LEEK SEASON: “Snow banks are receding, the afternoon sun warms
the air, and the green leaves of leeks are peeking from the earth
where the snow just melted. The arrival of leeks or ‘ramps’ as
they are sometimes called, signal spring.”
That’s the word today from one of the authors from the Allegheny
National Forest who passes along the rules about digging leeks on
the forest, a question frequently asked by the public in the
springtime.
According to law enforcement personnel, leeks may be legally
picked without a permit for personal consumption on most lands
within the Allegheny National Forest. Personal consumption means
picking what you will use for yourself and your family. “… Legally
picked without a permit” is called ‘Incidental Free Use Without a
Permit.’
“Persons picking leeks for personal consumption may not sell or
exchange any portion of the leek plant,” the law says.
Forest officials advise such leek pickers to exercise reasonable
care to sustain leeks into the future for your grandchildren to
pick. You can help do this by: Prevent damage to other plants or
the soil; only harvest leeks in season – early spring; Never
harvest more than one-third of leeks in an area;
Use the smallest tool to harvest the leeks so as to minimize
soil disturbance or uprooting of other plants; Place rocks, soil,
leaves, back in the place you found them.
There are a few places you cannot pick leeks even for personal
consumption. Those are the Hickory Creek and Allegheny River Island
Wilderness; the two wilderness study areas surrounding Minister
Creek in Warren County and Indian Run in McKean County;
The Buckaloons Heritage Area in Warren County; the Hearts
Content National Scenic Area in Warren County; and the Tionesta
Research Natural Area and Tionesta National Scenic Area in McKean
and Warren counties.
Along with using leeks to spice up food, they can be used for
medicinal purposes – such as in a tonic to fight colds. Chop leaves
into chicken soup to make an old-fashioned remedy even more potent,
they suggest.
They also pass along a recipe for a leek dip: Mix together one
16-ounce container of sour cream; one package of cream cheese,
softened at room temperature; one teaspoon of garlic (if desired);
10-12 leeks chopped fine; parsley, to suit taste. Mix well and
refrigerate overnight.
