Polk greens are up!
I don't eat a lot of these, but we do enjoy a batch or two every year. And I have bacon! Do any of you eat Polk?
Comments
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Definitely - love them! Now is a good time to dig up a few small plants and pot them. That way, you can bring them inside during the winter and have poke greens all year long!
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I have never done that. I have read about doing the same thing with chicory roots. Something to put on the to do list.
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It is easy and works well. Euell Gibbons suggested it in one of his books, so I tried it. It is nice to have fresh poke greens in December and January... good blood cleanser, too!
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Sorry for my naivety but what is poke?
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Poke is a native spring green, a wild medicinal herb... and a poisonous plant if used improperly. The taste is somewhere between spinach and fresh, tender green beans. It cleanses the lymph and the blood. And yes, if can make you nauseous if you eat the betties or even handle the root.
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I think we used to eat poke when I was a kid. I haven't tried it as an adult. I do try to stay away from the poisonous plants as I don't feel confident that I can cook them safely.
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Easy peasy… I eat the small leaves raw...…. not suggesting anyone else do that though. The "experts" say to boil and change the water 3 times, then drain and fry in bacon grease. Well I don't do that. Older leaves, I may boil once. But, I usually don't eat older leaves. If they have no purple color, or just a little on the stem, I just go ahead and cook them in fat and salt.
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I am pretty sure I have seen these but not eaten them. I was always warned of it poison.
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I have plenty of Polk in my back yard. I need to try this sometime this summer.
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@judsoncarroll4 I am thinking about harvesting some Pokeweed leaves in the near future. I had some for the first time last year at a foraging event but have never myself harvested them. What do you consider small leaves??
I read that some people eat them when they are about the size of your typical domesticated green (Turnip, Kale, Collard, Mustard, etc.).
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@Obiora E I think you'll know once you get started. The leaves at the base of the plant can be almost as big as tobacco leaves. They will have a red stem, with red going up into the venation of the leaf. The leaves I would pick would be half that size and smaller, with no, or little red on the leaf. If in doubt, just pick the top few, little leaves... start with those until your confidence builds with experience. And, of course, I am not recommending anyone eat or other wise ingest any wild or domesticated plant, etc, etc.... I'm not a doctor or an expert and give no advice at all, ever.
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@judsoncarroll4 gives a good description. I also only gather and eat the small, tender leaves. We blanch them, pour off that water and then toss it into a skillet with cooked bacon, saute them until they are done and toss in some vinegar and a chopped boiled egg. It is very tasty to us. All that said there is a lot of controversy on the plants edibility so I suggest doing your own research on it and if you decide to try it start with small amounts and see how your body reacts. Be aware, it can be a very moving experience, if you get my drift.
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@judsoncarroll4 Sounds righteous and thank you for the sound advice!
I am an experimenter and don't believe in the allelopathic eurocentric medical system as it is flawed and is one of the greatest killers per year (on average) in the United States. And Hippocrates and others who are said to be influential in this medicine spoke against seeking a doctor to heal oneself as only you or I can know what you need to do to heal. But I understand your reluctance.
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@judsoncarroll4 Thank you again for the sage advice! I took it and had a leaf mixed with some other foraged greens and have been harvesting them when I find them and cooking with them.
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Glad you enjoyed it. I just picked a good two handfuls and ate them raw... no problem!
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@judsoncarroll4 Sounds righteous!
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I have plenty of poke here on my property, but I have never tried them. I need to try them in this time.
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@judsoncarroll4 I got the idea somewhere that we should only eat poke greens when the plant is small. And it grows pretty fast! Do you eat the more mature leaves? Do you cook them 3 times? Oh, sorry! I see you already answered this, pretty much. Unless you have more to add about the ones you grow inside.
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@judsoncarroll4 I do make tincture & infused oil with the root. I use the oil externally when I have swollen glands or sometimes for joint pain. The tincture I use very, very carefully (1 drop per day) when I need a big immune boost. I don't ever give any to anybody else, though, because I don't know if they'll be careful enough with it.
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Only eat the leaves when they are smaller and no (or little) red is showing on the mid rib. I don't cook them 3 times... maybe you should. You should follow all the safety guidelines. I don't but, I'm 6'4, 210 lbs when I'm lean and have been eating wild food most of my life.... and sometimes, some really questionable stuff.. like raw oysters contaminated by fecal coliform.
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