Grazing The Neighborhood
Do you have a neighbor who doesn’t spray chemicals on their lawn, which has turned their yard into a weed paradise? Thank them, and ask if you can pull their weeds…for dinner!
To stress the above, make sure you are grabbing weeds from an area that is not sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals! If you don’t spray your own yard, you know that your yard’s weeds are safe. (And pulling might make your neighbors happy.)
If you’re a beginner to neighborhood foraging, here are three easy-to-spot weeds that everyone can identify, that are edible and tasty!
Dandelions are not a menace, they’re a great food with medicinal properties! You may have even seen dandelion greens in some supermarkets. All parts of the dandelion are edible, even when the flowers become a puffball. From salads, teas, jellies, soaps, and even wine, dandelions are one of the most versatile foods out there; so when you see them on your lawn, don’t groan! Eat!
Clover (red or white) seems to be EVERYWHERE this year. When you see them, don’t think “weed;” think “jelly!”
There are recipes for making everything from salads to jelly; you can pick the flowers off of the plant (use the greens for salad) and make tea with the flowers–if you steep the tea overnight, when you strain the liquid, turn it into jelly is a simple as adding sugar, pectin, and lemon juice. You can easily search the internet for multiple recipes!
Queen Anne’s Lace is wild carrot! you can identify the flower because it looks like lace, with a single dark purple or blackish purple dot in the center. You’ll know what you have if the root smells like carrots! The roots can be used in soups and stews or in making tea, and the leaves can be used in salads. Flower clusters can be fried or used in salads, too!
So this summer, if you see a weed…enjoy them!
