Company Overview

Mr. J. Melvin Nash, is the author of 2 books 'Cooking North America's Finest Gourmet Fiddleheads' in 1995 and 'The First Ever Fiddlehead Harvesters Guide' in 1991.

Mr. Nash has appeared numerous times on Sesame Street since Dec. 1995 and was featured on Country Canada in 1996.

In 1994/1995, he worked with the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture to promote and upgrade the fiddlehead industry in New Brunswick.

In 1996, ACOA (Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency) and the Federal Department of Agriculture funded Mr. Nash to promote the fiddlehead industry throughout the Province of Nova Scotia.

He has also worked for years on solving the difficult problems of cleaning and harvesting fiddleheads. As a result he has invented several unique devices. His first invention was a commercial fiddlehead-cleaning device that was field tested by the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture in 1995. It can clean an amazing 900 lbs. (410 kg.) per hour.

In 1998 he invented a personal fiddlehead-harvesting device that eliminated the need of bending over to pick fiddleheads.

In 1999 he invented a new fiddlehead cleaning basket that can be used for harvesting as well as cleaning that works similar to the traditional Maliseet Indian basket that is made out of ash.

Mr. Nash has spent several seasons researching the Fiddlehead at the RPC (Research and Productivity Council) facility in Fredericton working to improve the quality and the shelf life of both the fresh and frozen fiddleheads.

List of Presentations made this Year

March 2 & 3, 2000 Topics; Introduction to Fiddleheads and Fiddleheads the Sleeping Giant Hugh John Flemming Forestry Complex in Fredericton, New Brunswick Sponsored by the Canadian Forest Service, Fundy Model Forest and First Nation Forestry Program. Contact; Thomas M. Beckley, PhD (506) 452-3444

March 24, 2000 Topic; Fiddleheads the Sleeping Giant Keynote Speaker at a National Conference for the Provincial/Territorial Management Committee sponsored by the First Nation Forestry Program, which was held at the Sheraton in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Contact; Doreen Saulis (506) 454-8668

Up-coming Presentations

May 11, 2000 Topic; Fiddleheads the Sleeping Giant National Forest Week-Open House in Fredericton, New Brunswick Hugh John Flemming Forestry Centre. Contact; Lehanne Wilson (506) 452-6950

To learn more about Fiddleheads (this Sleeping Giant) call, write or e-mail Mr. Nash and invite him to make a presentation at your next up-coming conference, seminar or workshop.

10 Most Frequently Asked Questions

What are Fiddleheads and where do they grow? They are a wild vegetable that grows along the banks of rivers and streams and on islands throughout the northern half of North America from the States of Virginia and Oregon in the USA to Canada from the Atlantic Provinces to British Columbia. In fact fiddleheads grow throughout the Northern Hemisphere clear around the world.

What do Fiddleheads taste like? A lot of people find they have a unique taste of their own although most compare them to asparagus, broccoli and beet greens.

Who first discovered Fiddleheads? The Maliseet and the Mi'kmag Indians in eastern Canada were the first people of record to harvest this delicious wild delicacy. Fiddleheads are to this day highly cherished by the local Aboriginal people not only for the food value but also for the medicinal and cleansing qualities they believe are in the fiddleheads. They maintain fiddleheads help cleanse their bodies each spring of accumulated impurities and toxins. They feel this is necessary in order to prepare their bodies for the onslaught of the oncoming harvest season.

When harvesting how do I identify the proper edible ferns? Fiddleheads are the young growth of the Ostrich fern, known botanically as Metteucia Struthiopteris. They are perennials, which are a member of the small sub family of Onocleoid ferns that grow throughout the northern temperate regions of the world. A good way of identifying the proper edible fiddlehead ferns is by looking at a cross section of the stem. It must be concave at the front of the unfurling fern all the way up the stem. Their rich green color is another distinguishing feature of this wild vegetable.

When is the Fiddlehead harvest season? The harvest season starts in early April in the United States and progressively moves north to Canada, with the last harvesting done in early June. The harvest season usually lasts 3 weeks in each location from start to finish.

How quickly do Fiddleheads grow? Once the fiddleheads come up through the crown of the plant they grow very quickly unfurling 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) in 24 hours under optimum weather conditions.

How to clean Fiddleheads? First of all if they are picked fairly clean without grass or leaves washing your fiddleheads clean is relatively easy. Soaking your fiddleheads in cold water for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes not only keeps your bounty fresh, long-lasting and crisper but it also helps separate the loose brown papery 'chaff ' from the fiddleheads. Now take a 3/8 inch (1cm) wire mesh basket or tray with approximately 2 to 3 lbs. (1 to 1.5 kg) and dip them repeatedly into a large container of clean water. They should wash perfectly clean after dipping them several times. To wash large quantities 25 lbs. (11kg) or more use two large containers that each holds approximately 25gal. (100 liters) of clean water. Use the same process as above, except this time, dipping the quantity of fiddleheads in the first container to remove most of the debris, than dip in the second container to do a final cleansing. If they are not sufficiently clean, repeat the process until you are satisfied.

Is their scientific proof that Fiddleheads are safe to eat? Yes, tests were done on rats raised on a diet of Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976.

What is the shelf life of fresh Fiddleheads? Maximum 3 to 5 days in your refrigerator crisper. The ends of the stems will start to turn dark after 2 days and should be trimmed before cooking. If they are vacuum packaged immediately after harvesting and cleaning they will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks in your refrigerator without the ends turning dark. Mark the expiry date on each package if you are keeping them fresh for any length of time.

What is the best way to preserve Fiddleheads? The best way to preserve fiddleheads is by freezing them in vacuum-sealed plastic bags. Also you may freeze them in containers filled with water, or thirdly, by freezing them in plastic bags with as much of the air removed as possible. Blanching use to be the best way to preserve fiddleheads, but by using this method they tended to be a bit chewy and stringy and they did not retain their color well. Canning was also another method that was widely used. The main problem with canning were health and safety laws. The state/provincial and/or national laws required overcooking of canned fiddleheads. This process made them very soft and mushy.

Company Information

Additional Details

Legal Name: Fiddlehead Canada

Contacts

Services

• Cookbook / Basket / Fiddlehead Consulting

NAICS Categories

• 339990 All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing
• 511120 Periodical Publishers
• 541690 Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services

Additional Information