So have you tried eating kudzu?

[Old Arkansawyer]

I seem to recall reading its planting was encouraged by the government during the dustbowl thirties to prevent erosion.

Didn't know it was edible. (Other than by goats who seem to like the stuff.)

Brought to this country from Asia in the late 1800's. You are
correct in that the U.S. Govt. encouraged planting but I think
to prevent erosion from paper plants in the South. The dust
bowl states probably don't get enough rainfall.

 

[rwsmith]

It was originally.....

Kudzu is an invasive plant originally brought here from China to be forage for livestock. Trouble is the livestock won't eat it and it's all over the place. I've seen it grow up a power pole on one side of the road across the wire to the pole on the other side. It covers and displaces other plants.

Another 'exotic' story. Somebody flushed some elodea (Chinese plant) from an aquarium into the lake system. it took over the lake bottom and ruined all of the fish beds. So they import a Chinese carp to eat the grass. And it takes over from crappie and bass.

Once we got large striped mosquitos (I call them tiger mosquitos) that came in a bunch of tires on a ship from China. They were HYPER-aggressive. I took a walk in the woods near the port and came running out slapping every exposed inch of my body as fast as I could. They did manage to eradicate those. Now there is some new beetle (from China) that is wreaking havoc.

 

[S&W ucla]

Back in the 80s when the Japanese economy was booming, a group came to Alabama to see about farming Kudzu. The tubers in ground being harvested and used in medicine and a sweet snack. When the economy slipped, so did the Kudzu farm. I have eaten a few of the snacks and jelly from the flowers. It was also the name of late columnist Lewis Grizzard's Lab. The renowned author of great novels like "Aim low Boys, They're ridin' Shetland Ponys"

 

[Model52guy]

If it was good, the ladies in Franklin and St Martinsville Louisiana would have a recipe for it in gumbo by now.

 

[Telecaster]

Funny, I was in Hayesville and Murphy all this week. Did the train ride a couple years ago.

Maybe kudzu is like poke salad.

 

[Abbynormal]

Tell all the hillbillies that it's a Panacea for everything. Eat it as a
a veggie. Make shine' out of it. Use it to wipe your ***. It makes a
great insulation. It's renewable. Etcetcetc........

 

[Rustyt1953]

The gators got your granny.

 

[armadillo]

If it tasted any good the hogs would have wiped it out by now.

 

[Greyman50]

Will goats eat it???

 

[Masterbuck54]

I believe they will

Will goats eat it???

I've heard of folks getting some goats from individuals and placing on their property to clean up the kudzu.

Masterbuck54

 

[Rule3]

Will goats eat it???

Bring in the GOATS!




[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNT9kv2q85A[/ame]


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XtYE3E7pJw[/ame]

 

[ZGrand]

If I'm not mistaken, kudzu can grow 12" in a day. There's an old joke: How do you plant kudzu? Throw the seeds over your shoulder and run!

 

[Greyman50]

We had goats for a few years back on the farm. Honey suckle had about taken over the woods around our house. Finding a few " sylvester no shoulders" in the yard did it. Put up 3 strand barbed wire on metal posts, lean to for them and that was it, about a month and that side was clear. Added another larger fenced in area on other side of house and in went the goats. IIRC about 2 months and it was clear. By then we had made " pets" of them, all had names and would even come to us when called. One was so spoiled that she would bleat when she heard back door open, wanted a treat. Have to have very good fencing or they will eat things in your yard.

 

[venomballistics]

Nope, deer like it so I just eat them.

THIS ... allow professional processing prior to consumption

 

[venomballistics]

Garlic and butter. (Amazing what tastes good if you put enough garlic and butter in/on it.)

Well ... yeah ... a good recipe might be kudzu, garlic and butter with optional kudzu

 

[Rule3]

 

[Rustyt1953]

The nature preserves and woodland parks in my county have contracts with a large goat/Alpaca farm to clear the kudzu. They do a good job of bleating it back.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

The gators got your granny.

I
I posted on here over a year ago about eating polk salet and was told it would poison me. As a young boy my older sister and I sold several pounds of polk to Allen Canning Co every summer.
Fyi, Allen Can. also owned Popeye Spinach but they closed their
doors a few years back. At one time Allen's was the largest
family owned canning co. in the U.S.
My older brother hauled Allen's products to the west coast
by the semi load. He always said the California market for
Allen's was supported by all the folks from Arkansas, Missouri,
Oklahoma and Texas who had migrated to California during
the dust bowl and great depression.

 

[Chuck24]

Mikey likes it

 

[Lonegle57]

Had a professor in college that drank Kudzu tea, he was an interesting
English teacher. Have tried a jelly made from the blooms, tastes a lot
like grape jelly. Have taken a deer or three during bow season here while
they were eating the new growth. They tasted like deer.