Comments for Kevin Kossowan

Comment on Episode 40 – Wild Onion by Chair

Chair — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:32:13 +0000

Could be that they are more intense (flavour-wise) in the wild because so much of what gives them their flavour are defensive compounds. In a garden, they don’t have to ‘worry’ about pests or competition as much so they produce less of these compounds.. *and/or* they are typically watered less regularly/reliably in the wild so the compounds get concentrated. Plants are so cool. Almost as cool as bugs :)

Comment on Wild Asparagus by Monica I.

Monica I. — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:40:37 +0000

I wouldn’t recommend foraging along railroad tracks… ever wonder why the tracks have such a wide area that they don’t have to mow?

Nice haul Kevin!

Comment on Wild Asparagus by becky3086

becky3086 — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:21:50 +0000

Wow, I wish we had feral asparagus here. It does make me think about how we grow them and how they must be grown in the wild…very interesting. I never actually ate any asparagus until I was grown and married.

Comment on Wild Asparagus by Deb Krause

Deb Krause — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:09:53 +0000

In my family we never had asparagus unless it was in season as well… which makes the first taste the BEST of the whole year! lol
I harvested the 3rd “batch/picking” of asparagus from my mom’s garden today. Londyn and I had them pan sauteed with butter, a bit of lemon and a pinch of salt. Did a simple french-style omelette with goat cheese and that was lunch!

Comment on Wild Asparagus by Evelyn

Evelyn — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:12:03 +0000

I saw some in the river valley today too, but I wasn’t able to climb down to them. There were impressive in size as well.

Comment on Wild Asparagus by Andrew Turner

Andrew Turner — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:21:11 +0000

Check the sides of railroad tracks, too. There’s asparagus everywhere in Alberta. East facing produces earlier in the season.

Comment on Wild Asparagus by Judy Z

Judy Z — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:07:55 +0000

If these really grew from seed spread by birds, I’m thinking I should pick up some asparagus seeds and start planting them out at my acreage. I have ditches on three sides of my acreage (the rest is mostly trees). I keep thinking there could be so much produce out of those ditches. The only worry would be if someone (like the county) decided to spray to kill shrubs or something.

Comment on Wild Asparagus by Chair

Chair — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:58:21 +0000

Hm. It makes sense, but I didn’t realize that the older the plant, the broader the shoots. We inherited a patch when we bought our current home in Red Deer and I get some real fatties each spring, I’m not exaggerating when I say they are close to 1 inch diameter, so they must be ancient.

I’ve been snacking on a few each morning while I work on other garden adventures and am ever in awe of how truly incredible FRESH FRESH asparagus is. Sweet like an apple, crisp and crunchy and juicy and almost none of that almost rank-ish ‘asparagus flavour’.

I plan to move the patch this year, it’s grown itself into a corner and I want to put other things in that spot (plus I think it’d be happier in a spot where it’ll have room to stretch its legs). I’m terrified of what the root system is going to look like, I’m sure it’s massive.

Comment on Episode 41 – Cob Oven by Cathy Walsh

Cathy Walsh — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:35:19 +0000

How interesting! If we were neighbours, I’d be hanging over the fence all time wondering what you’d be up to next. Looking forward to see what you cook/bake up in there.

Comment on Wild Asparagus by Greg

Greg — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:11:40 +0000

Yeah! We just had some feral (haha) asparagus this evening. There are some good trappers in the area.