May Foraging Events: Group Walks, Tastings and Wild Food Picnics
I’ve just returned home from my annual pilgrimage out west to the Berkshires, where the steep hillsides were loaded with so many edible goodies! Stunningly beautiful wildflowers like trout lily and trillium welcomed me, while varieties of ferns waved back and forth in the cool breeze like old friends.
Despite a few snow flakes the first night, the wild ramps were in perfect condition for harvesting. While my back and knees are still a bit sore from the hours spent digging and plucking leaves, the trip was well worth it!
Ramps are one of my very favorite foraged ingredients and are wonderful for a wide array of preparations – ramp salt, ramp kimchi, ramp sauerkraut, ramp vinegar, ramp powder, ramp soup…the list goes on!
Dinner last night featured ramps in a simple white wine sauce atop chicken, roasted veggies and rice. I almost cried it was so good!
For the first time this year, I’ll be offering an exclusive forage followed by all things ramp tasting on May 2 in Framingham. The season’s first forage and wild food picnic on May 23 in Lynn will also feature a heavy dose of ramp dishes.
With so many glorious wild edibles coming in to prime, May is a forager’s paradise! Sweet and fragrant flowers like lilac, red bud and black locust will be blooming soon, begging for inclusion in drinks or on dinner plates. Spruce, fir and pine tips will begin sending out their soft, green new growth. And healing herbs like yarrow, pineapple weed and mugwort encourage us to fight off allergies with tea mixes. It’s a magnificent time to get outside. meet fun new people and learn about the amazing bounty that Mother Nature has to offer!
May Public Events
May 2 – Framingham: Forage & Wild Ramp Tasting
May 9 – Weston: Forage & Wild Soda Workshop
May 10 – Boxford: Foraging Walk
For those looking to book a private forage, be sure to reach out 2-4 weeks in advance as we are getting into the busy season!
