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For the Wild Episode 307: Tusha Yakovleva on the Invitation of Invasive Plants

“This week guest Tusha Yakovleva calls on us to remember our millennia-old relationship with weedy beings and the gifts of wild and invasive plants. It’s estimated that worldwide spending on invasive species exceeds one trillion dollars annually. But if we were to cease our violent relationship with weeds and invasive species, what might we find? Cultural cooperation between plants and people? A whole slew of plant-relatives that are thriving in increasingly challenging landscapes?

We are challenged to think about our capacity, or willingness, to know invasive plants - Tusha queries listeners to ask “Do we know their reasons for making home in unfamiliar soils? Or what gifts and responsibilities they carry?” We are left with much to think about in the realm of curiosity and acceptance, two muscles that need an exceptional amount of exercise in a time where so much is rapidly changing environmentally and socially.”

Listen to the interview here.

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September Forage Share - New Paltz

Smartweed, Plantain seeds, Garlic mustard stalks, Wild radish seed pods, Chicken of the Woods mushroom, Barberries, Wild apples and hawthorns, Stinging Nettles, Spicebush berries

Burdock (Arctium minus) - the leaf stems of the young burdock plant make for a celery like (but more bitter, less sweet) vegetables that's great in soups, sautees, roasts, and more. Just scrape off some of the fuzzy outer skin - that's the part where most of the bitterness is stored. 

Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica): A highly nutritious cooking green that loses its stinging quality when exposed to heat. Great in soup, steamed+sauteed, pestoed, or as a pizza topping. Recipes:

Spicebush berries (Lindera benzoin) - a great local substitute for allspice or cinnamon

Garlic Mustard Roots (Alliaria petiolata) - just like horseradish, these roots come from one of our region's most invasive and most edible mustard family relatives. In the spring we ate garlic mustard seeds and green seed heads "broccolis", then the dried seeds, and now that the plant is sending energy back in the ground - it's time for a root harvest. Recipes:

Smartweed (Polygonum)- a mild spinach like common weed, with barely spicy seed/flower heads that are good sprinkled over salad, yogurt, pasta, soup...

Plantain Seeds - taste-wise, these green seeds are very similar to sunflowers seeds and can be used as such. Raw or toasted or quickly pan-fried, they add a great nutty crunch to just about any dish and are also super nutritious. Just sprinkle into oatmeal, salads, smoothies, tea, hummus, soup, and more more more. 

Barberries (Berberis vulgaris)-  like currants or cranberries, good for savory dishes like rice

Feral Apples and Hawthorns (Malus domestica) - seriously wild relatives of cultivated apples, these (mostly tart) varieties come from a mature forest where they grow in the understory and edges. They may have escaped from an abandoned orchard down the road many many years ago. In the journey back to the wild, they've become tiny and russeted, best used as cooking apples. Excellent in pies, juice, sauce, etc... Hawthorns, are also wild members of the same family, highly prized as medicinals, high in pectin and flavor that work translates well to apple-based recipes. 

 

 

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    September Forage Share - Hudson

    Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica): A highly nutritious cooking green that loses its stinging quality when exposed to heat. Great in soup, steamed+sauteed, pestoed, or as a pizza topping. Recipes:

    Spicebush berries (Lindera benzoin) - a great local substitute for allspice or cinnamon

    Garlic Mustard Roots (Alliaria petiolata) - just like horseradish, these roots come from one of our region's most invasive and most edible mustard family relatives. In the spring we ate garlic mustard seeds and green seed heads "broccolis", then the dried seeds, and now that the plant is sending energy back in the ground - it's time for a root harvest. Recipes:

    Smartweed (Polygonum)- a mild spinach like common weed, with barely spicy seed/flower heads that are good sprinkled over salad, yogurt, pasta, soup...

    Plantain Seeds - taste-wise, these green seeds are very similar to sunflowers seeds and can be used as such. Raw or toasted or quickly pan-fried, they add a great nutty crunch to just about any dish and are also super nutritious. Just sprinkle into oatmeal, salads, smoothies, tea, hummus, soup, and more more more. 

    Barberries (Berberis vulgaris)-  like currants or cranberries, good for savory dishes like rice

    Feral Apples and Hawthorns (Malus domestica) - seriously wild relatives of cultivated apples, these (mostly tart) varieties come from a mature forest where they grow in the understory and edges. They may have escaped from an abandoned orchard down the road many many years ago. In the journey back to the wild, they've become tiny and russeted, best used as cooking apples. Excellent in pies, juice, sauce, etc... Hawthorns, are also wild members of the same family, highly prized as medicinals, high in pectin and flavor that work translates well to apple-based recipes. 

     

    Grapes (Vitis) -  the uncultivated relative of common grapes, these fruits are smaller, tarter, and seedier. Great for snacking or jam.

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    August Forage Share - Hudson

     

    Chanterelles, Cinnabar Chanterelles, and Black Trumpet mushrooms (Craterellus cornucopioides, Cantharellus cibarius, Cantharellus cinnabarinus) - are some of the many amazing wild mushrooms that can be found in our woods right now. These three are related and, in my opinion, are best used in the simplest way: fried with butter and salt. If you wanted to preserve them, sun dry, and then grind into a powder to use as a seasoning (using them this way is said to concentrate flavor).

    Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis) - are delicious and highly medicinal (great immunity booster) but must be cooked before enjoying! 

    Juniper berries (Juniperus virginiana) - an aromatic, piney seasoning for marinades, ferments, and gin.

    Hopniss tubers (Apios americana) - an important Native American staple food. Use just like a potato for a side dish of wild starch

    Goldenrod buds/flowers/leaves (Solidago) - a beautiful perennial flower, abundant in our landscape, beloved by pollinators, and vilified unfairly as an allergen (more about that here). All aerial parts of goldenrod are edible and make a nice sharp, floral, and spicy addition to savory dishes either fresh or lightly cooked. It is also a popular tea herb, used as the primary black tea substitute after the Boston Tea Party.  

    Nettle seeds (Urdica dioica) - a super superfood. Nettle seeds aren't very memorable in taste (vaguely reminiscent of seaweed) but make up for it in their magic health powers.

    Autumn Olives (Elaeagnus umbellata) - a juicy and tart invasive (and therefore abundant) berry. Great for snacking and preserves. The soft pit can be eaten or not. If making jam, pie, etc, strain the berries through a food mill or cheese cloth first to de-pit.

    Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) - a gentle, slightly tart, green. Best cooked in my opinion, but edible raw as well. Docks are usually harvested in spring, when the leaves are young, but I found a patch that had been mowed down and regrew, so it's spring leaves in August. Despite their tough appearance, dock leaves are surprisingly fragile when exposed to heat and 'melt' quickly, so watch your pot/pan.

    Larch (Larix) - A Vitamin C packed snack, Larch is the only conifer that keeps soft needles late into the summer. It makes great pesto, sandwich or salad additions, decadent grilled treat, tart tea, a citrusy note sprinkled on desserts, or seasoned salt. 

     

     

     

     

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    July Forage Share - New Paltz

    Sumac (Rhus typhina) - seen all around our landscapes, sumac is tart and flavorful, great for drinks or as a seasoning. 

    Garlic Mustard seeds (Alliaria petiolata) - use just like mustard seeds to make mustard or as a seasoning (but, if you don't use them for some reason, boil before discarding - garlic mustard is an invasive plant, so let's enable it further).

    Wild Thyme (Thymus) - use like any cultivated thyme: leaves and flowers as a fresh, savory seasoning; or dry and save for winter flavor

    Milkweed Pods (Asclepias syriaca) - another wild edible from the prolific milkweed! pods can be eaten whole, or saved just for the inner core, which turns a cheesy texture when cooked.

    Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)- great for salad, but can also be sauteed. Purslane is one of those super healthy greens, containing lots of Omega-3s, Vitamin E, beta carotene, VItamin C, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium, and phosphorus. Phew. 

    Bee Balm (Monarda)- there are two kinds of bee balm, or wild oregano, in this month's share. The petals of both blooms are spicy and a little sweet - great for sprinkling over salads or adding to cocktails. The lavender colored ones also have spicy leaves that make a good oregano substitute.

    Queen Anne's Lace flowers (Daucus carota) - a peppery, carroty, un-sweet flavoring. Use in place of caraway seeds in recipes. Great for flavoring salads, soups, sauces, and breads. Not recommended for women who are trying to conceive.

    Golden rod buds/flowers/leaves (Solidago) - a beautiful perennial flower, abundant in our landscape, beloved by pollinators, and vilified unfairly as an allergen (more about that here). All aerial parts of goldenrod are edible and make a nice sharp, floral, and spicy addition to savory dishes either fresh or lightly cooked. It is also a popular tea herb, used as the primary black tea substitute after the Boston Tea Party.  

    Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis) - are delicious and highly medicinal (great immunity booster) but must be cooked before enjoying! 

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    July Forage Share - Hudson

     

    Sumac (Rhus typhina) - seen all around our landscapes, sumac is tart and flavorful, great for drinks or as a seasoning. 

    Garlic Mustard seeds (Alliaria petiolata) - use just like mustard seeds to make mustard or as a seasoning (but, if you don't use them for some reason, boil before discarding - garlic mustard is an invasive plant, so let's enable it further).

    Wild Thyme (Thymus) and Wild Oregano (Origanum)- use like any cultivated thyme or oregano: leaves and flowers as a fresh, savory seasoning; or dry and save for winter flavor

    Milkweed Pods (Asclepias syriaca) - another wild edible from the prolific milkweed! pods can be eaten whole, or saved just for the inner core, which turns a cheesy texture when cooked.

    Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)- great for salad, but can also be sauteed. Purslane is one of those super healthy greens, containing lots of Omega-3s, Vitamin E, beta carotene, VItamin C, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium, and phosphorus. Phew. 

    Bee Balm (Monarda)- there are two kinds of bee balm, or wild oregano, in this month's share. The petals of both blooms are spicy and a little sweet - great for sprinkling over salads or adding to cocktails. The lavender colored ones also have spicy leaves that make a good oregano substitute.

    Queen Anne's Lace flowers (Daucus carota) - a peppery, carroty, un-sweet flavoring. Use in place of caraway seeds in recipes. Great for flavoring salads, soups, sauces, and breads. Not recommended for women who are trying to conceive.

    Pigweed Amaranth

    http://www.ediblewildfood.com/pigweed.aspx

    Wine Berries

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_phoenicolasius

     

     

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    June Forage Share - New Paltz

    Day lily, Elderflower, Wood Sorrel, Field Onion seed head, Mustard shoots, Grape leaf, Spicebush, Oxeye Daisy, Sassafras, Milkweed, Lamb's Quarters

    Field Garlic and Onions (Allium vineale): At this time of year, field garlic and onions are going to seed. The immature seed cloves (shaped like a globe at the top of a scape) can be used like seasoning, just like garlic or onions.

    Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium berlandieri): A delicious, prolific, and nutritious spinach substitute.

    Spicebush twigs and leaves (Lindera) : the twigs and leaves of this fragrant bush make excellent tea. Just don't dry them out  - they'll lose their flavor.

    Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella): This tender, sour green is a favorite among the youngest foragers. Best eaten raw in a salad, but also makes fantastic pesto or lemonade.

    Wild Mustard shoots. The mustard family has many varieties, both cultivated and uncultivated. Black Mustard is sweet, then spicy like horseradish. The stem tops and flowers/buds are great as a fried green (because heat will burn off some of the bitterness and reveal more good flavor). 

    Sassafras (Sassafras albidum). An aromatic woodland leaf, best for thickening soups, but also good for teas.

    Elderberry flowers (Sambucus): elder flowers, which precede the berries, are fragrant and delicate in taste - great for desserts and drinks. 

    Milkweed buds (Asclepias syriaca) : blanch or steam first to get rid of the bitter latex. Then, treat like you would a broccoli or pickle as a great caper substitute!

    Day Lily (Hemerocallis fulva)- use just like squash blossoms. Opened flowers can be eaten fresh or stuffed and baked; the unopened buds can be lightly sauteed or battered and fried. 

    Oxeye Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare). A mild edible flower, great as a wild garnish, over salad, soup, grain, etc. The flowers, buds, and leaves (to a lesser extent not that it's bloomed) are delectable.

    Grape leaves and tails (Vitis): the leaves are great for preserving and stuffing - like dolmas - and the little curly tails the grapes use to climb make a great tart snack or salad addition. 

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    June Forage Share - Hudson

    Left to right: Sassafras, Elderberry flower, Wood Sorrel, Garlic Scape seedhead, Pine cones, Wild mustard, Lamb's Quarters leaves, Milkweed buds, Cattails shoots, Daylily buds, Oxeye Daisies, Spicebush leaves and twigs, Garlic Mustard leaves

    Left to right: Sassafras, Elderberry flower, Wood Sorrel, Garlic Scape seedhead, Pine cones, Wild mustard, Lamb's Quarters leaves, Milkweed buds, Cattails shoots, Daylily buds, Oxeye Daisies, Spicebush leaves and twigs, Garlic Mustard leaves

    Field Garlic and Onions (Allium vineale): At this time of year, field garlic and onions are going to seed. The immature seed cloves (shaped like a globe at the top of a scape) can be used like seasoning, just like garlic or onions.

    Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium berlandieri): A delicious, prolific, and nutritious spinach substitute.

    Spicebush twigs and leaves (Lindera) : the twigs and leaves of this fragrant bush make excellent tea. Just don't dry them out  - they'll lose their flavor.

    Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella): This tender, sour green is a favorite among the youngest foragers. Best eaten raw in a salad, but also makes fantastic pesto or lemonade.

    Pi ne cones. A Vitamin C packed snack, spring conifer growth makes great pesto, sandwich or salad additions, decadent grilled treat, tart tea, or a citrusy note sprinkled on desserts. Recipes: 

    Wild Mustard shoots. The mustard family has many varieties, both cultivated and uncultivated. Black Mustard is sweet, then spicy like horseradish. The stem tops and flowers/buds are great as a fried green (because heat will burn off some of the bitterness and reveal more good flavor). 

