Weed 'em And Reap: A Weed Eater Reader

by Roger Welsch

There are lots of books out there about how to accurately and skillfully identify and cook wild foods, but not very many about first-rate, industrial-grade weed eating. And not many that are guaranteed to make the reader laugh -- until now.

This book is for those who admire the notion of being out on a camping trip and amazing everyone else around the campfire by serving up a salad, stew, vegetable, tea, or dessert that comes as a total surprise ?5 and is made out of something found within yelling distance of the tents. It will teach readers more about morels, cattails, and smut (the fungus kind), than they ever thought possible. There''s also information on making wine, jams and jellies, and even gathering and enjoying acorns the Native American way.

The author is not a botanist or a chef, but rather an accomplished and widely acclaimed eater and writer. This walking billboard for gustatory endeavors is full of entertaining stories about identifying, preparing, and eating weeds. Readers will be left with a new eagerness to know more about plants, a desire for cooking them, and a new enthusiasm for wandering around the wilds.

Genres: Food

247 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Roger Lee Welsch (November 6, 1936 – September 30, 2022) was an American news reporter who was a senior correspondent on the CBS News Sunday Morning program, and was featured in a segment called "Postcards from Nebraska." An author, humorist and folklorist, Welsch was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the only son of Christian Welsch, who worked in a Goodyear tire factory and Bertha (Flach) Welsch, a homemaker.[1] He lived outside of Dannebrog, Nebraska.

Welsch earned a bachelor's degree in 1958 and a master's degree in 1960, both in German and both at the University of Nebraska. He also studied folklore at the University of Colorado and Indiana University.[1]

Welsch was the 2005 winner of the Henry Fonda Award from the State of Nebraska Travel and Tourism Division.

Reviews

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect book to get you excited about weed-eating and wild foraging. There are identification and cooking tips here, but mostly read it for Welsch's own telling of his experiences with wild foods, his rationale for their superiority, and his funny-uncle style and readability (though watch out for the good old midwestern latent sexism--it rears up out of nowhere and to no good purpose in a few passages). Welsch has had a fascinating run with wild foods and homesteading, and he's very thorough in what he knows. Not exactly a primer, but a valuable starting point for anyone interested in wild foraging.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weed ‘em and Reap is a series of essays and reminiscences on the joy of eating wild foods. Roger Welsch is a Midwestern humorist, sometimes seen on the Sunday morning news, if I recall correctly. He is also a prolific author, an honorary member of the Pawnee tribe, and a great fan of the free food that comes in the form of “weeds”. He takes great pains to insist that this book is not a how-to guide, and that the reader should seek out expert advice before eating what s/he finds in the wild. But as a “why-to” guide, you can’t find a more enthusiastic trailblazer than Roger Welsch.

[Luann Schindler · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love hunting wild asparagus and finding wild plums and sand cherries to make jam, so it was interesting to read about other edible weeds. Plus, Roger is so funny and makes it entertaining.