Wild Leeks are up!!!

well it was my first weekend with the wife back to work, and me taking care of my daughter all weekend, shes 11.5 months old, and it was a bit of a handful, but an awesome weekend overall!! the wifes preggers again, so she had to go back a bit early.

I posted another report of checking my trailcam Saturday, and I had some pics of some turkeys and deer. she loved watching my dog run around and just loves being outdoors with her dad! http://www.oodmag.com/community/show...tle-huntress!!

yesterday we got out again for a short walk at a forest I want to shoot some turkeys in, as a backup for my main spots. found a nice area with tons of leeks everywhere. got a nice feed of them, fried them up with mushrooms and onions and added them to our dinner of barbecued sausage and carrots and asparagus.
to top it off, I found some sign of turkeys, which is a bonus for sure. not sure if ill hunt here, but good to know there are turkeys, and tons of deer sign everywhere!

when are we going to get a wild edibles section on this forum? there is a lot I still have to learn as a forager, but it really adds a nice activity to do while out exploring or hunting, and so far this past year I have been almost more successful foraging than hunting!! it would be nice to have a central area for these posts.

good luck out there foraging (and fishing and hunting) and play safe!!

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also, how do you guys dig up the leek bulbs? I was using a leatherman tool pliers, but it wasn't ideal. do you just carry a garden trowel? I want something to put in my turkey vest!

Those leeks are pretty young. They'd be stuck in there pretty good. I've tried everything but what works best is still bare hands. Get your index finger alongside and wiggle them loose. Select the bigger ones if you can and leave the smaller ones for regrowth.

I chose these because they were clumped tightly. I just dig up under them and removed the whole bundle and shook off the dirt. Left lots for regrowth. Anytime I've got them I can't for the life of me pull them out by hand without ripping off the bulb.
So you normally encounter larger bulbs? I only had a few larger bulbs in this pile.

Last year I wasn't out to harvest until near the end of May. I take my time and find out the larger ones. By that time they're breaking the surface and you can see the size difference.

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Originally Posted by mbhunter

Last year I wasn't out to harvest until near the end of May. I take my time and find out the larger ones. By that time they're breaking the surface and you can see the size difference.

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I see. I'm still new at this, haven't found a reference for when to pick them. Still tasted good!!

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Photo detail says May 23rd

Attachment 32748
Pickled

I checked on our batch at the cottage and they're coming up as well. I'll be waiting a few more weeks until the bulbs get a bit bigger. Love the pickled Leeks....

I haven't had pickled Leeks since my grandparent's died if anyone wants to sell a jar or two PM me :D

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Originally Posted by bowj

also, how do you guys dig up the leek bulbs? I was using a leatherman tool pliers, but it wasn't ideal. do you just carry a garden trowel? I want something to put in my turkey vest!

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I grab individual bulbs as close to dirt or under as possible, larger size as mentioned and wiggle and wind them in a circle and pull. They will pull off the roots cleanly and does not disturb the root bed which i think keeps the bed healthier. If the roots stay in the ground they can continue to spread and put up new bulbs. Bonus the bulbs are cleaner and less work in the end but it does take a bit longer to harvest a meal, but so what you're spending an extra half hour outside enjoying yourself. It doesn't take much overpicking or damage to a bed to ruin it, possibly forever especially if its a public spot and a couple people pick it.

Awesome mbhunter, thanks for the pics for size reference!
I will wait a few weeks than head out for some more in this spot or one other spot I know they're growing. I kinda just thought they came up and you picked them. Good to know!! As mentioned they still tasted good and smell even better!

Stuck a few plants in the garden last spring on a whim. Was surprised to see that they have sprout who knows if they propagated well won't have to go far a taste.

went looking yesterday for them but a bit early yet here. Probably next week.

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

Stuck a few plants in the garden last spring on a whim. Was surprised to see that they have sprout who knows if they propagated well won't have to go far a taste.

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I literally was going to do that yesterday. thought the dog pee would probably do them in though... still might try that...

I use a garden fork to dig them up , it loosens the soil as you dig in and pry up , then just lift the bulbs out by the handful.
The one you have pictured , are still pretty small, I like to leave them till the bulbs are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in dia. however the size that you picked are great in salads, and don't throw the leaves away as they can also be used in salads or chopped fine and mixed with sour cream for your baked potatoes.
We, my wife actually makes a great wild leek soup using a potatoe base , one of my favourites don't forget to add some well fried bacon bits.

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Originally Posted by Rodbender

I haven't had pickled Leeks since my grandparent's died if anyone wants to sell a jar or two PM me :D

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Kevin next time you're my way I have a jar with your name on them.

