# Raised beds, poke salat (salad) & a bicycle wreck



## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Raised bed 8 weeks ago, 4 weeks ago and today. Even with the recent storms esp last night, I'm thrilled to even have,a garden!
Having just discovered poke salat ( salad in Oklahoma ) and how to prepare it this year, I went looking for it since it grows wild all over the southern states. I rode my bike to the chicken coop and saw some on our fence line. I then got the hair brained idea to walk my bike to some growing outside the garden fence and in our woods. The bike tipped over there and spilled my poke, asparagus, (and cola) . I picked the bike up and kept going to the side of our house when I decided to get on the bike (on a very windy incline ). Thankfully, I got away from the rock pathway! As I was getting my bike a gust of wind threw me off balances. I didn't think I was ever going to quit falling! I have a beautful purple nose and bruised knee! All is good though, it could have been way worse!


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Sounds good,haven't fixed it for years.It grows all over my property but it's so hard to get a good bunch.Did you get to eat it?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I have it washed and ready to go. I gathered a little more yesterday and I'll cook it tonight.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I've known people like you. You got lucky and still able to keep your greens.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Good thing it was a purple nose and not anything broken. What the heck is poke?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Poke salad is actually an edidble weed that grows wild all over the southern states. When prepared it kind of looks like spinach or swiss chard. Plug it into your search engine for pictures... Very nutritious. It has to be washed well, brought to a boil and drained a couple otimes before adding seasonings. Only the leaves are edidible , not the berries or stems (some folk say that the stems are good fried like okra though).. I've heard about for many years but never tried it until now.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Is it good? I don't like kale or collards.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I think it's very good flavored with bacon, salt and pepper and just a sprinkle of red pepper. Jim thought it was good and he's a really picky eater.
Some folks drain it and scramble their eggs and cheese with it. I haven't tried that yet.
I'll get a picture of it growing and cooked soon.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Your garden is beautiful!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Thank you, Seminole! Ok here's some pictures of poke salad. #1 is a mature plant and in #2, if you can see the plant above the poke salad, it has 3 leaves rather than the single leaf. I think it is poison oak or something similar. So for those of you who have allergies, be careful if you have a mind to look for it. 3,4, and 5 are poke salad in different areas of our place. #6 is rinsed and ready to start cooking prep. It has to be boiled and rinsed 2 or 3 times before final cook and seasonings addied.


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