Sunday, April 1, 2012

More edible food forest garden additions

Ramp shoots to re-plant

Last week I received a package of 3 dozen cultivated Ramps to plant, which means now I need to research and plan a shady mountainside garden that will enhance growing the ramps, and still include most of the basic tenets of a food forest garden. I think that will be a real challenge!

I have written before about ramps here. They are an interesting plant, but border on being endangered in the wild by over-harvesting. Ramps are an Appalachian delicacy!

"A wild leek, this onion relative with a garlicky flavor may have anticancer properties, with edible leaves and roots. Found in the rich woods of upper elevations, it's eaten raw or fried with eggs or just make plain old ramp sandwiches. The plants grow about a foot tall and, when eaten, a strong odor emanates from the skin of the ramps gourmand. Scientific Name for Wild Ramp (Allium tricoccum Aiton) better known as a wild leek, some other common names: rich woods leek, ail des bois, ail sauvage." Source
 

Ramp Festivals are everywhere in the Appalachians in spring, as both a social and a culinary event. Visit one if you can, just do a Google Search. This webpage lists some of the Festivals, and several recipes.

I'm thinking my shady hillside garden for the ramps should include some ginseng, and goldenseal tubers (and maybe some mushroom logs), but at the moment I'm at a loss for what else to include.

Any suggestions? Maybe a Paw-Paw?

1 comment:

  1. I'll have to look up and see if ramps can grow in Indiana weather. One of the other blogs I read (also in your area of the country) has featured ramps in the past but it is one of those things that I had not hear of before.

    Leah's Mom

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