Are red currants illegal?
Did you know … that the growing of Red Currants was banned in the United States in the early twentieth century? Red currants are a small, glossy, bright red berry. The federal ban was lifted in 1966, but several northern states continued to prohibit the cultivation of such berries until the early twenty-first century.
Can you eat wild red currants?
Red currant, (or redcurrant), Ribes rubrum is a member of the Gooseberry family, Grossulariaceae . Its fruits are edible and it is relatively easy to recognise and distinguish from other species.
Why is black currant fruit banned in the US?
The nutrient-rich berries were banned in 1911 because they were thought to produce a fungus that could damage pine trees. As new disease-resistant berries were produced and new ways to prevent the fungus from damaging timber were developed, some states started to lift the ban in 2003.
Are red currants native to North America?
Ribes triste, known as the northern redcurrant, swamp redcurrant, or wild redcurrant, is an Asian and North American shrub in the gooseberry family. It is widespread across Canada and the northern United States, as well as in eastern Asia (Russia, China, Korea, Japan).
Why is it illegal to grow red currants?
The federal government had banned the growing of black and red currants in 1911 when the burgeoning logging industry put pressure on lawmakers to eliminate the currants because they were thought to be an intermediate host of white pine blister rust.
Where are red currants illegal?
What however many are not aware of, including myself till recently, is that redcurrants are prohibited in many USA states. For example they cannot be shipped to North Carolina, New Hampshire, West Virginia. Other states like Delaware and Massachusetts insist on a permit.
Are redcurrants good for you?
Berryfruit, defined as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, elderberry, chokeberry, blackcurrant, and redcurrants, are widely regarded as some of the most nutritious foods. They are good sources of important nutrients including minerals, vitamins and fibre (USDA, 2005).
Do red currants freeze well?
FREEZE THEM: Both RED and BLACK CURRANTS freeze well; just remove most of the stems and fill into freezer bags. If you haven’t washed the berries, they won’t stick together, and then you can just pour out as much as you want at a time. Use frozen (or dehydrated) berries in baked goods.