Last year was a scouting year in the woods by my house.  I kept my eyes open while walking the dog (and the kids) and located an area near the creek that was heavily populated with nettle and ferns.  On the Summer Solstice last year I harvested a whole bunch of nettle and used it to make various things, but the ferns, while beautiful to look at, were well past the edible "fiddlehead" phase for the season. 

I noted where those gorgeous ferns lived, and headed back to their patch last week.

Our dog, Oscar, helped me that day!

 I was rewarded with fresh fiddleheads (harvested sustainably, only 1 or 2 from each fern plant) that I sauteed up with some tamari and olive oil and ate as part of a side salad served alongside some "Ramped-up" blackbean burgers.





So, why do I keep on referring to my blackbean burgers as being "ramped-up"?  Well, it's because on this particular fiddlehead-gathering trip to the woods, I happened to realize that there were colonies of ramps EVERYWHERE.  Super abundant this year (and about 14.99/lb at the local grocery store).  So I gathered some of these beauties as well.





You use ramps just like you would use green onions.