Shoot the Canadians

Okay, maybe the headline is a little much. I am cleaning out my interesting blog clippings from last year, and I came across a video about a Virginian farmer who is shooting Canadian geese.  I could make some type of migrant population joke but there is a seriousness to this problem, as well.

Invasive species. Eat 'em.

Humans are really just big locusts. We can take anything and elevate it and eat it.  The waves of culinary uses of weeds has endangered the wild garlic. We have overfished a lot of fish including those previously thought as junk fish (Hello lobster) and increased the prices of bad cuts.  I don't think there is very many things that we couldn't find a way to eat and maybe enjoy.

Purple loosestrife has medicinal uses and can be used to create an edible dye.

Zebra mussels are edible but since they are filters for pollutants, it is probably not good to eat them.  But they could be helping clean up the lakes.  Not only from pollutants but from those pesky fish as well.  Okay, that is a little glib.  So, this means that we could probably eat the zebra mussels from cleaner waters.

Sea lamprey is edible and in some cases, desirable.

Garlic mustard is another invasive species that can be used in salads.

While invasive species do a lot of damage, maybe the best option is to somehow commercialize it.  Food fads often take species to their limit.  I bring this up as the wild garlic season comes upon us.  I think that maybe it is high time someone made a cookbook on invasive species and just see what happens.