Showing posts with label wild edibles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wild edibles. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

ramps

we're still seeking out wild edibles here since our garden isn't producing much yet. i found two small patches of ramps recently and brought a small bundle home to transplant. i hope they take. anyone ever have success with this?

dandy syrup                                     
i made two big batches of dandelion blossom simple syrup and plan to make dandelion fritters soon.




baby brassicas                                  
all of our brassicas are in the garden with their cute little makeshift collars made from yogurt containers. down with cutworm i say!

japanese knotweed                                

this spring i tasted japanese knotweed for the very first time in an almond cake. if you like rhubarb, you'll probably like knotweed. it's an invasive, which means it's good to pull up some to be used in your kitchen.

as always, be sure you can confidently identify the plant before you cut some for use in your kitchen. my rule of thumb is to find someone in the know to go with you the first time you gather wild edibles. remember not to gather knotweed by the roadside. you'll often find it in polluted areas. check out what wild man steve brill says about knotweed here.

first aid kit in the making
and finally, the beginnings of my herbal first aid kit. yarrow and plaintain which i took home to dry. yarrow stops bleeding and plaintain pulls out poisons. plaintain is particularly good for bee stings. what's new in your neck of the woods or city?

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Beginnings of Spring


Mud Season seems to have ended early this year. The soil in the garden is ready for planting, and the forsythia is on the verge of blooming.

'Tis the season for being cheered by daffodils.

We've got some wild edibles springing up in our yard as well. The wonderful stinging nettle is pictured above. I will be harvesting some soon. I hope to make a nettle vinegar and a nettlekopita this year. Perhaps a nettle tincture, too.

Here's garlic mustard (an awful invasive, but edible) which will be making its way into my salad bowl soon.

Spring is a great time for wild edibles, especially while we're waiting for our gardens to grow. Be sure you identify the plants carefully. Refer to the information in several sources or find someone who is knowledgeable about wild edibles before you begin to incorporate wild plants into your diet.

Anyone else planning on harvesting some wild edibles this spring?