# Preservation of Weeds



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Ok, so I've got an ABUNDANT crop of lambs quarter this year growing in the garden. I've been eating 2-3 salads of it daily but I haven't made much of a dent in the crop.

I know it can be used as a pot herb (and is good that way). Can I pick a bunch, wash it and then freeze it to be added to stews throughout the winter?


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

Lambs quarters are best preserved dried and then reconstituted for soups, stews and stir fries as needed. Not only will you preserve maximum nutrition this way, it is less time consuming to hang the plant to dry then package it up than it is to blanche it and freeze it, and it takes up less storage room when dried. The dried plant may also be used to make healthful infusions.


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## InvalidID (Feb 18, 2011)

My buddy has a little wooden box he stores his weeds in. I don't think this works for long term storage. So they are calling it lambs quarter now huh? Does that correlate to size? Like lambs-eighth, lambs-half etc etc?


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

Easy peasy, Ernie. Just lay them out on cookie sheets and put in the freezer, then bag 'em up for later use. No need to blanch. I do all my frozen leafy greens that way.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

goatlady said:


> Easy peasy, Ernie. Just lay them out on cookie sheets and put in the freezer, then bag 'em up for later use. No need to blanch. I do all my frozen leafy greens that way.



even Lettuce?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I love the look of bunches of various herbs hanging upside down, bound with baling twine, supported by nails driven every 10-12 inches just under the supporting beams of my porches. I concur with the simplicity, _sustainability_ and nutritive integrity of dehydration.

Lambsquarters is just the tip of the iceberg......


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

I use the string from feed bags to tie greens into bundles and hang them up to dry. I would think your going to end up using only the leaf for your soup so you will need quite a few bundles.
We dry dandilion, and chick weed this way,along with oregano, mint and sage. This year we will also dry kale leaves for soup.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Ernie, as long as you're harvesting, (I concur with the drying method) you should do stinging nettles, too. They're all over the place in the area, so you probably have some right next to the lamb's quarters. 

to be honest tho..I've never tried freezing the herbs/vegetation. Might have to try that since I've got some room, atm.


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

Lucky man to have an abundance of lambs quarter. We had TONS of it at our other house, but the only SINGLE plant I have seen showed up in my garden. You can bet I did NOT pull it up and I hope it seeds it's little self all over the place!
I can imagine using it dried in a number of wonderful ways....including perhaps adding to a smoothy kind of drink...anyone ever done that?
Congrats on the great supply of free food my friend. I am still hunting and learning what we have here for edible weeds.


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## 36376 (Jan 24, 2009)

What does lambsquarter taste like?


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

spinachy


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

beaglebiz said:


> spinachy


But not that strong spinach flavor that I can't stand.
It's good stuff!


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## NewGround (Dec 19, 2010)

Serious prepping should include as much off grid items/methods as possible... Dry the dang things..

Also research lacto-fermentation. Good Book, how to preserve food without canning or freezing... Stash preps, say at your bug out place should include a lot of no-grid foods... Sure be a slap in the old reality to go your place and find the freezer's been out for a month or so...


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Lambsquarters is very mild tasting, a little bit like spinach, but it's a powerhouse of nutrition, vitamins, minerals. It also contains oxalic acid like it's cousin spinach, so anyone who has weakened kidneys or is prone to kidney stones shouldn't eat too much of it on a daily basis. Consuming it 2 or 3 times a week in moderation should be acceptable though.

I use the tenderest leaves to eat fresh in salads and I dry the rest of the plant. The flowers may be collected, dried and ground up into a nutritious flour which is similar in appearance to buckwheat flour. 

When I'm harvesting a lot of lambsquarters at once I cut the plant off about 1/3 of the way up the stem and hang it up to dry. I leave the root and bottom stem so new shoots can start from the remaining stem. Always leave a few plants uncut and intact so they can re-seed for next year's harvest.

Rather than bundling the cut plants into bunches tied with strings I've found what's easiest and quickest for me is to just hang each plant upside down by hooking a branch over a length of taut wire or string going from one end of the room to the other end near the ceiling of the herb room. Hanging them this way helps to prevent mold from occuring as may happen when herbs are bundled tightly together using string or twist ties and it allows more circulation of air around each plant. As the plants continue to dry they can be slid along the string and pushed closer together to allow for room on the line to put up other later weed harvests. Lambsquarters do not all dry uniformly so each plant should be checked for readiness - another reason for my not tying them in bundles. They are ready for packaging when the stem is shrunken and the leaves are dry but still slightly pliable (like soft kid leather) and do not crumble or break off when bent between the fingers. If the leaves are crumbly then they've dried a bit too much but they are still edible and nutritious. 

When dried the bottom half of the re-hydrated stem is perhaps a bit too tough and chewy for some people's palate but the upper half of the plant's stem when simmered for 15 minutes is tender and palatable. Some people don't like to eat the upper stem, in which case the dried leaves can be stripped off the stem and packed separately for storage. The stems can be bundled and set aside for making infusions as needed. 























.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

I figured it's worth while to add this one extra bit of information for those who don't know about this:

http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/foraging/lambsquarters.php



> From a distance Lambs Quarters always looks dusty, a deceptive trick due to a white powdery coating on the leaves. On closer inspection this powdery stuff proves to be quite a remarkable repellent: try washing the herb and you will notice that water simply beads and runs off. Thus rinsing it under running water can be a bit of a futile exercise, you have to actually submerge the entire herb and swish it around in order to wash it thoroughly. Luckily it is not the kind of herb you will often find encrusted with dirt - dirt seems to be removed from the plant's surface in much the same way as the water.
> 
> However, insidious dirt, such as soil pollutants and artificial fertilizers pose a far greater threat. Lambs Quarters is a 'purifier herb' and in its effort to cleanse the soil, it absorbs these pollutants and concentrates them in its leaves. Thus foragers should be wary of patches where this plant grows in abundance - it could be an indication of soil pollution. At the very least you should investigate what gets dumped in nearby fields or streams. Another abnormality to watch for is a reddish hue on the leaves, which indicates that spinach leaf miner larvae are squatting in the foliage.


.


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

Thank you NatureLover for all the wonderful information!


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Trisha in WA said:


> Thank you NatureLover for all the wonderful information!


You're welcome Trisha.

Please also look at the home page of that website I posted, it has some wonderful information in there about ethnobotany, other plant profiles, foraging, medicinals, etc.

.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Don't limit yourselves to salads.. it is great on pizza, burgers, sandwiches etc..
In quiches, casseroles, lasagna....
I love my lamb's quarter.
And I concur witht he stinging nettles as well!
I love it and we use it often.
It makes a great tea when mixed with peppermint for refreshing you int he summer.
Ice cold when you are hot from the garden is wonderful. All of those minerals and vitamins really quench your thirst!


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## 36376 (Jan 24, 2009)

That's great information!


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

After it's dried, what can I package it in? Ziploc bags seems like the plastic would just invite problems with mold and moisture.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

We have started trying out weeds too. I was slow cooking ribs on the grill and topped them with milkweed flowers, plantain leaves, nettles, and chicory leaves. Of course there were wild mushrooms too, but I don't consider them weeds.

I'm looking forward to trying cat tail heads when they show up.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

tinknal said:


> We have started trying out weeds too. I was slow cooking ribs on the grill and topped them with milkweed flowers, plantain leaves, nettles, and chicory leaves. Of course there were wild mushrooms too, but I don't consider them weeds.
> 
> I'm looking forward to trying cat tail heads when they show up.


I thought it was the lower part of the stalks of cat tails that you can eat.
Your supposed to peel the bottom of the stalks and they taste like cucumbers.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Dried plants are best stored in glass jars with tight-fitting lids.

I really enjoy the information you give us Naturelover. Thank you for sharing. I learn much from you.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Here is the best website I have seen on milkweed.

http://www.wildfoods.info/wildfoods/milkweed.html


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

SquashNut said:


> I thought it was the lower part of the stalks of cat tails that you can eat.
> Your supposed to peel the bottom of the stalks and they taste like cucumbers.


You can also steam the young heads and eat them like sweet corn. Starch can be harvested from the roots, and the pollen can be used like flour.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I thought when I saw the thread title that Ernie was starting a new movement - 

The Society for the Preservation of Weeds!


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Ernie said:


> After it's dried, what can I package it in? Ziploc bags seems like the plastic would just invite problems with mold and moisture.





motdaugrnds said:


> Dried plants are best stored in glass jars with tight-fitting lids.


