Hairypods!

   Earlier this week, I headed to the pier to toss over some shrimp hulls.  We throw these out for the bull minnows as a nice snack.  They get their fill from the tidbits left in the hulls and I do not have to dispose of the things in any other way.  It is a win/win situation with both parties happy.  Anyway, as I headed back up the pier, I noticed that the end post was completely covered with vines.  My first thought was that this was a Saltmarsh Morning Glory but when I got closer, I realized that I was mistaken.  There were lots of (unopened) buds that were far to small plus they were yellow.  The leaves were different, as well.  On closer inspection, I realized that this plant had been blooming for a while because it was covered with 4 inch long "peas"!  Alrighty!  This needed to be identified.  I snatched off a few pods and headed to the house.

  A bit of research gave me a clear idea of the plant.  This was a Hairypod Cowpea Vine!  Oh, my goodness...the more I read...the more interesting the vine proved to be!  These things are edible!  Not only can you eat the peas but the pods and flowers are edible and all are a good source of protein and provide vitamins A and C.  I understand why people prefer the other "cowpeas" (think crowder, blackeyed, pinkeyed and purple hull) as they are much larger and, hence, easier to shell.  Still, I find the Hairypods interesting and I am eager to try them as a food source.

  That said, this one plant will never provide enough to feed the three folks living in the Little Bayou House so I needed to do a bit of planning.  Every day, I have been gathering the dried pods to save the seeds.  Once I get plenty, they will be dried and stored for this next spring.  Then...my hairypod cowpeas shall find a new home in the garden plots and I shall not have to forage for them down where the cottonmouths reign.  Hopefully, this native plant will do well and provide us with "free food".  It is simply amazing how we as a species have forgotten how to live off the land.  There are not many who wish to eat something literally growing in the marsh!  Most folks are not game to try things unless it comes from a store....stores that sell a lot of things that we should NOT be consuming. Foraging is not a bad thing, at all!

Do I Dare??

   One of the banes of living on this property is the overgrowth of Smilax.  Those thorny vines are everywhere and can grow about a foot every day if left to their own doings.  Son has dug out so many of the large root balls that it has become a sort of standing joke when I find yet another vine engulfing a tree, building or garden.  The things are relentless!  They seem to have an undying desire to take over the whole place no matter how hard we try to keep them in check.

  This morning, I found that the goofy vines have taken root in the marsh and have made their way up into the live oak trees that line the property where yard meets marsh.  Just a mere five years ago, I had cleared this area after Hurricane Zeta ruined the tree line.  I carefully cleared everything down to the marsh edge and was a happy camper with my work.  Then one thing or another got in the way of my keeping it nice and tidy.  This morning's discovery also gave sight to the billion or so berries that are soon to drop as seeds.  More smilax.  More aggravation.  So...there was nothing to do but research these plants a bit more.

  While I knew that the roots and new shoots of the vines were edible, I had no idea the extent of uses of its parts.  Supposedly, the new shoots taste a lot like asparagus and the roots can be boiled, roasted or used to make a flour.  Those roots are also the base of Sarsaparilla.  Come to find out those lovely berries are also edible and are used to make jelly.  Who knew??? I sure did not!  

  Now the question...do I dare?  With close to a thousand jars of home-canned goodies (including jams and jellies) on the shelves, it seems pointless to add yet another batch of jelly...but I am curious.  Will this taste good?  Have I been missing out on a delight that has literally been handed to me time and time again?  Perhaps I should stop looking at the Smilax as a curse and see the gift that Mother Nature has been trying to give to me.  Smilax jelly may be in the works this week!  Now to figure out how to pick the berries while avoiding the wicked thorns.  Wish me luck!

*Update:  It appears that I got this wild hair of Smilax jelly a bit too late as the "berries" are already past their prime.  Obviously, I needed to pick them in the late fall. I shall try again in 6 to 8 months...if the hurricane season plays nicely and I do not get sidetracked by cleanup.  I shall post again then about the adventures in Smilax as a foodstuff!