Wild Onions and Cherokee Traditions
Cherokee Citizens are wild about wild onions. Not only are wild onions a traditional food, they are one of the first green foods to emerge from the ground. Wild Onions and other wild alliums such as wild leeks and wild garlic are found throughout the continent of North American. Which means that they could be found anywhere Cherokees traveled.
There is a variety of wild onion for just about every climate and environment. As the name implies they grow wild and you can find them just about anywhere, from lawns to edges of fields, even in your garden beds. If you aren’t sure where to find them just follow some dairy cows.They will find them for you. Ask Lisa how she knows.
Wild Onions were a welcome food source after long winters of dried food. If you are looking for wild onions, be considerate and do not harvest all that you find. A good rule of thumb is to take no more than 10% - 20%. With careful harvesting you will be able to go back to the same spot year after year.
Chef Nico Albert has a delicous recipe using foraged wild onions. We have partnered with her non-profit. Burning Cedar Sovereign Wellness and we are donating $1 for every download of the recipe. You can download the recipe here. There is no cost to you at all!