Ernie, what Motdaugrnds said about storing in glass jars is true and that's what I do when I can and I keep the jars in a dark, cool place - darkness and coolth is important. 

First - I heat mason jars to very hot before I pack them tight one jar at a time with dry herb material then seal it while the jar is still hot. Heating the jars helps to create a bit of a vacuum inside the jar once it's tightly capped and starts to cool down, and it also helps prevent development of mold or long term deterioration if the herbs are going to be stored for a long time. Moisture, heat, air and exposure to light are the greatest enemies of dried herbs that are being stored for any length of time. 

But sometimes space doesn't allow for glass jars, or I don't always have enough jars so then I do use heavy duty ziploc bags and I double bag them, and then store all of that in bins that rodents or bugs can't get into. 

I try to only use ziploc bags for storage of soft herbs and other plant material that doesn't have twigs or leaves with sharp, stiff pointy ends on them that can puncture holes in the bags. When I store the herbs in the bags I pack them tight, then compress them as much as possible to squeeze air out, almost totally close them then use a straw to suck out as much more air as I possibly can to create a vacuum then seal tight and roll them up. Then I double bag those bags and suck the air out of the 2nd bags too. Then label with name and date and into the dark bin they go. 

I have never had anything go moldy on me yet but then I have always made sure that everything was thoroughly dry. Just a little bit of moisture remaining in a bag of plant material even with all the air removed CAN cause mold to grow inside the bag and I've seen it happen with other people's products. Because of that risk, I never use large bags, only smaller bags. Better to risk only losing one small bag to mold than to lose a large bag to mold .... it's like never putting all of your eggs in one basket.

By storing herbs thusly I've managed to keep many herbs preserved for several years at a stretch without them losing a lot of their value and properties.



motdaugrnds said:


> I really enjoy the information you give us Naturelover. Thank you for sharing. I learn much from you.


Thank you. It's good to share and I enjoy sharing when I can. :happy2:

.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Thanks for the info. I'll try the glass jars. I've got a lot of those giant pickle jars sitting around doing nothing, so I'll clean them out and fill them up. 2-3 ought to be good for this year's experiment.

Lambs quarter is a very tasty weed, but I am not a fan of stinging nettle. I don't have a lot of it either, mostly being overrun with Canadian Thistle. I have plenty of purslane, burdock, and lambs quarter though and I've been adding those to my diet. Lambs quarter is probably my only favorite among the weeds. I don't consider something "edible" if I have to boil it three times and change the water each time. Other weeds also have very strong medicinal properties and I don't want to just toss them into a wild salad. Made that mistake once with one that had a very powerful laxative effect. 

With all of the wild things that grow, it makes you wonder how agriculture ever took off in the first place, doesn't it? Why till and hoe when gathering and foraging is this productive?


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Ernie said:


> With all of the wild things that grow, it makes you wonder how agriculture ever took off in the first place, doesn't it? Why till and hoe when gathering and foraging is this productive?


Agriculture is the greatest mistake that mankind has ever made. I also believe that it is the cause of the Biblical Fall.

BTY, milkweed does NOT need to be boiled 3 times. Read the link I provided.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Ernie said:


> Lambs quarter is a very tasty weed, but I am not a fan of stinging nettle. /QUOTE]
> 
> Like Tink said.. stinging nettle does not need to be boiled and drained 3 times either. What is the point of eating something when you have beaten all the nutrition out of it.
> Nettles can be eaten in the exact same ways as spinach, chard (my favorite) or lamb's quarter.
> ...


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

tinknal said:


> Agriculture is the greatest mistake that mankind has ever made. I also believe that it is the cause of the Biblical Fall.


Didn't agriculture come only after the fall? Don't want to hijack the thread, but couldn't let that go.



> Genesis 3:17 To Adam he said, âBecause you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, âYou must not eat from it,â
> 
> âCursed is the ground because of you;
> through painful toil you will eat food from it
> ...


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## 10kids (Jun 24, 2010)

WOW...GREAT posts! This is an area where I have clearly been lacking.


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

OK, I like my carrots and right now they are fighting the purslane (I hate that stuff), pigroot, quack grass and some lambsquarter. I have pokeweed, chicory, weeds that I have never seen before and some that give me a wicked rash. I have yet to get my head around eating them. Oh, and to boot the neighbors cats have fleas and have imported them here. Lived here for years and now those blasted things! 

What weed acts as a laxative? 

Since it is a weed topic, doesn't renin come from burdock root?

RT, agree with that point.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Ernie said:


> With all of the wild things that grow, it makes you wonder how agriculture ever took off in the first place, doesn't it? Why till and hoe when gathering and foraging is this productive?





tinknal said:


> Agriculture is the greatest mistake that mankind has ever made.


Heh. I guess that's one way of looking at it. My one and only objection to agriculture is that agriculture is the reason why we now have 7 billion people on the planet consuming every possible resource and rapidly toxifying the planet. But other than that one objection, I look at agriculture a different way.

Without agriculture the planet would still be populated with only small groups of always hungry, primitive, ignorant hunter gatherers constantly on the move and migrating, competing every day with each other and with every other living thing for every scrap and morsel of food that can be found. Agriculture has turned wastelands where nothing would grow into veritable paradises of plenty. Agriculture has given mankind the time to settle in place to evolve and grow and develop skills, to create great wonders, to become artists, musicians, educators, time to develop sciences and medicines, to drive cars and to fly to the moon, even to give us the leisure time to persue hobbies and skills that have taken us from making weapons out of chipped stone to making plowshears, swords, guns and bowie blades out of molten metals to developing atom bombs and to giving us time to talk to and exchange information with each other on this wonder of wonders called internet. Without agriculture we wouldn't be doing any of that. :grin:

.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

naturelover said:


> Without agriculture the planet would still be populated with only small groups of always hungry, primitive, ignorant hunter gatherers constantly on the move and migrating, competing every day with each other and with every other living thing for every scrap and morsel of food that can be found.
> 
> .


You should read up on your anthropology. Pre agriculture hunter gatherers created art, music, medicine, music, and language. Evidence supports that they had better nutrition and overall health than the agricultural societies that supplanted them and indeed, they were better off than the majority of people who now live on earth.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

ryanthomas said:


> Didn't agriculture come only after the fall? Don't want to hijack the thread, but couldn't let that go.


I believe that the creation story was allegorical and that "eating of the tree of knowledge" represents human adoption of agriculture.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

tinknal said:


> You should read up on your anthropology. Pre agriculture hunter gatherers created art, music, medicine, music, and language. Evidence supports that they had better nutrition and overall health than the agricultural societies that supplanted them and indeed, they were better off than the majority of people who now live on earth.


Some of them did, depending on where they lived and how big their tribes were and how much competition they had. They were primitive skills by comparison with the skills that have been developed over the past 3 or 4 thousand years and they developed those primitive skills over the course of a very long time, multiple hundreds to thousands of years depending on their location. And most of them died of old age at the age of 40 - if they even lived to old age. None of that can be compared with the boom in human evolution that happened after the advent of agriculture, and especially not with human evolution and agricultural advances during the past 200 years.

.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I think in the vast sweep of human history, it remains to be seen whether or not "agriculture" as we know it has been a boon or a curse. It is very easy for us to look back and say, "clearly it produced ME so it's a good thing" but I believe the young King David tending his flock on a lonely hill might have thought that his concept of agriculture was probably the pinnacle of human existence as well.

I do know that I would be a bigger fool than I am today if I continued to step over God's free bounty that grows all around me without at least learning some of the blessings that He has put here for us to rediscover. 

Just like we disdain and mock someone who only eats food from the grocery store, the hunter-gatherer would disdain and mock US for only eating what we produced with great labor in our gardens and barns.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

naturelover said:


> Some of them did, depending on where they lived and how big their tribes were and how much competition they had. They were primitive skills by comparison with the skills that have been developed over the past 3 or 4 thousand years and they developed those primitive skills over the course of a very long time, multiple hundreds to thousands of years depending on their location. And most of them died of old age at the age of 40 - if they even lived to old age. None of that can be compared with the boom in human evolution that happened after the advent of agriculture, and especially not with human evolution and agricultural advances during the past 200 years.
> 
> .


This is not exactly correct. Neanderthals died of "old age" at 40 but they were a different species than us.

Our pre agriculture ancestors my have had an _average_ lifespan of 40 years, but that is different than dying of "old age". BTW, for most of post agriculture history lifespans were about the same. I'm guessing that there are _still_ agricultural societies in this world who don't do much better. 

You may not like to hear this, but the real cause of longer lifespans has a lot to do with coal, oil, and nuclear energy. Before we developed the energy sources that could move vast amounts of food great distances, and easily preserve food, famines were commonplace.


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## NewGround (Dec 19, 2010)

Well what we got is what we got...

What we do with it is what's important...

We are not a collective,,,

We are individuals and if our paths serve Him, they are righteous...

Agriculture is a gift, treat it as such and be blessed...


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Ernie said:


> I think in the vast sweep of human history, it remains to be seen whether or not "agriculture" as we know it has been a boon or a curse. It is very easy for us to look back and say, "clearly it produced ME so it's a good thing" but I believe the young King David tending his flock on a lonely hill might have thought that his concept of agriculture was probably the pinnacle of human existence as well.
> 
> I do know that I would be a bigger fool than I am today if I continued to step over God's free bounty that grows all around me without at least learning some of the blessings that He has put here for us to rediscover.
> 
> Just like we disdain and mock someone who only eats food from the grocery store, the hunter-gatherer would disdain and mock US for only eating what we produced with great labor in our gardens and barns.


This is true.

.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Ernie, Ernie, Ernie, the light on the path to objectivity. I was in the garden today repairing the damage last night's storm did to our corn and tomatoes; and, as David was propping up the corn "again", he reminded me of the various "wild plants" we have discovered here that might be helpful in deterring the ***** we anticipate will be visiting the corn he was standing back up. As he spoke I came to the same conclusion you did, Ernie, i.e. that I would be even a bigger fool than I am now if I stepped over God's free bounty without at least learning some of the blessings in them (paraphrased).


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## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

Um. OK, back to the question a bit back about which weed acts as a laxative. Pokeweed, when picked early (before berries, therefore poisonous) will act as a mild laxative. Oldtimers here say that in the spring time everyone in the family was encouraged to eat poke salet and get things moving after a winter of sitting around


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

tab said:


> fighting the purslane (I hate that stuff),QUOTE]
> 
> Oh don't hate the purslane!!
> If you don't want to eat it, you could feed it to your chickens and get eggs and meat so very high in Omega 3's!!
> Purslane rocks! It is amazing stuff!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I want to know if there is anything useful to be had from the plantain "seeds". Also, can one still gather the plantain "leaves" for food while the plant is seeding?


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

motdaugrnds said:


> I want to know if there is anything useful to be had from the plantain "seeds". Also, can one still gather the plantain "leaves" for food while the plant is seeding?


I just read somewhere that plantain seeds can be roasted and eaten as is or ground into flour.


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

motdaugrnds...funny you should ask about the plantain seeds. Psylum(sp) that is used to make over- the- counter laxative powder is derived from seeds in that family of plants. Leaves gathered for "greens"(salad or pot) are usually best quality before the plant matures enough to seed. Can you still eat them...usually, yes. But they will be tougher and more strong in flavor. Just like say, an ear of corn cooked past it's prime or a bean with too large seed.

Wild plants are wonderful things. Just try to be sure of identification before sampling and when you do try something "new"(to you); do so in small amounts to see how YOUR body handles it. Allergies can be more than just uncomfortable....


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Oh don't hate the purslane!!
If you don't want to eat it, you could feed it to your chickens and get eggs and meat so very high in Omega 3's!!
Purslane rocks! It is amazing stuff![/QUOTE]

My chickens have been very well fed lately. They see the brown bucket and I do not even call them, they run at the sight of it. : ) I guess that makes me feel less wasteful, feeding the "weeds".

