth Native Plant Gardening" article in the newsletter that I edit for my local chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. I like your tip on getting others involved (even if they don't know it ) You can contact me: PineLilyFNPS@aol.com

Best regards,
Loret
Congrats getting picked up by a popular blog. Keep it coming=)