I am revisiting the infamous Garlic Mustard, from my past, in honor of my former AmeriCorps pals and forever soul sisters, who I got to spend time with over the last weekend. As an AmeriCorps NCCC team, Maple 5, laboriously handpicked millions of tons of garlic mustard from the forest floor, trail sides, and ravines of Wisconsin, all in order to save the surrounding natural ecosystems from the invading Garlic Mustarrrrrrd. That’s right; garlic mustard is an INVASIVE, non-native, harmful plant to the North American environment. It was brought over as a flavoring herb in the 1860s from Europe and has since spread like wildfire (except worse, because wildfires can be beneficial to the environment!) In Europe there are 69 insects and 7 species of fungi who utilize this plant as a food source, whereas in the U.S. there are a big fat 0 and are actually toxic to some insect species! There is one mammal that can benefit from North American Garlic Mustard, and that’s you! If it’s in your area, go out there and pick till your heart’s content, get some excursive, save the environment, and then go home and make some delicious garlic mustard pesto! YUM