Anyone else do any foraging? The ramps and fiddleheads just started here, the morels should be soon...View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1493325192.171204.jpg
Wild Edibles
- Thread starter jmartie13
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
We're all about foraging here! It's snowing right now, so it's still a bit away for us, but the leeks are starting to peek out.
We will pick all sorts of fruits, flowers for wine, mushrooms, and we hand harvest wild rice, plus hunt and fish.
Some of my favorite meals would be those we foraged locally- grouse with oyster mushrooms and wild onions, for example.
I dried a lot of mushrooms last fall, mostly oyster mushrooms, but we also got a ton of puffballs and some lion's mane mushrooms.
We will pick all sorts of fruits, flowers for wine, mushrooms, and we hand harvest wild rice, plus hunt and fish.
Some of my favorite meals would be those we foraged locally- grouse with oyster mushrooms and wild onions, for example.
I dried a lot of mushrooms last fall, mostly oyster mushrooms, but we also got a ton of puffballs and some lion's mane mushrooms.
orionol73
Well-Known Member
The leeks popped fast about Tuesday, morels are up but not in force yet.
Hard to judge this year, everything seems about a week early and these temp swings suck for the mushrooms!
Hard to judge this year, everything seems about a week early and these temp swings suck for the mushrooms!
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
These were the earliest fiddleheads I've picked! I went out to get some ramps and got lucky, usually it's not until at least May.
We like to make a leek/ramp pesto, put it on pasta, use for a sauce for pizza, and my favorite is to simply drizzle with olive oil, S&P, and grill.
gratus fermentatio
Well-Known Member
There's a whole 'nother thread about foraging here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=442553
Regards, GF.
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I did a quick search and didn't find one initially.
Haven't done fiddleheads yet, but we did ramps last year and it was good and fun. Not sure when I will get out, but I have plans to go to Boyne City tomorrow and I might be able to harvest a little bit. I bet fiddleheads are up too much here now. I def. need to search for morels if they are popping Harbor Springs already. Jeez.
Last year I made a nice Leek Soup with some wild leeks grown behind my friend's house. Found a few mushroom sup there too, but don't have any spots that I can rely on to find them each year. When I was a kid we hunted them on some uncle's properties. Those places are out of reach for me now.
Man, now I'm craving some morels! I wonder how they would work in a pasty...
Last year I made a nice Leek Soup with some wild leeks grown behind my friend's house. Found a few mushroom sup there too, but don't have any spots that I can rely on to find them each year. When I was a kid we hunted them on some uncle's properties. Those places are out of reach for me now.
Man, now I'm craving some morels! I wonder how they would work in a pasty...
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
I have a couple apple trees that are on their way out on the edge of our yard/woods....last year I got about 20 yellow morels from around them. I have yet to venture away from sauteing them with butter. I usually try to go out and get a couple trout to enjoy with them, but if the fishing is no good I'll pull some venison from the freezer.
Pasties remind me a little of the tourtieres I make every year around Christmas time. Ground meat, potato, pastry crust....can't really go wrong with that combo.
Pasties remind me a little of the tourtieres I make every year around Christmas time. Ground meat, potato, pastry crust....can't really go wrong with that combo.
orionol73
Well-Known Member
They aren't out in force, but were starting to grow until this cold snap up here.
Sautéed with butter and garlic and eaten from the pan is the best
But, they are good when used on a pizza with spicy Italian sausage, in stroganoff, mushroom soup, would be great in a pasty etc.
Sautéed with butter and garlic and eaten from the pan is the best
But, they are good when used on a pizza with spicy Italian sausage, in stroganoff, mushroom soup, would be great in a pasty etc.
Not much for foraging. Now that I'm finally a homeowner I am looking at planting native and/or hardy things around my yard. I've got a lingonberry plant to see if I can grow something that likes acidic soil, along with a few black raspberries, a couple of elderberry plants and some rhubarb.
I see some Michigan folks on here, does anyone grow thimbleberry in their garden? I don't know much about them other than I had some when I visited the UP, they taste great, and they're sort of like raspberries.
I see some Michigan folks on here, does anyone grow thimbleberry in their garden? I don't know much about them other than I had some when I visited the UP, they taste great, and they're sort of like raspberries.
I ran across some elderflower in bloom while on a bike ride a couple weeks ago, and filled up a saddlebag with blossoms. Steeped them in vodka with white sugar and lime zest, and just strained them yesterday to make a really nice liqueur.
Never had them, but I've seen jams and whatnot at tourist trap stores. I believe they are very closely related to Raspberries, and if so, then it would not be difficult to transplant some plants and treat them just like raspberries, which generally grow like weeds if you aren't careful with them.
I believe you can dig up the plants, and then replant them laying down in an inch or so of soil, and new roots will sprout wherever the leaves branch off of the stems. At least I think that's what I remember happened with our raspberries back before I dug them all out and mowed them down.
And of course, they make plenty of seeds, if you want to go that route.
Just read a wiki on them and it seems they are less durable than raspberries, which may be the only reason they aren't as popular for commercial growing.
Thimbleberries are also low producers, so they'd take up a ton of room for little fruit, even if you could manage to grow them.
They are pretty good, but I like blackberries and raspberries better. I do like backpacking in the Porcupine Mountains in August, so that I can grab them along the trail (they grow well in the shade under the big maples) and have something juicy to snack on while I hike.
They are pretty good, but I like blackberries and raspberries better. I do like backpacking in the Porcupine Mountains in August, so that I can grab them along the trail (they grow well in the shade under the big maples) and have something juicy to snack on while I hike.
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1493661675.206142.jpg
We got a pretty good wild edible this morning! 20lb Tom.
We got a pretty good wild edible this morning! 20lb Tom.
