by Sam Philips, Lisa Giroday and Maxim Winther  | It’s officially Spring! Trees are beginning to produce leaves, bulbs are emerging from the ground, garlic planted last fall is thriving, kale is producing flowers, and purple sprouting broccoli abounds. All of that and more has us really excited about foraging. We love all the spring goodies coming up and out right now, faves among them being purslane (so grassy and bright), watercress, and sheep sorrel.

We asked our friend and expert forager extraordinaire, Camille Flanjak, what her #1 favourite/unusual foraged spring treat is. Her answer? Hop shoots!

“Spring is the time when all the most tender, sweet baby shoots begin to emerge from their winter beds. You’ll find vegetables like fiddlehead ferns, stinging nettle, and chickweed beckoning your green-starved stomach. My favourite shoot to collect at this time of year belongs to the hop plant.

Since Cascadian hops are native to the PNW, it was only after European contact that the aroma of their flowers became associated with beer. But hop farmers also knew that their spiny, astringent shoots make a lovely spring vegetable. I usually collect a handful- making sure to snap them on the stem where they are still tender, and blanch them in a little salted water, tossing in garlic butter to serve. They are an interesting substitution for asparagus and can be pickled.

Hops are opportunistic, growing in disturbed roadsides and forest edges. Be sure, though, to maintain the forager’s rule of thirds: take only one out of every three shoots to ensure a thriving source next season.”

Want to forage? If you’re new, we recommend bringing an expert like Camille with you to show you the ropes before you venture solo. The lovely Camille began her studies of the edible environment when she was a tween. Since then she has pursued the teachings of permaculture, and volunteered around the world, foraging, farming, and cooking. You can find her on Instagram at @agaricusaugustus. If you just want to eat the goodies, they are sometimes found at the Vancouver Farmer’s Market, and at several restaurants in the city on a nightly basis, such as The Acorn.

THE VICTORY GARDENS ARCHIVE