Jerusalem Artichokes/Sunchokes

Jerusalem artichokes, a.k.a. sunchokes, are the crisp, white tubers of a type of sunflower. They grow to heights over seven feet tall and produce numerous black-eyed Susan-type flowers that have a light fragrance reminiscent of chocolate.

They grow well in my sandy southern garden, and I have also dug them growing wild in the thick grass beside the Aroostook River in Northern Maine…these things will grow just about anywhere! They simply need to be planted a couple inches down in decent, well-drained soil, and watered moderately in very dry conditions until established. Then, they just keep self-sowing for a perpetual patch. They can be dug like potatoes from fall through the winter, and they keep much better in the ground where they were grown than in the refrigerator.

They can be eaten raw, boiled, or roasted. I like the flavor of the tuber, though they aren’t my favorite vegetable. I will occasionally throw them in with a pot roast, or throw a few raw chopped tubers into salads. I grow them because they are nutritious and prolific, and in the event of an emergency food situation, they are almost always available to eat!

Jerusalem artichokes are also useful as livestock feed, both plant and tuber. In the summer I will occasionally cut a few stocks 1/3 down and feed them to our goats as a treat, which they seem to appreciate. And, they will eat the tubers as well. Again, it is nice to have these on hand in the event of an emergency food situation.

Several words of caution. #1 Some people do not digest Jerusalem Artichokes very well, and may have an issue with flatulence. I always recommend to the people I give the tubers that they should only have small helpings at first to see how things go. A friend of mine tried a few in a salad, with no ill effects. The next step up was a pot of boiled tubers in a cream sauce. The next morning, I e-mailed her to see how things went. She replied “I don’t want to talk about it. I need to heal!” Wow…that bad, huh? Now she won’t touch them with a ten foot pole as far as eating goes, though still grows them for the flowers. I am a terrible friend, because even as I type I am still laughing so hard tears are coming out!

#2 Warning…only plant them where you know you will want them, as once they are established, it is hard to un-establish them!

I dug the tubers in the picture about an hour ago, and it only took me about a minute. I plan to boil them in with my cabbage, potatoes and ham tonight.