Blanche Derby of Northampton pedals past the Northampton Community Gardens after harvesting a basketful of lambsquarters from the garden’s compost pile. Derby, the author of several books on edible plants, says the leaf is something like spinach — but, when cooked, also shrinks down like spinach so it’s good to start with a large quantity.
Blanche Derby of Northampton pedals past the Northampton Community Gardens after harvesting a basketful of lambsquarters from the garden’s compost pile. Derby, the author of several books on edible plants, says the leaf is something like spinach — but, when cooked, also shrinks down like spinach so it’s good to start with a large quantity. Credit: STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

NORTHAMPTON – Blanche Derby of Northampton, author of several books on edible plants, took a bike trip to Northampton Community Gardens on Tuesday to forage for lambsquarters on the edges of the garden’s plant compost pile. Derby says the leaf is something like spinach and when cooked, also shrinks down like spinach, so it’s good to start with a large quantity.

Kevin Gutting can be reached at kgutting@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevinGutting.