What is the difference between ramps and leeks

Sustainably harvesting takes more time, so you really need to make allowance for it. Plus it's a lot more fun to have a leisurely walk into the woods, not worrying about racing the waning light.

If you can't give yourself the time to do it, please consider taking only greens and leaving the bulbs undisturbed. You won't need nearly as much time if you only harvest leaves! Sharp hunting knife Make sure it's sharp! A dull knife will do more harm than good -- you'll end up mutilating the bulb so it's not useable as food and not viable as a plant.

You may even want to touch up the blade as you dig, since the grit of the dirt will take your edge. You'll also want to make sure the blade is at least three or four inches so you can easily reach the root without disturbing the soil. If you insist on digging the root, use a hori hori knife to minimize impact. Backpack or shoulder bag I usually put a few plastic grocery bags in a backpack and then load a bag or two with ramps before putting them in my pack, which helps keeps the dirt out of the pack.

The most sustainable way to harvest ramps is to cut only one leaf, leaving the bulb and second leaf to continue growing. This is least impactful on the soil, the plant, and the colony as a whole. The leaves, in my opinion are the best part, anyway, and taking only leaves is the best way to ensure the colony will remain viable. Sustainably harvested ramp. If you insist on taking bulbs, please dig sustainably with a knife: Simply insert your knife into the dirt at an angle and slice off a third or so of the root, leaving it in the ground to re-grow.

Then pull the rest of the plant out by its stems. It will take a little practice to get a feel for where to put the knife. You can also gently pull back the dirt from around the bulb so you can see where you're cutting.

If you do this, make sure to pull back just enough dirt to expose a little bit of the bulb and re-cover the roots after cutting. I find that when I overzealously harvest, it makes more work for me in the long run, because some ramps will inevitably go bad before I can get to them. There's not much more disgusting than the smell of past-their-prime ramps. And a few ramps go a long way so there's no need to stockpile them.

Even though we practice sustainable harvest, I'm afraid the ever-inceasing demand will eclipse the slow procreation. So we've been looking into the possibility of cultivating our own ramps. I've always heard they'll survive almost anywhere in our Southern Appalachian region but will only propagate above feet here. We've successfully transplanted ramps that come back each year but our little patch hasn't spread it's below ft. Davis, ramps can be transplanted and cultivated from seed at much lower elevations.

Apparently, it takes some effort to germinate seeds when climes are warmer than ideal, but it can be done. And once a good patch is established, it supposedly requires little maintenance. Ramps are only in season for a month or so, but, for us, getting them is only half the problem. I usually come back from a good ramping trip with enough for us to eat fresh before they go bad with a little extra to keep for eating later I rarely go digging more than once a season unless I come home with a particularly light harvest.

Both leaves and bulbs can be eaten and both are delicious. They're best used fresh, but both can be put away for eating later in the year. The easiest way to store ramp bulbs is by freezing: Simply cut off the greens, clean the dirt off the bulbs and cut off the roots if your ramps still have roots. Then spread the bulbs out on a sheet pan or waxed paper so they are not touching and freeze.

This prevents them from sticking together. Once they're frozen, put them in jars or plastic containers, seal tightly and put in the freezer for up to six months.

You can also wrap them individually in wax paper and store frozen in sealed jars. They can also be pickled but we don't usually bother.

The greens won't last long fresh and deteriorate when frozen. They can be dried, but they lose a lot of their flavor. We've found the best way to preserve them is by making ramp compound butter see recipe below. A close second is ramp pesto. Either can be stored in the refrigerator in the short term or frozen for use later. For short term storage put ramps in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

They should be stored uncleaned. If a refrigerator is not immediately available ramps can be kept with the bulbs submerged in a bucket of water and placed in a cool shaded area.

The leaves will start to wilt in the refrigerator after 4 days or so and in the bucket after a day or so depending on temperature. Ramp bulbs and leaves can be diced and used just as you would use onions, green onions, leeks, chives and garlic, but they are much more potent.

They pair well with the following:. Ramps ramsons in the UK are alliums , members of the onion family.

Their leaves taste like a milder mixture of garlic and onion, and once cooked they have the texture of spinach. In contrast, Lily-of-the-valley is an imported flower that has invasive habits and contains cardiac glycosides that affect the body in a similar manner to foxglove digitalis.

Symptoms of ingesting it include flushed skin, nausea, dizziness, headache, weakness, hallucinations and changes in heart rate. In extreme cases, it can lead to death.

Most cases of poisoning by Lily-of-the-valley result from children eating the berries that occur later in the season, but occasionally there are cases of poisoning where people mistakenly cook with them, thinking they are ramps. The two plants look similar, but there are good ways to tell them apart. The best way is to forage with someone who has experience with ramps your first time out.

That said, if you use these identifiers it is easy to tell the difference. Be sure to never eat anything that you are not sure about, however. In some parts of the country they are over-harvested and it is illegal to harvest them in parts of Canada.

Be sure to only harvest the leaves and not the bulbs, so the plants survive. Even then, harvest only a small percent of the leaves you find. This can help ensure that the stand can continue on for many years. Once you have your ramps, here are wonderful ways to cook with them. I have a new favorite mushroom foraging book. So many homes and parks have crab apple trees and so few people put these tasty, healthy little fruits to use.

Here's a recipe to change If you have a garden, chances are that you've been pulling up one of the best greens in it for years. You can also grill or roast them—the stems, leaves, and bulbs are all edible. The flavor and aroma of ramps are often described as a combination of onion and garlic, with the garlic note particularly evident—strong enough that even ramp lovers will advise caution. They're sometimes referred to by the nickname "little stinkers. Ramps add a uniquely pungent flavor to soups and casseroles, as well as egg, rice, and potato dishes.

They make a great substitute for green onions in any application. Specialty grocers and farmers markets may sell ramps when they are in season. They're typically sold in small bunches or priced per pound, but some places will sell them in bulk.

Choose ramps with healthy-looking dark green leaves but not too dark. Make sure the leaves are not wilted and that the to inch long stalks are thin rather than thick. Thin stalks are more tender. If you can't find a local retailer, you can sometimes buy them from the online market Earthy Delights. If you want to grow your own ramps, you can plant seeds. Better yet, choose some ramps with roots attached, slice a little bit off the top of each bulb, let them soak in water overnight, and plant them the next day in an environment similar to their natural one.

These are woodland plants that typically grow underneath deciduous trees, where the soil is moist and well drained, and the lighting is a perfect balance of shade to partial shade. Growing ramps takes patience—they reach maturity in about seven years. Wrap fresh ramps in a damp paper towel and store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for several days. Ramps only grow for a few weeks in the spring, but you can chop and freeze them for later uses.

Chop about half of the green leaves separately, air-dry them for a few hours, then freeze them in an air-tight container for future use as a seasoning. You can also blanch the leaves, shock them in an ice-water bath , let them air-dry, then freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet before storing them in a freezer bag or other container.

You can freeze the bulbs and stems as well, either separately or together. They're good frozen for up to six months.