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Wild Foraged in CatskillsWild Foraged in Catsk...

Upstate NY

The wild ramp foraging season in the Catskills is a fleeting but exciting time for foragers. Ramps, also known as wild leeks, typically emerge in early spring in moist, wooded areas. The season is short-lived, often lasting only a few weeks before the ramps go to seed. As the window for harvesting is so brief, enthusiasts must act quickly to gather these flavorful, garlic-onion tasting plants before they disappear until next year.

Farm to People sources ramps exclusively from foragers who practice sustainable harvesting. Among them is Rick Bishop of Mountain Sweet Berry Farm, who has been harvesting the same Catskills patches for decades. Because of the way he works — leaving a significant portion of each clump untouched and rotating harvest areas year to year — his patches continue to produce reliably and abundantly each spring.