    Garlic Mustard leaves (Alliaria petiolata): One of our areas most aggressive invasives also happens to taste great (it first crossed the seas for culinary reasons). The leaves included in this share are extra large and especially great for stuffing like grape leaves, but also throwing fresh into salads/soups for spicy kick. Recipes:

    Sassafras (Sassafras albidum). An aromatic woodland leaf, best for thickening soups, but also good for teas.

    Elderberry flowers (Sambucus): elder flowers, which precede the berries, are fragrant and delicate in taste - great for desserts and drinks. 

    Cattail hearts (Typha): a versatile and delicious wild vegetable. At this time of year, the edible parts are the tender centers or hearts of new shoots. Eat them raw or lightly cooked - they taste like a mix of cucumber and squash.

    Milkweed buds (Asclepias syriaca) : blanch or steam first to get rid of the bitter latex. Then, treat like you would a broccoli or pickle as a great caper substitute!

    Day Lily (Hemerocallis fulva)- use just like squash blossoms. Opened flowers can be eaten fresh or stuffed and baked; the unopened buds can be lightly sauteed or battered and fried. 

    Oxeye Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare). A mild edible flower, great as a wild garnish, over salad, soup, grain, etc. The flowers, buds, and leaves (to a lesser extent not that it's bloomed) are delectable.

     

     

     

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    May Forage Share - New Paltz

    In the share:

    • Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica): A highly nutritious cooking green that loses its stinging quality when exposed to heat. Great in soup, steamed+sauteed, pestoed, or as a pizza topping. Recipes:
    • Wild Bee Balm (Monarda): Tasted like a spicier oregano. Use as a seasoning, fresh or dried, or grind up into extra potent pesto. Recipes:
    • Basswood (Tilia) leaves are the young leaves of the basswood or linden tree, and one of the finest wild leaves for eating raw in spring. They taste like a nuttier spinach and make an excellent salad base. They can also be cooked, especially as they get bigger and tougher later in the season. 
    • Wild Mustard shoots (Tower rockcress). The mustard family has many varieties, both cultivated and uncultivated. Tower rockcress is bitter and spicy, like its cultivated relative, broccoli raab. The stem tops and flowers/buds are great as a fried green (because heat will burn off some of the bitterness and reveal more good flavor). 
    • Garlic Mustard leaves (Alliaria petiolata): One of our areas most aggressive invasives also happens to taste great (it first crossed the seas for culinary reasons). The leaves included in this share are extra large and especially great for stuffing like grape leaves, but also throwing fresh into salads/soups for a mild horseradish-like kick. Recipes:
    • Salsify (Tragopogon pratensis): Also known as Johnny-go-to-bed-at-noon (and oyster plant, and many other names) because Salsify's flowers only open in the morning, this lettuce relative is tasty from head to foot. Its famous for its edible root, but at this time of year, it also produces delicious greens. The flowers, stem, and flower buds taste like a winning combination of asparagus and lettuce and can be substituted for either vegetable. Online recipes for salsify foliage are impossible (for me) to find because its root takes the spotlight, but as a general guideline, use it like you would a shoot vegetable, for stir-fries, soups, salads, beans and greens, roasting, grilling, and snacking. 

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    May Forage Share - Hudson

    In the share:

    • Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica): A highly nutritious cooking green that loses its stinging quality when exposed to heat. Great in soup, steamed+sauteed, pestoed, or as a pizza topping. Recipes:
    • Wild Bee Balm (Monarda): Tasted like a spicier oregano. Use as a seasoning, fresh or dried, or grind up into extra potent pesto. Recipes:
    • Field Garlic (Allium canadense): A year-round staple, field onions are abundant in just about any local landscape. They can get tough further into the year, but right now are tender and reminiscent of chives. Use green tops as you would chives, small bulbs as you would onions (great pickled), or grill the whole thing. Recipes:
    • Basswood (Tilia) leaves are the young leaves of the basswood or linden tree, and one of the finest wild leaves for eating raw in spring. They taste like a nuttier spinach and make an excellent salad base. They can also be cooked, especially as they get bigger and tougher later in the season. 
    • Grape (Vitis) leaves, tails, and flower buds: when young and tender (later for dolmas), all of these parts of the grape vine make great tart (and sometimes mildly bitter) additions to salads. Also good as a sautéed green. 
    • Wild Mustard shoots (Tower rockcress) and yellow flowers (Yellow rocket). The mustard family has many varieties, both cultivated and uncultivated. The two included here are both bitter, like their cultivated relative, broccoli raab. Tower rockcress is tender and can be used whole, especially great as a frying or grilling green (because heat will burn off some of the bitterness and reveal more good flavor). Yellow rocket, at this stage, is only good for its flowers, which can be sprinkled over soups, salads, grains, and more for a little kick.

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