Growing and Processing Taro | The Survival Gardener

This is a fascinating presentation on growing and processing taro traditionally:

‘Though we have taro growing in our Grocery Row Gardens, we haven’t utilized it as I am not that familiar with harvest times and processing. We can sure grow it, but preparing it is a different animal. Er, plant.

If you mess up your timing and/or cooking, the calcium oxalate crystals (raphides) in taro will punish you when you eat it!

I knew a family that planted lots of food plants in their small Summerfield backyard, years ago. Later, a retired couple (who I also knew) bought the property from them. They were told about the various crops and that many of them were edible, including the roots of the “elephant ears” around the back door.

One day, the wife dug one and cooked it for her husband. He ate some, and then his throat, mouth and lips began to burn horribly. He suffered awful pain for a time before it passed, and they were afraid he had been poisoned. The root had not been cooked well enough, and the remaining calcium oxalate crystals inflamed and tormented him greatly.

After this experience, they ripped out the unfamiliar edible roots in their backyard, both taro and true yams, and never tried again.

It is good to learn from an expert when you are preparing an unfamiliar crop. Some plants fight back.

Definitely don’t do what this lady did and make a green smoothie from the leaves (language and horrible story warning!).

We’d like to start using our taro better. Does anyone else have experience with it? Share your story in the comment!