Pokeweeds

[Ja8edfyre]

Does anyone in the southern states (I don't know how far north it grows) encourage pokeweed to grow for self-harvesting? I'm going to.

 

[PennyinOk]

We do! My husband loves it, I have some in my garden and i noticed a "volunteer" show up in my flower bed. I found mine on the side of the road and dug some up for transplanting in the garden.


Penny

 

[Ja8edfyre]

Awesome! I have not found it growing around my house, which is shocking. My granddad told me all I had to do is rake up a pile of dirt, leaves, and some compost, gather some plants (with berries) and toss them in the pile. Next year, viola! Can't wait.

I cooked some last night, then cut up the stems, dipped in egg, rolled in seasoned cornmeal, and fried like okra! Very good stuff.

 

[aquarose]

My daughter made ink with poke berries for her 7th grade science project. She got an A. The teacher said she wanted to have fun making ink out of berries.

 

[ksacres]

As in THIS pokeweed??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokeweed

it says it's toxic!

 

[Ja8edfyre]

Yes, yes... but if it's cooked right you can eat the leaves and stems/stalks. Don't eat the roots or berries, that's where most of the toxins are. There are experienced herbalists who use the roots and berries, but I'll leave that to them.

The berries do make a very nice purple ink/paint/dye.

 

[robbobbin]

Here in central Indiana we don't get much polk weed. But when I do see a young stalk I keep an eye on it until exactly the right size for plucking-YUMMY! Reminds me of Sunday dinner when grandma would always have fried chicken and fried polk when in season. Down south polk grows everywhere, along with wild elderberries, but not so much up here.
Yuummmm! cornmeal fried polk, dandelion greens and elderberry !wine

 

[Ja8edfyre]

I wish I could find me some elderberries! I'd be making my own wine!

I've been reading about dandelions, haven't tried them.... yet. I'm also on the lookout for wild onions and garlic.

 

[GardenGirl]

You want wild onions?! Come to my yard! They are taking over. I think I have more onions than grass now. My DH loves to just walk around and eat them while working in the yard. I need them cooked.

 

[Ja8edfyre]

New York is a bit of a stretch for me, but I'd love to come rescue you from all those onions! They'd be good eats with my poke salet!