I too would like a wild edibles section as well. I have spent the winter studying Ontario edibles and I ready for the morels, leeks and asparagus season. I had planned to go this weekend between turkey hunts, but we lost the wife's grandma last week and just got home yesterday from Woodstock. I hope to pick much wild edibles this year. Nice haul..

I have used this site all winter and also Ontario wild edibles book to teach myself identification features.
http://northernbushcraft.com/guide.p...region=Ontario

Yes like it has been stated you picked some small ones, I'll be waiting a week or two before I start to pick some. I also do pickled leeks, my uncles recipe, he is the one who got me addicted to wild leeks. Again it has been stated but the leaves are great for soups and salads. We dehydrate some of both the leaves and bulbs for soups throughout the year. I also clean a bunch of bulbs and freeze them in a jar, they can get a bit mushy when thawed but they are still great to cook with, amazing flavor. Just love them chopped and put in scrambled eggs or in with your breakfast hash browns or fried potatoes. Can put them in anything you would put onions or garlic in. Nothing beats cleaning a big pail of leeks with a few pints......just make sure you sleep in the dog house that night....... I swear you can see the stink waves rising off your body......lol.

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Originally Posted by line052

I too would like a wild edibles section as well. I have spent the winter studying Ontario edibles and I ready for the morels, leeks and asparagus season. I had planned to go this weekend between turkey hunts, but we lost the wife's grandma last week and just got home yesterday from Woodstock. I hope to pick much wild edibles this year. Nice haul..

I have used this site all winter and also Ontario wild edibles book to teach myself identification features.
http://northernbushcraft.com/guide.p...region=Ontario

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cool, thanks for the resource!! I have the petersons guide to wild edibles, but i am holding off on mushrooms for now, since I want to really study them in depth before even trying. however two weeks ago I was in Kentucky, travelling through and we stopped at a national forest, and I found one morel mushroom. I picked it verified it was safe, than we kept driving (destination Georgia for a wedding), and I totally forgot about it for two days. when i finally remembered to cook it at our destination it was mouldy!

last season, I picked fiddleheads, leeks, raspberries and cranberries. I really think it adds a really cool element to hunting, and hiking.

any admins reading this? maybe a wild edibles section would be nice. I know lots of guys were mentioning it last year as well!!

Fiddle heads are just coming up in Ottawa. Morels are the easiest to start with the distinction between the fable and good is very clear. Also, Morels are the first to come up with Asparagus, fiddle heads, leeks. IF you look at the picture to Ontario edibles it amazing to see what you have always seen in the woods but never knew.

Youtube has some great links for Ontario mushrooms.

My first experience with wild leeks was at Camp Meaford.
As we were patrolling through the area some of the guys were picking them & eating raw.
The only way you could stand the smell was to join them.

I've been picking leeks for a long, long time. I'm lucky, they grow on my property and I have permission up the road where there are tons. I consider them a valuable resource that need to be managed carefully. For that reason I never have or ever will dig up a wild garlic. If I can't properly pick the bulb while leaving the root stock in the ground I don't harvest it. Simple as that. That way the woody stem and associated roots stay in the ground undisturbed and a new bulb will grow from that woody base and root mass.
I'm not knocking anyone here, specially the OP. It's a good post, I've done the same. This is just to educate.

Allow me to illustrate.

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See the mass of roots? Those roots are all attached to the up to 3/8" long piece of woody root, not the bulb. The idea is to snap the base of the bulb off of that root. Usually you end up with a few fine roots around the outer part of the base of the bulb.

These are from last year. As picked. Wiggling the bulb side to side in different directions, going against the grain, specially on slopes, and bend outwards for the ones in dense clumps. Thumb or forefinger dug in deep and pushing sideways helps at times too. The bigger they are the easier to pick.

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Mine aren't that far along yet, but it won't be long before some thin young ones come in for fresh eating. I can't wait.

For the last five years I've been making a Chefs/ Compound butter with leeks. It's one of my favorite uses for wild garlic now. 4-5 pounds of it a year. I base it on this recipe. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2...d-butters.html Highly recommended.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by duckslayer

.....just make sure you sleep in the dog house that night....... I swear you can see the stink waves rising off your body......lol.

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My wife was first trimester during leek season last year... she stopped just short of spraying me off with the hose before I was allowed back in the house haha

Attachment 32772I'll share one last idea as well. I froze a bunch for the first time last year. Measured out two cups and sealed them in my vacuum sealer. Used them all winter for dips and soups. Yes they were soft when defrosted using this method but was using them for cooking so it didn't matter for my purpose.

Want to try something tasty? Give this a whirl. I used maple bacon for a little sweetness to it.

http://www.marthastewart.com/857636/...lized-leek-dip

Thanks for the info fellas. Much appreciated!!

When do you think they will be ready, I just went and picked some but they were quite small still.

