Eat Your Weeds!

The plants we think of as food usually come from grocery store shelves, or better yet, from tables at farmers’ markets. Or even better, from our neatly planted gardens. My point being, that the plants we intend to eat are usually lined up in a row, neat and ordered.

But what if I told you that many of those irritating weeds popping up, uninvited, in your garden are actually food? And that that there are actually many, many more edibles hiding in the fields, and woods, or even in your garden but disguised as flowers? This is totally true and I am going to tell you about some of them.

 

Before We Begin… Some Safety Information

• Be absolutely sure that the plant you are about to eat is, in fact, edible. If you have any doubt whatsoever, do not eat the plant! And remember that some edibles look quite a lot like plants that are poisonous… so be sure you do your research. Invest in a good book —  this one comes highly recommended. An even better idea is to find someone who really knows about the plants in your specific area and to study with them.
• Forage carefully. Be absolutely certain that the weeds you intend to eat have not been sprayed with any chemical poisons. You should also avoid plants along roadways because they tend to be covered in dust and exhaust fumes.
• Forage responsibly. Make sure that foraging is allowed in the area you are in. Some parks are fine with it, some are not. And never forage on private property without the express permission of the owner! Also, do not take more than you need — remember many of these wild edibles are food for animals, as well–and never take all the plants from an area.

Eat your weeds

Lawn Weeds you can Eat: Edibles Among the Grass from Mom Prepares

Food at Your Feet: Make a Wild Edibles Salad from Live The Old Way

Broadleaf Plantain: Food and Medicine Beneath Your Feet from Mom Prepares

Purslane: Is it a Weed or Source of Food? from Grow a Good Life

Chickweed in Your Salad and Medicine Cabinet from Mom Prepares

Foraging for Miner’s Lettuce from Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Lamb’s Quarters: Foraging for Spring Greens from Live The Old Way

Curly Dock from Oak Hill Homestead

Foraging in Spring: Garlic Mustard from Aquaberry Bliss

Growing and Foraging for Lemon Balm from Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Ramps and Garlic Mustard Frittata from Yearning and Learning

Strawberry Knotweed Crisp from One Acre Farm

Lamb’s Quarters Chip Dip from Live The Old Way

Lamb’s Quarters Poppers from Little *Big* Harvest

Purslane Tacos from Little *Big* Harvest

Pickled Cat’s Ear Buds from Little Fall Creek

Sauteed Wild Mustard Greens with Dock, Garlic, and Onions from Little Fall Creek

Wild Greens with Polenta and Chutney Vinaigrette from Little Fall Creek

DIY Greens Supplement Powder from Joybilee Farm

Seventeen Ways to Use Wild Greens from They’re Not Our Goats

Eat Your Flowers

Hedgerow Jelly from Pixie’s Pocket

Floral Honey with Violets and Lilacs from Jenny From the Garden

Wildcraft Infusion: Calming Red Clover, Lavender, Lemon from YogurtHydro

The Marvels of Queen Anne’s Lace — from Mom Prepares

Foraging: Pineapple Weed (Wild Chamomile) from YogurtHydro

Pineapple Weed Tea from Montana Homesteader

Lucky You! Wild, Edible Clovers are Abundant from Aquaberry Bliss

A Family Herb: Violet Plant from Herbal Academy of New England

Dandelions

Dandelion Flower Infusion from Pixie’s Pocket

How to Make Dandelion Tea, Jelly, and Syrup from Montana Homesteader

Dandelion Pesto from Yearning and Learning

Foraging for Dandelions from Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Rhubarb Dandelion Pie from Montana Homesteader

Dandelion Sourdough Pancakes from Montana Homesteader

For even more about dandelions, be sure to check out: My Week on Wednesday and Dandelions!

Stinging Nettles

Have you ever wandered through a patch of stinging nettles? I haven’t. Or maybe I have, but I’m immune to the sting. But, regardless, I know plenty of people who have been stung by stinging nettles… and they, and you, are probably wondering why on earth anyone would want to eat the things?

Well, for one thing they are full of nutrients. I have heard it said that anything spinach can do, nettles can do better. And the other thing you need to remember is that once you cook them or prepare then in a couple of other ways the sting goes away… so you won’t feel like you’re eating live bumblebees to get those nutrients!

The Superpowers of Stinging Nettles from Little Fall Creek

7 Ways to Prepare and Eat Nettles from Mom Prepares

Stinging Nettle Chips from Yearning and Learning

Nettle Sorbet & Nettle Pesto from G&G

Nettle Ravioli from Honest Food

Nettle Lemon Balm Cupcakes from Cordial Wildcrafted Consumables

More Wild Edibles to Try

Four Wild Winter Teas from One Acre Farm

10 Common Wild Edibles Found (Almost) Everywhere from Homestead Dreamer

10 Wild Plants You Can Eat from Survival at Home

10 More Wild Plants You Can Eat from Survival at Home

Even More Wild Plants You Can Eat from Survival at Home

5 Ways to Eat Wild Edibles from Joybilee Farm

12 Native Plants for Food and Medicine from One Acre Farm

And now...

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