Sustainable Ramp Harvesting

For a brief time in spring, ramps, or wild garlic, or wild leeks, can be foraged in the woods. I only pick aa few that I can cook up and eat. And I only pick a few leaves from one patch here, a few leaves from one patch there, and so on. We don’t ever want the ramps to be over picked. We don’t dig up the bulb, either, as we just need the tender stalk and leaves for the flavor and vitamins in sautéed dishes or pesto or soup. I even cut up a few to dry and save to add flavor to my winter soups (just like I do with chives from my garden).

What is a sustainable ramp harvest? Thank you @unitedplantsavers 

Please share far and wide!

~leaves only
~no bulbs, folks!
~one leaf per plant
~from plants with 2+ leaves
~from an abundant population
~you have permission to harvest
~harvest only what you will use
~tread lightly—plants will thank ya
~it should look like you weren’t there
~plant ramp seeds in the fall
~bulbs from @ruralaction in spring
~educate others to do the same

If you love ramps, leave them in the ground! Did you know it takes one plant SEVEN years to reach reproductive maturity? Every bulb you dig is cutting short the life of the patch. It’s okay if you didn’t know before—share your newfound knowledge with others to prevent overharvest in your area.

Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are on United Plant Savers To-Watch Species List due to their status as a threatened native medicinal plant.

Over-harvest and poaching has decimated local populations to meet the demands of rising culinary popularity in big cities, annual ramp festivals across the eastern U.S., and surging local popularity among foragers and wildcrafters. When you see ramps for sale at the farmers market ask the seller how they source them. Don’t buy ramps that aren’t sustainably sourced or that are harvested with bulbs. Replant fresh bulbs with rootlets!

Bottom line, don’t harvest ramps unless you know what you’re doing. If not, leave ‘em alone. It shouldn’t look like you’ve been there at all. A modest leaf-only harvest ensures the patch is viable for years to come. I promise your ramp pesto will taste the same with leaves instead of bulbs—leaves are where the flavor is, folks.

For more information on ramps and sustainable forest farming visit unitedplantsavers.org.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcI93rUryfF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Becoming a responsible wildcrafter sometimes means not harvesting a plant if the population simply cannot support that impact and sustain itself, or whenever you are not sure what the impact of harvesting could be. This is why it’s so important to study foraging with a mentor or reputable school and to make sure you’re aware of sustainable guidelines before you start harvesting.

Disclaimer

My blog is meant to inform and I strive to be totally accurate. It is solely up to the reader to ensure proper plant identification. Some wild plants are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects.