weeding

[anja]

I wasn't able to go to the open houses at the CSA's this weekend, but
I was able to go out and informally weed at one of them, earlier in
the week. I have to say that this is a rather thrilling opportunity
to get into heated, initimate discussion about relevant topics and not
allow your farmer to descend into depression. Depends on the weather,
of course, and opportunity.

Got to take some lettuce thinnings home, too.

[Rory]

I haven't done as much CSA volunteering and helping my farmer friends
as I should, but it has always been rewarding when I have. Many of the
same pleasures of gardening, with insights into commercial
agriculture!

Ralph Waldo Emerson has a terrific quote where he asks "What is a
weed?" and answers "A plant whose virtues have yet to be discovered."
When I was semi-homeless I discovered a lot about weeds by talking to
gardeners and immigrants. In addition to learning how to harvest the
large leaves of dandelion the day that the flowers bloom, I learned to
identify wild mustard, lambs quarters and that pigweed (amaranth)
leaves are a common cooked green in Mexico. I was astonished to learn
that the "driveway flowers" I had grown up seeing in the gravel were
chamomile, as in the herbal tea.

I have also been told that besides their raw uses in salads, flowers
for wine and roots for tea, that dandelion leaves have a rare and
magical power. If sauteed with butter and garlic they somehow send out
a signal to other dandelions in the area which, upon hearing that
dandelions are a delicacy, immediately relocate and completely leave
one's yard. I do not recall if the plants are said to walk away at
night or to retreat to a network of underground tunnels, but I have
been told that they immediately disappear. Plants can do the darndest
things!

[Lori Loranger]

I don't do much "weeding" - it's more like harvesting! Many plants grow
where I need them removed, but there are very few things growing which I
cannot use. Along with those plants you've mentioned, I harvest
plantain, three varieties of sorrel, cress, evening primrose, nettles,
burdock, wild carrot, fireweed, miners lettuce, clover... the wild
strawberries I generally transplant, but one could eat the entire plant,
if desired. Amaranth, left go to seed, also provides a grain food, btw.
Thanks, Rory, for extolling the virtues of the "weed", one of my
favorite foods!
-Lori

[Summer]

I LOOOOVE the northwest - as sooo much is edible. When we had a
shortage of rice last month, and everyone panicked, I kept thinking
about all of the wild eats all around us, and how truly we could feed
our community on this alone. No need to have "fear"based food choices!

There's a guy in Pdx, John Kallas, that does "neighborhood" forage
walks - I've taken my kiddo's, and he's fantastic. Something worth
looking into if you're up for exploring like this.

Also, can you imagine how much healthier the native plants around us
are than ANY thing else we may be able to grow and consume? We add
wild eats to our CSA baskets, with a newsletter with explanation. I
love sharing my passions wherever (and as often as) I can! LOL!

Great chatting!

Summer

[Glenna VFC 25]

Summer,

Would you consider writing an article about the wild edibles?  I would love to have something like that for a newsletter.  Also, it would make a good addition to the documents at this site.  Please feel free to contact me directly regarding this.

Glenna

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--
---<-@ Glenna Rose @->---

I cannot change the world, but I can make my little corner better.