A Central Texas forager is gathering some not-so-secret admirers after sharing a post highlighting their harvested wild mustang grapes. Their post to the r/foraging subreddit also included an explanation of how the summer harvest is stored after the season ends.
What happened?
The post showcased a grape pick and noted that the fruit shown was just a sneak peek of what was to come.
"They're mustang grapes (Vitis mustangensis) from Central Texas," the poster wrote. "This is only a fraction of the total amount I will gather each summer."
They then elaborated on their plans for the sizable haul of grapes.
"They're one of the best foods to forage!" they revealed. "I will dry out most of them for preservation, but I also make some into juice and can it."
With that in mind, the post was as much about storage as it was about picking fruit. The forager gets a lot of mileage out of the harvest, and that included the photo he took.
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"If you're on any dating apps please use this photo in your profile," a user jokingly suggested to nearly 2,000 upvotes.
Why does it matter?
A seasonal wild harvest can help stretch a food budget, reduce reliance on packaged products, and keep perfectly good fruit from going to waste during a short harvest window. Preserving food also lets people enjoy local produce after its peak season has passed.
The conversation also covered the seeds. After someone asked what becomes of them once the grapes are dried, the original poster replied.
"Eat them!" they instructed. "When dry, they crunch up easy and add some fat and protein."
Local wild foods can be surprisingly versatile. Still, proper identification is essential before eating anything foraged, especially wild plants that can be confused with lookalikes.
What are people saying?
The comments were enthusiastic about both the OP, his grapes, and his apparent "grapemaxxing."
"Okay Bacchus," a user wrote in reference to the Roman God of wine.
"Mmmmm looks tasty", another quipped. "Wait, there's grapes in this photo?"
On a more serious note, commenters were jelly (no pun intended) about the OP having so many delicious grapes to enjoy.
"I am so envious of people who get actually good wild grapes in their area," one user wrote, noting in California that theirs were not good for anything but making jelly. "Nice haul!"
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