Well, sure signs of Spring are appearing.
My favorite veg is asparagus, which I grow in my garden. It does, however, grow wild. My first foraging book was, “Stalking the wild asparagus” by Euell Gibbons. Lots more than asparagus there. Tastes great raw, too. It’s easier to find in the fall when the plants have matured. They’ll be 4-6’ tall with feathery foliage turning a golden brown after a frost. Mark the spot and go back in the spring. You might find you have competition for these roadside delicacies. One guy told me to get the hell away from his asparagus growing next to the road near his home. Touchy, touchy, but I left.
These are fiddlehead ferns. Snap the tips off by pulling lightly upwards and boil slightly. Serve with a bit of butter and S & P if you like. Very good.
This is Marsh marigold and is a pot herb. Ok, call it a pan herb if you like, but people might look at you weird. This is boiled like spinach, however it is a bit bitter and may need to be boiled in 1 or 2 more pans of clean water. It’s OK, but not my favorite. The unopened buds can be pickled like capers. Haven’t tried that yet.
This is Service berry shrub and has dark blue berries that look like blue berries. They taste good right off the tree and make a great jam. You’ll have to fight the birds for these!
These are wild leeks, wild onions, ramps, etc. Strong flavor and I prefer them for cooking. They are good creamed. If you thought garlic tainted your breath, this is their granddaddy!
CAUTION! There are look alike plants that could be poisonous. The gold tests are,wild leeks have only 2 leaves and if it smells like an onion it’s ok. If it doesn’t smell like an onion, DO NOT eat it.
There’s a spot a mile up the river from me that has about a 2 acre patch. Couldn’t believe it when I finally found it.