At NorthSlope Farm in Lambertville, NJ, green vegetation is everywhere, despite the summer heat wave and the June drought. Grassed waterways, cover-cropped aisles, hedgerows, pollinator habitat, orchards, and cultivated rows of flowers and produce are managed by owners Mike and Colleen.
A combination of agricultural production and ecological stewardship, NorthSlope certainly has its own “vibe”, a fitting backdrop for the come-one-come-all farmer gatherings hosted there each year. Adding to the wild feel of the farm are a handful of “managed” weedy areas left alone by the farmer, a function of the unique collaboration between renowned forager Tama Matsuoka Wong and NorthSlope actually keeps weeds around for harvest and sale.
In 2009, Tama founded Meadows & More, a foraging operation that partners with Organic farms and organically-managed areas to steward and harvest wild edibles. Tama and her team utilize ethical foraging practices and work with plants (as opposed to trying to control them) to deliver high-value specialty products to chefs in the tri-state area.
This year, Tama applied for and received a Mini-Grant from NOFA NJ to train apprentices within her system and develop a guide for Organic farmers to make the most of their weeds. Focusing on four of the most common NJ weeds and one additional foraged item (lamb’s quarters, galinsoga, purslane, nettle, and spruce tips), the guide produced via the Mini-Grant will provide farmers with best-practices for harvesting, washing, packaging, storing, and marketing the products to their customers, along with tips on how to steward the plants for extended harvests.
The thought is that, instead of spending time and energy killing weeds, that energy can be redirected towards the profitable sale of the “weeds”. Many of these plants are staples in international and indigenous cuisine, and are often much more nutritionally-dense than their cultivated counterparts found on grocery store shelves.
During the field walk, the group was able to find all five of the features wild plants, along with a few others (such as mugwort and pineapple weed). Tama explained which parts of the plants to harvest, how to manage them throughout the season, and how to engage chefs and customers to make the most of the unique (yet abundant) food items. She also discussed the need to ensure that any foraging is done on organically-managed areas, so as to avoid potential chemical exposure from herbicides and other inputs prohibited by the NOP. For the group, Tama produced a simple syrup made from macerated spruce tips and incorporated into a deliciously refreshing cocktail/mocktail with lime juice, tonic water and the optional addition of gin.
A good way to summarize the forager’s approach to management was brought up when Tama discussed finding pawpaw seedlings growing out of her compost pile. “Where are you going to plant the trees?” her friend had asked. Tama’s retort: “I’m going to move the compost pile – the pile can be anywhere, but the trees really like it here, so why would I move them?”
Organic farmers with an engaged customer base should consider incorporating wild edibles into their markets. A new and unusual product can be a good way to attract customers to a market stand or to engage a chef’s curiosity. Essentially, they are crops that you don’t have to plant and barely have to tend. For more information on Tama’s project, be sure to subscribe to the NOFA NJ Newsletter and join us at the NOFA NJ Winter Conference in January 2025, where Tama will be sharing more about this project and also her recently-published book, Into the Weeds.
This workshop was made possible via the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) in partnership with Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO). USDA TOPP provides regionally-based farmer mentorship, training, and education. Partnering organizations in six regions connect farmers with local mentors and provide education and technical assistance on agronomy, certification, extension, conservation planning, business development, regulations, and marketing. TOPP is part of the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), which is focused on supporting and strengthening Organic markets.
Interested in becoming a Mentor, Mentee, or a project partner through TOPP? Learn more about how you can participate Here.