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Although late summer and early fall are usually associated with the gathering of nature's bounty such as apples, berries, nuts and most things out of the garden, there are things that are harvested in spring and early summer.
Of course, in our area, one of the most popular of these would be the wild leek, or more commonly known as the ramp. Ramps are a sure sign that spring is here. They grow mainly in the eastern mountain states of West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
I know when I was growing up ramps were seen as a "Spring Tonic" and were "Good for what ails ya".
One of the downsides to eating ramps is the strong smell and it can stick with you for a while depending on how they are prepared.
When eating ramps, you are probably more fortunate if your significant other also likes them, otherwise you might have a distanced relationship for a day or two.
There are many ways to prepare ramps, with probably the most common being with fried potatoes. One of the most surprising ways that I have encountered was ramps in hot dog chili. It changed the taste immensely and was very good.
Although it is not common as it once was, there are still ramp dinners held in our area and may be the best option if you can't find a suitable place to dig some.
Digging ramps for personal use is permitted in national Forests such as the Monongahela, with some limits. You cannot dig ramps for resale and your limit, I believe, is two gallons per person at any one time, including roots and leaves. That should be about the amount that a plastic shopping bag would hold.
Coming up in our immediate area will be the "Ramps & Rails Festival" to be held at the Elkins Railroad Depot this Saturday. There will be several ramps inspired dishes you can sample.
The Mountaineer Chapter of Izaak Walton League of America will be there selling raffle tickets and where they usually sold ramps, Boy Scout Troop 66 will be selling them at their location. The Boy Scouts are trying to raise additional funds to attend the National Jamboree to be held in West Virginia this year. So, if you want some ramps and would like to support the Boy Scouts this would be a good opportunity.
There are many other edible plants, most of which I have never tried. Among those would be dandelion greens, fiddlehead ferns, stinging nettles, chickweed and plantain, to name a few. With any of these and many others, I would not recommend trying without much more investigation and research on the subject.
The same goes with my next topic, mushrooms. There are many kinds out there that are edible, but also very many that are poisonous. There are publications that can guide you through the process, but there is no substitute for finding someone that is familiar with mushrooms to help you.
One of the best books I have found is "The Audubon Society field to guide to North American Mushrooms". It gives detailed descriptions, photos and edibility.
Locally, one of the most common mushrooms would be the morel. The yellow morel is a choice edible, and the black morel is a choice of edible with caution. There is a "Conifer false Morel" that resembles the black morel and is very poisonous. The difference can be easily identified once familiar with them both. Some of the other edible ones are hens of the woods, chicken mushrooms, Bradley's and chanterelles.
As with plants there are many types, and one must get acquainted before eating any of them. So, just be careful whether it is plants or mushrooms.
Stay Safe & Stay Outdoors