Reaping What We Do Not Sow

By Barry Babcock

Euell Gibbons wrote and proselytized about the joy of harvesting wild plants for both food and medicinal uses, what he called, “reaping where he did not sow.” He wrote about hundreds of edible wild plants in his books: Stalking the Wild Asparagus (1962), Stalking the Blue-Eyed Scallop (1964), and Stalking the Healthful Herbs (1966).

With “green-up” just around the corner, it is timely to speak of a couple common northland edibles: itch-weed and cattails.

Itch-weed or stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) is abundantly found in alder swales and black ash lowlands. Nettles will cause irritation and rash on contact. This often cursed plant has a variety of uses. They are edible, functional, and medicinal.

The part of the plant that causes the itch is the thousands of tiny hairs on the plant that act like hypodermic needles and inject formic acid. Formic acid is what bees and wasps inject when they sting. It is this formic acid, which is almost pure protein that makes nettles so healthy to eat.

Boiling the young plants renders the formic acid harmless and the result is a dish of greens that are not only high in protein, iron, other trace elements, but also rich in vitamin A and C. This dish is excellent when topped with butter, a splash of vinegar, and salt and pepper. The broth can be used as a tonic. Whether psychosomatic or not, I feel a sense of invigoration after a dose of nettles.

Functional uses of the plant range from using the tough hemp-like fibers of the plant to make string, twine, and netting as done by the Iroquois and Huron Indians. The plant fibers for clothing dates back to the Bronze Age and were used for this purpose as recently as WW I by the Germans as fabric for tents and army uniforms.

Nettles are used as hair conditioning treatment, can remedy coagulation and hemoglobin formation, and depress the central nervous system. They are also used for many other disorders.

Euell Gibbons called the cattail the “supermarket of the swamps.” They proliferate so readily that many ecologists view them as invasive even though they are a native plants. At various stages of cattail development, various edibles can be harvested and enjoyed.

The first edible phase of the cattail will be available very soon. The “Cossack asparagus” received its name because Cossacks on the Russian Steppes relished it. Watch for these early shoots to rise above the water about six inches to several feet in length. Simply grab the plant below the surface, pull and twist. It should break off neatly from the root stalk.

Peal off the tough green outer leaves to reveal a tender stalk that is edible raw or cooked. The flavor is reminiscent of a blend of celery heart and asparagus. This treat is delightful when steamed and served with butter on top – much like asparagus.

The second phase is “cattail corn on the cob”. Watch for this about mid-June. This delectable treat will be ready when the immature flower spikes are enclosed in a green sheath-like the husk on corn. Cut them just before the spikes burst through the sheath.

Peal the green sheath just as you would corn. You will have before you cylindrical green rods. If you pinch off a bit of the green surface, a bright yellow content is revealed. Prepare and eat these spikes as you would corn. They are delicious, high in carotene, and when done, the ‘cobs’ will resemble little knitting needles.

The third delicacy of the cattail is its pollen and is available around the Fourth of July when the flower spikes will have burst out of their sheaths. The upper part is the male flower and the lower portion is the female. The male portion produces gobs of bright yellow pollen.

The best time for gathering pollen is early on a calm morning. From a canoe or in waders, shake the flower heads in a bag. You will be surprised to find it doesn’t take a lot of work to gather a sizable amount of pollen. Mix this pollen 50/50 with your favorite pancake or muffin mix and you will be eating the tastiest pancakes you’ve ever had.

Here in northern Minnesota, we co-exist with a plethora of wild, edible plants. Foraging for edibles can become an enjoyable family outing. As Gibbons himself stated, “Children, especially, are intrigued with the idea of garnering their food from the fields and byways. Food takes on a new meaning to the child who has participated in this fundamental method of acquiring it.”

Foraging can also be a relaxing, reflective, private date with nature.

“Wild food grows in the clean, uncultivated fields and woods, and has never been touched by human hands until you come along to claim it. No artificial manures, with their possible sources of pollution, have ever been placed around it. Nature’s own methods have maintained the fertility that produced it and no poisonous sprays have ever come near it. Wild food is clean because it has never been dirty.

Whether the event is shared with another or savored alone, the result will surely be healthy, savory, and satisfying.

More stinging nettle recipes:

Stinging Nettle Fritters
Simple Stinging Nettle Syrup
Stinging Nettle and Ricotta Tortelli.

More cattail recipes:

Cattail Pancakes
Many More Cattail Recipes



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