I know jewel weed is supposed to be soothing, especially for stinging nettles.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you Bee and Tinknal. Sure glad you two are here.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

We eat a lot of lambsquarter on salads, too. And, we often cook it and eat it as an alternative to spinich. If we had large quantities of lambsquarter that we wished to preserve, we would simply can it as if it were spinich.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

How does it come out canned?? Canned spinach is really mush and water, at least what I have tried pressure canning. not really worth it. I have had some luck canning swiss chard, but even that breaks down quite a bit


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

I have a ton of "weeds" that look like this and have googled images, but not sure my weeds are your weeds. Are they fuzzy only in spring? Don't see fuzzy on what i am looking at. It is 3 to 4 feet tall in my corn>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

beaglebiz said:


> How does it come out canned?? Canned spinach is really mush and water, at least what I have tried pressure canning. not really worth it. I have had some luck canning swiss chard, but even that breaks down quite a bit


greens do get soft when they are canned. and I would think that if you don't like canned spinich your not going to like the weeds canned either. I have tryed freezing greens and we won't eat them. So it is really a matter of preference.
Try canning kale if you don't like canned spinich. It has been the best green I have canned yet.
But since were talking survival here, you learn to eat what you have.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

beaglebiz said:


> How does it come out canned?? Canned spinach is really mush and water, at least what I have tried pressure canning. not really worth it. I have had some luck canning swiss chard, but even that breaks down quite a bit


Well, it doesn't bother Popeye! What's good enough for Popeye is good enough for me!


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Cabin Fever said:


> Well, it doesn't bother Popeye! What's good enough for Popeye is good enough for me!


I bet you it isn't.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

po boy said:


> I have a ton of "weeds" that look like this and have googled images, but not sure my weeds are your weeds. Are they fuzzy only in spring? Don't see fuzzy on what i am looking at. It is 3 to 4 feet tall in my corn>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


its not really fuzz...more of an outer layer that shucks water...does that make sense?? match up the leaf shape, and chomp on one, you will know right away if you have it (tender, spinachy taste)
leaf is NOT shiny


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

When you pick it, the fuzz sort of comes off a little and the plants will feel a little "gritty". Like they've got sand or something on them.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

po boy said:


> I have a ton of "weeds" that look like this and have googled images, but not sure my weeds are your weeds. Are they fuzzy only in spring? Don't see fuzzy on what i am looking at. It is 3 to 4 feet tall in my corn>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>





beaglebiz said:


> its not really fuzz...more of an outer layer that shucks water...does that make sense??





Ernie said:


> When you pick it, the fuzz sort of comes off a little and the plants will feel a little "gritty". Like they've got sand or something on them.


It is a delicate, powdery white coating on the surface of certain fruits, leaves, etc. - microscopically minute grains of a waxy, crystallized substance produced by the plant that comes off when you rub it with your fingers. It's called a "bloom" and is protective of the surface of the plant, it's what you see on fruits like plums or grapes and on the leaves of certain plants. On some lambsquarters leaves it's so faint you can barely see it but if you turn the leaf in the sunlight you can notice the white coating doesn't reflect light very well so the green leaf doesn't look shiny. It is safe to eat. 

.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Ernie said:


> I bet you it isn't.


*SNORT*

WIHH could pin her ears back and swaller her whole......


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

ROFL poor girl!


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## gracie88 (May 29, 2007)

You can put some in your sauerkraut if you ferment your own. They don't get mushy that way and they add a little different flavor. I've had it with dandelion and nettle, I assume lamb's quarters and the others would work the same way.


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

Hey that's a great idea gracie! Wonder if you could just lacto ferment the greens themselves and how that might taste.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Leaf of what I believe is lambsqaurter

















Plants..


I do have a lot of this and trying to verify it is lambsquarter


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

thats the stuff I eat.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Most of that is the edible stuff, but you want to eat it before it gets to that stage. The bigger the plant, the tougher and less tasty the leaves.


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

When it gets bigger like that just pick off the small new leaves.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Thanks,

Some of the stuff in my corn was 4 ft tall....plants in the photo are about 18 inches......


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Just had deep fried beer battered milkweed blossoms with supper. Pretty good, especially with malt vinegar.


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

I second the nettle. Its good dried and pressed. A buddy of pressed them with pine nuts and flax seed oil to make this rather ugly but tasty wafers.

You should also look for jewel weed Ernie. Much good eating there. Handy to have when you are harvesting nettle. 

Chew apply to the area that is feeling the nettle and it goes away. Also good in salads. Companion plants most of the time and in abuandance where you might have buckeyes as well. Unfortunately they are not edible....the only but growing around here reliably. Paw-paws seem to do well in the same areas around here...whcih are edible and fantastic...paw-paw ice cream.

Good things!


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