Fiddlehead Season is here

[Southside]

A 5 gallon pail with holes drilled in the bottom is more effective  - as long as you can run through the woods in the dark that is.  :D

[Mooseherder]

I'm not sure about Minnesota but here they grow on the banks of waterways and lower Lying areas or by them after the snow melt runoff.  We have other ferns also on high ground I know nothing about.  Probably similar grounds vegetation and climate wise these northern States.

[SwampDonkey]

The species we pick here is ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), it was the same on Skeena River in northern BC where I also picked them. They only grow in certain soil around here where there is more moisture. Out beyond the settled areas where there is more glacial sand you won't find them. Out there it's brachen, and cinnamon ferns and such, which we don't eat. We have these other ferns around here also, they aren't eaten.

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) - Ontario Ferns

Atlas of where specimens have been collected. On their map the closest collection in their database, from my area, was from Hunter's Brook in Back Greenfield, a spot I call Ritchie Hill at Lamoreaux Corner (old map names). That's not very far from here. I know that family, one of their grand daughters lives across the road. Her grandfather is a retired potato farmer. There's lots of them ferns here on the old farm near brooks and wet runs in mixed forest.

E-Flora BC Atlas Page

[NE Woodburner]

Fiddleheads with some red hot dogs and a batch of bean hole beans makes a great northern Maine Saturday night meal...

[Mooseherder]

My wife bought a 3 lb. Package yesterday.  We'll be freezing some for the rest of summer.
Once or twice a year is enough for me and only on an open fire.  Diced onions and Ketchup goes well with the #40 and #3 red dye.


 

[NE Woodburner]

Agree red hot dogs are best on an open fire - or any hot dog for that matter. Can't agree on ketchup - I'm a mustard guy for hot dogs...

[SwampDonkey]

I have eaten a few of then red dogs, but not for a few years. My grandmother was from Ludlow, near Houlton. But my grandparents went over to Maine once a week for groceries with their American pension money. Grandfather liked the flee market up at the old drive in in Caribou. Plus he always had a truck load of bottles and cans to take over for redemption, which he scrounged from the dumps. :D

I load up on ketchup, mustard, onion and hot dog corn relish on mine. All I can get on it. :D :D

[Mooseherder]

My mother used to make mustard patches when we were sick with cold or flu.  Haven't liked mustard since.  Every once in a while It gets sneaked on a takeout order.  I'll eat it but not enjoy it.