A Poke Sallet Family history

Barbara Wheeler grew up in Jackson County picking Poke Sallet from the time she was just a little girl. Poke Sallet was not just a family tradition but a way of life. Barbara knew all about Poke Sallet & its importance from her beloved Grandmother, Martha Goolsby. Her Grandma was officially the town’s Midwife but was also known as the local doctor for both people & animals. She always had homemade remedies ready for anyone ailing.

According to Miss Barbara Wheeler, her Grandma taught her that this spring weed was actually an herb that could cleanse the liver, “if you are sick, if you are trying to quit smoking or drinking or just to keep your body in line, you take some Poke Sallet.”

Grandma Goolsby made Poke Sallet daily for months

after it started slippin’. After a long, cold winter and enduring sickness that came with it, she would can Poke Sallet to have on hand for her community doctoring. She always said if you ate three messes of Poke Sallet in the Springtime you’d be healthy all summer long.

Though this legendary elixir has merit, it also comes with caution. Also, known as Pokeweed, this powerful herb is actually poisonous in its raw form. Before ingesting it, the Poke Sallet leaves must be boiled three times & then fried up in fat. Even still, it must be consumed in small quantities as Wheeler mentioned, “it will clean out your body well.” Wheeler’s Grandma had many stories about people overeating it then being sick from it. “Eat lots of bread to help absorb the excess acid. Wait it out until you feel better. You’ll feel better when it’s all said & done.” Wheeler states. 

And so the Poke Sallet custom was passed down through the family. This herbal institution became well known & well respected. Though Miss Barbara Wheeler came from a big family - she was number 6 in the lineup of 9 children - Her Mama, Illa Goolsby, knew when the Poke Sallet started slippin’ it was time to get pickin’ so she would get her best pickers on the job - Barbara & her sister, Martha.

She taught them to pick at about 8-10 inches from the top, measure from a little below the wrist, any lower & the stems become too hollow. Always check for bugs & make sure there are no holes in the leaves. Meticulous picking is important!

Her Mama taught her to cook Poke Sallet on their wood stove. Because of the large, heavy pots of boiling water Miss Barbara didn’t get to help with the cooking until she was 13 years old. Then she was allowed to dip the leaves out of the hot water to prepare for the final step.

When Miss Barbara was young, she didn’t like the taste of Poke Sallet but said she always ate it to please her Mama. Eventually, she came to enjoy it. She describes the flavor as, “something between a mustard green & turnip green taste but with a more unique flavor. Maybe a little more bitter but still mild.”

Sadly, the tradition of cooking Poke Sallet is fading away but Miss Barbara Wheeler still cooks up messes of it every Spring. You can find her making Poke Sallet for friends at the Fairview Senior Center in Jackson County. Head on over & learn from the best!