Weed 'Em and Reap: A Weed Eater Reader

Roger Welsch
Falcon (2006)
ISBN 076273907X
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (10/06)

Every now and then one happens upon a book that turns out to be very different from what one expected, yet wonderful and charming beyond belief. This was the case with “Weed ’Em and Reap,” written by Roger Welsch. Immediately after reading the introduction, I realized that this was not going to be a cookbook for foods from the wild or a book to help me identify them – which was what I expected. It is all of that – to a point – but much more than that. Welsch truly opens one’s eyes in respect to the bounty all around us. His descriptions of “weeds” are poetic and very romantic at times. Who would have thought that somebody basically foraging for food would be amazed by the brilliant blue flowers of chicory plant? Welsch’s approach to weeds and eating them is respectful and safe. He never fails to caution the reader – but also never scares him or her off. He teaches respect for nature and often suggests using common sense. There is nothing preachy or condescending in his writing. He sounds like somebody I’d love to have as a friend.

Some of my favorite chapters in the book involve digging up poke and buffalo gourd roots – and why you should not attempt that, educating the local weed inspector about the merits of different plants in the yard and making home-made wine from all kinds of fruit. Each of them will teach you a bunch of things that I am sure you did not know about before.

In spite of saying upfront in his introduction that his book is not a cookbook, Welsch provides a few wonderful recipes. Each of them is really simple, but if they taste anything like the greens I prepared following one of his recipes, they should taste spectacular.
 
Oftentimes funny, sometimes downright silly, Welsch’s writings can be enjoyed by everybody. Even if you never decide to eat a “weed,” I bet you will never look at the nature around you the same way. Just remember the quote from the very beginning of “Weed ’Em and Reap,” written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, “A weed is but an unloved flower.”

Make comment on weblog