Scapes, Ramps...and the Gift Economy

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Spring is truly well underway. Wild blooms are out and there is no better indicator than our garlic beds where the scapes are growing strong.

Our garlic bed is starting to turn green

What is even more interesting to us this time of year are some of the wild plants now ready for picking.

The first are the wild scapes. Our land is peppered with a wild spring onion that generates an amazing scape. This is the time of year to pick them. Early Spring, they are tender and stand out against the grass.

Wild Scapes

The taste of the scape is similar to onion or garlic and can be used wherever you use Chive (salad dressings, omelettes, etc.).

Wild Spring Onion scapes when picked

Once picked, we use them both at home and in our Tea Room kitchen. These can be frozen or pickled for future use.

Pickled Wild Scapes (available at our Market)

In fact, one special this week at the Tea room was Braised Rabbit Pasta with Mushrooms....and to top it all, shavings of Artisan Cheese and herbs, including wild scapes.

Braised Rabbit Pasta with Mushrooms...topped with wild Scapes

What is even more exciting for us though are the Ramps (also called Wild Garlic or Bear Leek). We discovered a few patches in our forest last year. This year, we found out we were very lucky to own a swamp! Lucky because these patches of Ramps thrive in moist areas usually where the Trillium grow and we found an abundance of them.

One of our patches of Ramps

Because these patches can be sensitive to over-harvesting, we have been diligent in picking just a small percentage of what is now growing on the forest floor (typically less than 1%). It is our understanding that these plants are illegal to pick in conservation areas and in Quebec, where they have almost been picked to extinction.

Picked and cleaned Ramps

The Ramp is a real delicacy (commanding up to 20$/lb in Toronto...if you can get them). They are peppery and very similar to garlic (although not at all related). The bulbs can be enjoyed like Garlic but for some of us, the leaves can also be the tastiest part. They are Garlicky with a mild sweetness, making them ideal for salads or soups.

Of course, we will be using these in our Tea Room kitchen. Chef has been pickling some for sale at our Market or for use as a side with our restaurant's charcuterie plate.

Chef's pickled Ramps

Now this is where the Gift Economy comes to play.

Having previously posted how we have enjoyed the kindness of neighbours and friends over the past year, we feel it's time to give back.

We have decided this year that our fresh produce would become part of the "Gift Economy". There is no reason for good healthy food to be unaffordable...particularly when we see so much locally grown food go to waste.

Our society's effort to generate cheap food means that $/calorie count more than any potential impact this food might have on health or environment. Hence our recourse to industrially produced and genetically manipulated grains and soy.

Market prices are also skewed by quotas, marketing boards and various government restrictions.

So what are we going to do about this? We call it "Gifting Berries".

A selected amount of every fresh produce we harvest from the farm will be put for sale every morning at our Market. But the price will not be specified. It's all up to our customers. We will take what our client believe the produce is worth to them and what it is they can afford. We will also accept payment "in kind".

We believe that this is the only way to 1) identify the real local "market price" and 2) get people to try new, local and healthy food alternatives.

Scapes and Ramps now for sale every morning (and part of the Gift Economy).

Finally, we'll end this week with a quick announcement. Now that the Tea Room is open, we are taking reservations for Mothers' Day. The restaurant is rapidly being booked up, so do not miss this event since every Mom invited for lunch will be given a special free gift from Ridge Berry Farm.