In Chicago the crocus have come and gone, magnolia blooms are laying wet and soggy in the yard and the golden flash of forsythia have already woken us from a wintry slumber. But up in the north woods spring teases us still. It comes in fits and starts. I awoke to snow flurries, yet I feel a hopefulness that cannot be suppressed. Under layers of fallen brown leaves are tiny green spears piercing the covers of dried mounds. They force upward with a delicate ferocity, enough strength to puncture the leathery dried leaves. They are so small and easy to miss, a reminder that beauty is worth searching for.

 

The tiny hepaticas, whose three lobed leaves are thought to resemble the human liver, are blooming along the roads and in the woods. The lovely white and yellow flower of the Bloodroot has a poisonous red juice within. Upon close inspection of the forest floor I found the first glimpse of the whorl of 3 tiny leaves that begins the arrival of the Trillium. They are precious and prohibited to pick, so enjoy them where they are.

 

It was on a recent hike with the Women of the Woods and Water on beautiful Spider Lake, that we came upon a break in the dense forest to find a field of green leaves, they looked like small tulip leaves. Someone announced, “wild leeks” and was answered by “ramps”. My Facebook foodie friend had already posted a dish of sautéed ramps, so now I was curious.  Just a day later as Kevin and I were riding in his blue UTV in our woods,  what did I spot but those same green leaves. We have our very own wild leeks/ramps! A few Google searches later, I have learned that to harvest them sustainably I need a small sharp knife, so as to cut them below the ground, but not pull out the root. Before you head to the woods and begin to pick consider the following: “Dr. Chamberlain of the Forest Service advises foragers to avoid taking small, immature or flowering plants. He urges them to take only half of each ramp clump and replant the rest, along with the rhizome.”

 

It has stopped snowing and I’m in need of a walk, so now to find my way back to that spot in the woods, with my little sharp knife and I’ll return with the precious wild leeks. Tonight we’ll enjoy the garlicky taste that this tiny plant provides and it will be the perfect accent in my quiche. I’ve heard the flavor surpasses that of the scallion or chive. What more can a person ask for?