Gathering Wild Leeks (Ramps)

wild leek growth habit (photo by jhy)

Wild leeks, Allium tricoccum, also known as ramps, appear early in the spring in April or May, about the same time of year as the hepatica and spring beauty bloom. You will find patches of them in the woods. They grow like this.

They don't have many look-alikes. Clintonia (bluebead) leaves are similar, but the tips of the Clintonia leaves are rounder. Leeks have purplish stems. And the clincher is, that if you break and crush a stem, it will smell like onion.

wild leeks (photo by jhy)

You will need to dig up the plants. Usually, they will just break off if you try to pull them up, and you definitely want the bulbs. Once you have determined how deep you need to dig, just bring up a handful and knock most of the dirt off until you can wash them. You can carry them home in a paper or plastic bag.


To clean: Once they are thoroughly rinsed, I cut off the root ball (leaving the bulb, of course), and then just slide the outermost "skin" down over the bulb to remove any remaining dirt or residue.

wild leeks ready to take home (photo by jhy)

Edible Wild Fruit- Clammy Groundcherry

clammy groundcherry fruit with husk (photo by jhy)

The Clammy Groundcherry, Physalis heterophylla, produces a small golden fruit that is sweet with tart overtones. The plant is in the Solanaceae family, which means that it is a tomato relative. There are also a number of poisonous plants in this genus, but this one is easy to identify. You can click any picture to see it enlarged, and find other views, too.

Start looking for this low plant in June or July. It likes to grow in poor soil, or dry woods. In the United States, it has been found in all the contiguous states except California and Nevada.

clammy groundcherry plant (photo by jhy)

I find it in an old field mixed with the grasses. It can grow as high as three feet, but I rarely see it more than a foot in height.

The leaves and stems are very hairy, and the stems are slightly sticky. The bases of the leaves are rounded, not toothed. The plant always seems to be drooping, even when it's very happy.

clammy groundcherry flower (photo by jhy)

The flowers are a creamy yellow and always hang downwards. If you lift a bloom and look inside, you will see a lovely brown star-like pattern.

clammy groundcherry seed pod (photo by jhy)

By mid to late July the fruit capsules (seed pods) begin to form. These look like little Chinese lanterns. They will be green at first. If the capsule is still green, the fruit is probably not ripe. If you open the capsule, the fruit will probably be green, or a greenish-gold. They won't hurt you if you eat them at this stage, but they won't be as sweet.

If you wait until September, when the pods are dry and papery, the fruits will be pure golden. There is one fruit in each capsule, which can easily be pulled out. The fruit is sticky.

What can you do with these? I never seem to find enough to do anything except to eat them as a treat. If I would collect a few to carry back to the house, they would be good on a salad.

However, I once received a gift of jelly made with them, which was good on meat. Supposedly they have a lot of natural pectin. I have also read that they can be dried to create "raisins." I haven't tried that.

Finding Free Pears- Bartlett

Bartlett pear tree (photo by jhy)

You can always buy pears, but the point of this blog is to be able to find free food. You have a good chance of finding some abandoned pear tree in an old farmyard if you keep your eyes open.

There are several kinds of old fashioned pears that were often planted at homesteads, now called "heritage" varieties. In the northeastern US, the most common are Bartlett and Seckel. This post will talk about Bartletts. In Europe, these are called Williams pears. The Bartlett has a shape that has come to be the definition of pear-shaped. Not all pears actually have this shape, but this one does.

Look for small (15-20 feet) trees that don't spread out into much of a crown. You will see bright white blossoms in May. Pear twigs are very recognizable, looking stubby and awkward. I'll add a picture when the leaves are off the trees. They were often planted in pairs for cross-pollination.

Bartlett pears (photo by jhy)

The fruits grow along the branches, and will be ready to harvest in early September. Each pear is 3-5 inches in length and about 2- 2.5 inches in diameter. Harvest before the first frost.

Bartlett Pears should be harvested while still green. I shake the trees every day and pick up the ones that have fallen. That way, I'm not breaking off a lot of twigs. Then allow them to ripen after picking. You may read that they are ripe when they are yellow, but if you wait to use them till they are yellow, they will be pretty much over-ripe. There is a window of about one day when they are greenish-yellow, and still somewhat firm, but soft when you cut into them. This is perfect for canning, drying, or even eating.