& @Yooper
So I should just go out hiking in the UP, hope I can happen upon some, and bring something to dig out and carry back some thimbleberry?
And I've searched for info on growing thimbleberries, not much available online. Can you recommend a good gardening wiki or forum?
Why would you dig out and mow over raspberries?? The only reason I can think of is that you're going to plant a different variety.
Sorry, I'm not much of a "real" gardener. I have a water garden with fish and native bog plants, a flower garden, 8 varieties of hops, and other really hardy things (blackberries, etc). We do have a veggie garden, but aside from rotating crops, we don't really do much and I'm no expert at all! I do know alot about native plants, being married to a wildlife biologist all this time, plus my own backpacking and foraging experiences.
I have no idea how well thimble berries will do on transplating, but it'd be worth a try I'd guess!
Firstly, I don't care much for most fruit. I'd probably eat some raspberries if I were hiking and came across some. The plants we had were stragglers and in a very bad location. Birds ate most of them before they were ripe enough for my taste.
I'd probably make jam if someone were to give me a bunch of berries. I'd squish the seeds out, though. Seeded raspberry jam sucks.
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
We have the purple flowering raspberries here in the east, a cousin of the thimbleberry. The fruit is almost identical. I'm not sure about the fruiting of the thimbleberry, but the purple flowering raspberries produce very little per giant plant, and the berries are very fragile. I've always snacked on them, they're all over our property.
If I were to transplant, I would dig some in the late fall or spring!
I just planted 25 canes of "Encore", a late summer bearing raspberry. I wanted to get something for my daughter for her 1st birthday....I'm hoping she'll get some enjoyment out of them during her childhood!
If I were to transplant, I would dig some in the late fall or spring!
I just planted 25 canes of "Encore", a late summer bearing raspberry. I wanted to get something for my daughter for her 1st birthday....I'm hoping she'll get some enjoyment out of them during her childhood!
Just came back from a 70ish count morels hunt! Also scored some ramps
Lucky! A guy at work let me hunt his property and we found 21 mushrooms. He's kind of bummed now. All of them were found in one small spot on his 40 acres. I was hoping for some Wintergreen leaves, or ramps, but the only thing I found was a very small patch of ramps and I forgot a digging tool besides.
Oh well, the mushrooms will be nice with a steak tonight.
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
Had a mess of morels on Saturday. Half a mess, anyway. I decided to hold back on a few so I could enjoy them later.
Slightly gritty. I guess I need to rinse them off better next time! Nobody else in my house wanted any. My oldest usually likes them, but she was off with friends at that time. Bad luck for her!
Slightly gritty. I guess I need to rinse them off better next time! Nobody else in my house wanted any. My oldest usually likes them, but she was off with friends at that time. Bad luck for her!
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
I usually just pick enough to enjoy myself. My wife is unsure about wild mushrooms....I have a couple degrees in biology and environmental, you'd think she'd trust me....I guess I"ll just eat all of them. I'm hoping my daughter will be interested in wild edibles, she's only a year old now. Morel baby food? Or maybe just sneak her a couple bites.
I usually just pick enough to enjoy myself. My wife is unsure about wild mushrooms....I have a couple degrees in biology and environmental, you'd think she'd trust me....I guess I"ll just eat all of them. I'm hoping my daughter will be interested in wild edibles, she's only a year old now. Morel baby food? Or maybe just sneak her a couple bites.
Morels are easy. Even the bad ones don't usually make you sick, and they are very easy to tell apart if only you know what to look for.
I've eaten puffballs before. That's about it. I'd like to learn more about edible mushrooms so I can forage them safely. Maybe I'll ask Yooper at convention. I know she gathers different types, and even grows some of them.
I think I missed fiddleheads again this year. They aren't a priority, but I did find a few and got to taste a fresh one and liked it. I can totally see picking a bunch and maybe pickling some and cooking some fresh.
There is an annual event not too far from me called the "Ramp Tramp." It's coming up this weekend in Benton, TN.
I think ours is over now. I'm usually late to the season. Then again, we got a rain last night and I think a bit more coming, so it might be a godo idea to go back out for one last look.
If I can get up to my friend's place in Petosky, I'll be digging up some ramps. I got a great recipe for ramp soup with pepper bread.
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
Morels are always middle of May around these parts, our average last spring frost is today, to give you an idea of what I'm dealing with!
Fiddleheads are great pickled, I usually do a case of them a year, always a fun thing to bring to gatherings. Can't beat a little sharp cheddar with pickled fiddleheads. I'm going to be pickling some ramps this week too!
Fiddleheads are great pickled, I usually do a case of them a year, always a fun thing to bring to gatherings. Can't beat a little sharp cheddar with pickled fiddleheads. I'm going to be pickling some ramps this week too!
There is an annual event not too far from me called the "Ramp Tramp." It's coming up this weekend in Benton, TN.
Try Asian ramp pancakes. Google it...they are not what most of us think of as pancakes.
gratus fermentatio
Well-Known Member
gratus fermentatio said:
No thank you! We had 80 yesterday. So muggy! Even had a nice, windy thunderstorm in the middle of the night to go with it. Felt just like summer!
I need to find a good book on Michigan Edible plants and go out looking. I'm sure there are lots of things to find if I only knew what to look for. I can start mapping where it's all at and be ready for collecting different things the next time.
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1495569896.458333.jpg
This was a nice surprise to walk up to!
This was a nice surprise to walk up to!
orionol73
Well-Known Member
OP
OP
jmartie13
Well-Known Member
Love finding those bunches! I see at least 13 in there
It's a great feeling when you see it! Especially when it's a new spot. I've walked past this location over 100 times looking for morels.....tricky little effers.
