Devastated

[vaneramos]

I said I didn't have the heart to harvest those Jerusalem artichokes I photographed because they were so beautiful. On my walk today I wandered over to see how I might dig a few roots without disturbing the clump.

Someone had begun hacking them down. I can see no reason for the attack besides the fact that the plants were eight feet tall, elegant and alive. Fortunately, whoever it was grew bored with the casual rampage, and only finished off a third of them.

What else is there to say?

Comments

[melanie.livejournal.com]

well, at least now you don't have to feel bad about digging up the chokes...the stand is already ugly-fied and will be dying out soon. to further soothe your conscience, thinning out the roots and fluffing up the soil will probably make the plant flourish even more next year.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I will definitely try some.

[ranger1.livejournal.com]

That reminds me of a line in Fight Club: "I wanted to destroy something beautiful." I imagine that tall pretty flowers would be an affront to someone living in such darkness.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, it mostly made me angry, but I felt a shade of compassion and bewilderment, too, at what had made someone that miserable. But I can also imagine some kid doing it for no particular reason.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

I stumbled across some interesting material about the Jerusalem artichoke on an Edgar Cayce website earlier today. If I happen to turn the link up again, I will post it here.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

This (see below) is what it says on the Cayce site. But I remember another LJ-er giving you specific instructions about how to cook it, because he said it could be unpleasant otherwise.

On the other hand, it may be one of those foods like garlic, where a lot of the health benefits are lost if you cook it.

About Jerusalem Artichokes

This is a tuberous vegetable low in starch, recommended generally and specifically as a source of insulin. For most individuals, an egg-sized artichoke eaten once weekly is sufficient. In cases of illness such as diabetes, consult the readings for directions. Eat raw, or cook in Patapar paper.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Very interesting! Thanks for the info.