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Originally Posted by smitty55

I've been picking leeks for a long, long time. I'm lucky, they grow on my property and I have permission up the road where there are tons. I consider them a valuable resource that need to be managed carefully. For that reason I never have or ever will dig up a wild garlic. If I can't properly pick the bulb while leaving the root stock in the ground I don't harvest it. Simple as that. That way the woody stem and associated roots stay in the ground undisturbed and a new bulb will grow from that woody base and root mass.
I'm not knocking anyone here, specially the OP. It's a good post, I've done the same. This is just to educate.

Allow me to illustrate.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...sg4juj9ap.jpeg


See the mass of roots? Those roots are all attached to the up to 3/8" long piece of woody root, not the bulb. The idea is to snap the base of the bulb off of that root. Usually you end up with a few fine roots around the outer part of the base of the bulb.

These are from last year. As picked. Wiggling the bulb side to side in different directions, going against the grain, specially on slopes, and bend outwards for the ones in dense clumps. Thumb or forefinger dug in deep and pushing sideways helps at times too. The bigger they are the easier to pick.

http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0d4953ad.jpg


Mine aren't that far along yet, but it won't be long before some thin young ones come in for fresh eating. I can't wait.

For the last five years I've been making a Chefs/ Compound butter with leeks. It's one of my favorite uses for wild garlic now. 4-5 pounds of it a year. I base it on this recipe. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2...d-butters.html Highly recommended.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

When do you think they will be ready, I just went and picked some but they were quite small still.

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Give it a couple more weeks and they should be good to go! After reading and posting in this thread I had to dig a handful up the other day for a taste........yum!!!! Fried them up with some mushrooms and onions and ate them with some crispy skin mallard breasts and a pint of my bil's lager........I'll be headed to the woods in a couple of weeks for a big batch!!!

On a side note maybe they don't grow as common in other areas than the ones I hunt, some of my bushes are over run with them.....literally wall to wall leeks along the ridges, would have to pick a couple of dump truck loads to damage the breeding stock.

Enjoy the good eats guys and gals!!

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Originally Posted by duckslayer

Give it a couple more weeks and they should be good to go! After reading and posting in this thread I had to dig a handful up the other day for a taste........yum!!!! Fried them up with some mushrooms and onions and ate them with some crispy skin mallard breasts and a pint of my bil's lager........I'll be headed to the woods in a couple of weeks for a big batch!!!

On a side note maybe they don't grow as common in other areas than the ones I hunt, some of my bushes are over run with them.....literally wall to wall leeks along the ridges, would have to pick a couple of dump truck loads to damage the breeding stock.

Enjoy the good eats guys and gals!!

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There were many places on the Quebec side that used to be full of leeks. Then the hordes would show up with shovels and garbage bags and after a few years the crop would be decimated. So now there is no picking allowed at all on NCC property and there is actually a limit of 50 leeks allowed per person now. One farmer out here had guys come all the way from Montreal to pick on his property for a while. Then the shovels showed up as they got lazy and greedy, which ended up costing them their access rights. In May there is a sudden influx of Quebec plates around here. Some have permission but many of them just drive around midweek and midday so they can trespass and steal. Again using shovels so they can sneak in and out fast.

On the culinary side, I picked a dozen beside the house yesterday. They are mild and sweet, not swollen at all yet. Had them chopped up in a potato salad and some on a bun with grilled sausage. OMG, so damned good. Looks like I'll have to do a lot of daily testing. :)

Cheers

Went to another leek spot today, some bigger ones up now. Looks like I'll still have some time to pick a few more in the next few weeks. Only found one group of fiddleheads, left them alone for now..

took your guys advice, picked the bigger ones, leaving most of the roots in place, it was actually really easy to pick them and even easier to clean them at home.

going to add these to my wild turkey soup tonight!!

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Those are fine looking leeks there bowj. You are definitely ahead of us here. Nice and young still, great for fresh eating while picking. That's a rule for me, I always eat the first one I pick and likely more before my hands get too dirty. I swear it helps with blackflies too. :)
I also really like to dip them in a good salt, like eating a green onion. I even had them chopped up on pizza last nite. Oh yea. Soooo good. Still a bit crunchy even. Leek butter by the end of the month. Did I mention how good that stuff is? Hehe. Try it as a dip or drizzle for seafood. You'll never find that in any restaurant. For freezing if you chop them in thick chunks on a sheet, and then bag I find that works best.

I'll add one more thing here for now. Leeks, as picked, but minus the greens will easily last until fall in the fridge, and in the same grocery bag that I use when picking. Don't clean them. You would think they were fresh picked almost after trimming the stem. In fact they will eventually sprout roots under the right conditions.

