4 foods that are grown in Oregon

Do you have these growing in your backyard?

Chestnuts

While chestnut trees grow well in Oregon, the native horse chestnuts are toxic to us. If you are foraging your own chestnuts, make sure you know how to tell the difference.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb has fleshy, edible stalks. They are normally cooked and we’ve seen them used in beers, ciders and pies. Rhubarb’s bitterness work well in these foods, and adds a tang. Redder stalks tend to be sweeter. Do not eat the leaves; they are poisonous.

Olives

Did you know that we have an olive mill in Oregon? Olives are harvested from the fields and hard-pressed to make high quality olive oil.

Persimmons

Persimmons are brightly orange fruits that thrive here in Oregon. Persimmon fruit needs curing before you can eat them. Place them with either bananas or apples in a sealed container for a few days to cure them.

If you’re thinking of growing a persimmons tree, expect to wait 7 to 10 years before you see fruits.