Cheers

I just picked some last night. I was wondering what is the best way to store some for a period of time it would be nice to keep some that are not pickled. Will they keep like an onion or regular garlic?

http://www.stlawu.edu/sites/default/...nservation.pdf A good read on the stinky buggers. Good that someone mentioned conservation, as they are susceptible to overharvest. Nogies Creek area beside my house has been permanently damaged by idiots digging up entire patches, with all the rhizomes, with shovels. Many of the limestone ridges are now devoid of them. Takes 5 years for a new one to flower. Some plants can be 30-50 years old.
On a side note, the worst stink I've ever experienced in my 51 years on this planet, came from a dude who had eaten pickled leeks. The type of stink that, even if you're not devoutly religious, you ask your god to please just make it stop........NOW. He drilled a couple of farts into the truck bench seat of his truck. We went fishing for about 5 hours. I got into the truck to back it down to the boat launch, and just me putting pressure on the seat brought the cocktail out again. I couldn't believe it. Bad enough to make you gag! He roared so hard he gave himself a dose of bronchitis, and I had to listen to him cough all the way home. Nasty little onion..........!

OK so fine to keep some fresh uncleaned in a bag in the fridge? I would like to keep a bunch for camping.

Probably make 3 bottles of pickled as well.

should I also make sure they are dry a bit first, set them in the sun mayve?

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Originally Posted by smitty55

Those are fine looking leeks there bowj. You are definitely ahead of us here. Nice and young still, great for fresh eating while picking. That's a rule for me, I always eat the first one I pick and likely more before my hands get too dirty. I swear it helps with blackflies too. :)
I also really like to dip them in a good salt, like eating a green onion. I even had them chopped up on pizza last nite. Oh yea. Soooo good. Still a bit crunchy even. Leek butter by the end of the month. Did I mention how good that stuff is? Hehe. Try it as a dip or drizzle for seafood. You'll never find that in any restaurant. For freezing if you chop them in thick chunks on a sheet, and then bag I find that works best.

I'll add one more thing here for now. Leeks, as picked, but minus the greens will easily last until fall in the fridge, and in the same grocery bag that I use when picking. Don't clean them. You would think they were fresh picked almost after trimming the stem. In fact they will eventually sprout roots under the right conditions.

Cheers

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When would be the latest for these to be picked? I think I have a large patch at the farm I hunt.

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Originally Posted by TurkeyObsessed

When would be the latest for these to be picked? I think I have a large patch at the farm I hunt.

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I have picked them late after the leaves die off , and they are still very good and large, but you don't have any nice greens to add to salads and such , also make sure you mark the area where they grow as they are hard to find without the telltale greens amongst all the other green vegetation that has grown up.

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Originally Posted by TurkeyObsessed

When would be the latest for these to be picked? I think I have a large patch at the farm I hunt.

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For maximum harvest just before the leaves turn yellow is best. I find that after that they seem to get overly strong for fresh eating, but I have picked them with yellow leaves when I'm going to be using them to get some custom sausage made up, which is one of my favorite uses for them. Been doing that since the 80's.

greatwhite if they were soaking wet I might let them dry a bit but generally I just leave them in the bag as picked and tie a knot in the bag. You will have no problem keeping some for camping.

Cheers

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated.

Had a feed of them last night. I can attest to the after smell. While sitting for turkeys this morning I let a couple rip. Thanks goodness turkeys cant smell!!

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk

What a difference a week and some rain makes. Still lots of small ones yet but picking size is much improved. Much easier to pick. Even saw some for sale at the local farmers market today. $4 a dozen. Boy I sure could make good coin by the hour. Had my first feed of fresh fiddleheads sauteed with leeks today. So good.

Fenelon tks for that link. It made for some good reading.

Cheers

The wife, daughter and I picked a good bunch this past sunday, think I might go get a few more this weekend. I want to send a big thank you out to Smitty55 for posting up the proper way to pick them, I embarrassingly admit to always digging them up, only a few at each patch thinking that was preserving the stock. We picked a good pile and not one shovel touched soil, once you got the hang of it it was simple even my daughter had no issues pulling them this way. She is excited to go get more this weekend. Added some to a lamb leg when we got home for supper that night and been putting some in basically everything this week.........really goof stuff! Not going to bother pickling any this year but looking to have lots on hand for cooking over the next year.

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Got mine today. Hit at a great time. They were just perfect. Got enough for some soups and freeze some for later. Got a big bunch together for the neighbour as well.
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Got out and picked a handful of plump ones yesterday. The skeeters were terrible and the leeks were much harder to find amongst the newly formed greenery. They are much easier to pick when they are this big though. Thanks again for all the good tips. I hope to get out for some more before they're too hard to find! Don't forgot the bugs spray..


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