# I just put up 6 packages ...



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

With what I'm hearing over the news about our foods, I prefer to trust what we grow ourselves.

Some of the wild plants are ready to be harvested; so I am taking advantage of them this year. I just put up 6 packages of fresh "Plantago lanceolata" buckhorn plantain. I took the tops off a few plants, washed them, blanched & dipped in ice water, then packaged them for the freezer. Our "Rumex crispus" Curly Dock is also ready and will be digging up some of those roots to preserve. Also the wild garlic bulbs are getting large.

There is, also, another plant growing in abundance I am considering harvesting; but not quite sure. It looks like a "young" Goldenrod ("Solidago sp"); however, I have only been able to be sure of the identity of "mature" goldenrods.

Gathering all these wild plants may seem foolish to many; but it is exciting to me.


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## laughaha (Mar 4, 2008)

Don't forget about the Leeks/Ramps!!!!


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Not silly not silly @ all.
I actaually have plaintain growing well soon it will be growing in my yard. 
Hmm oh family dinner's on the table.

~~ pelenaka ~~


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Wish we had "leeks"!

I put up only "one" package of curly dock because I could not find enough "young" leaves to be sure the dish would be good. (I waited too long to harvest what I found this year.) The roots are "medicinal" and I cannot find anywhere that states they can be used as a food dish; so I won't be digging those up.


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## cygknit (Apr 8, 2011)

I think it's neat! My old landlord used to bring us wild things all the time and it was such an adventure to prepare and eat. I trusted his wisdom, but not my own, so I'm impressed in your skill!


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Yellow dock roots...FALL dug... are great in Apple Cider Vinegar. The vinegar is then used for marinades, salads, on greens and mixed with water and consumed for an Iron rich tonic.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Marinemomtatt, "fall" dug? Why in the fall?


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Spring brings growth, which means the roots are giving up energy and nutrients to the growing plant. Fall has nice juicy nutrient full roots for Winter hibernation. The same can be said for Dandelion roots, though some folks say that spring dug dandy's are sweeter. Burdock roots are also fall dug between their first and second years.
A Spring dug root is sort of limp and wimpy, a fall dug is firm.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you marinemomtatt. 

Do you use the burdock roots for any type of dish (for a meal)? These smell somewhat like turnips; so I am wondering if they can be cooked and eaten like turnips.


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## kenworth (Feb 12, 2011)

My Aunt Emma recently fed me Poke greens mixed with beet tops while in FL. I can't wait until she gets back up home here in MI to have her show me the Poke greens here.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Isn't it wonderful to discover new foods? Did you think to ask your Aunt Emma what other wild plants she prepared for meals? Mother's favorite green was Poke greens. I found half a dozen starting to up again this year and can hardly wait for them to grow.

I found 2 types of plantain today ("major" .. broad leaf and "lanceolata" .. buckhorn). I also found 2 types of dock ("crispus" .. curly leaf and "obtusifolius" ... broad leaf). Gathered some for processing as greens throughout the year.


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## kenworth (Feb 12, 2011)

Sorry motdaugrnds, I was so busy eating the greens along with wild caught fried catfish and listening to other family stories.

My Mom talks about preparing dock and lambsquarter, but I have no idea about plant identification. I would love to eat more wild greens, but don't know where to start. Even the Poke kinda scares me.


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## Charly (Feb 20, 2010)

How are you folks using your plantain? Harvesting? Preserving? Do you use it for medicinal purposes too? 
Thanks.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Kenworth, Poke is easy to recognize now; but I had to learn to recognize them by waiting until they put out the black berries. (The berries are said to be poisonous so we do not eat them; however, I've seen my goats munch down on them without negative repercusions.) Once you can identify the plant, start with only the leaves as those are the only parts I'm sure enough to feed my family. I harvest only the younger leaves and ones that do "not" have any red colors on them.

Charly, the plantain is better tasting than spinach! Since we have 2 types, we use the leaves from both. I simply wash well and steam them with some butter like I would spinach (until they wilt). I don't even salt them. They are sweet!

The dock is sweet too "only after it has been parboiled".

Chickweed is a great-tasting green too, as is lambsquarter. (I never buy spinach anymore.)


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## Charly (Feb 20, 2010)

Thanks for the tips on using the plantain. Sounds yummy. I'll have to try it. I know I've got lots of the broadleaf kind here. Anyone preserve it in some way?


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Charly, I recently put up about a dozen packages of plantain and have enough washed and ready to be blanched in the fridge for about 6 more packages. (I use quart-size baggies to freeze it in "after" it is blanched for about a minute; then cooled off quickly in ice water. I always add water to my freezer bags; then get out the air like I do with all our meats.) When preparing frozen vegies for a meal, I get a small amount of water to boiling with whatever seasoning I want, then drop the frozen "leaf-type" vegetable into the boiling water only long enough for it to get hot.


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## Astrid (Nov 13, 2010)

kenworth said:


> My Aunt Emma recently fed me Poke greens mixed with beet tops while in FL. I can't wait until she gets back up home here in MI to have her show me the Poke greens here.



Just be sure to boil them in 3 changes of water and to only pick them in the spring before the stems become red. 

I also like to harvest poke root in the fall. I make tinctures out of them. You also have to be careful of those tinctures because 1 drop is enough.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Astrid what do you use the tinctures for? Also, why boil poke salat 3 times?


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## sbanks (Dec 19, 2010)

Please post pics so some of us will know what they look like.

can you put up chickweed? We have poke but no one eats it. Guess we
would if it was the last thing we had.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Burdock...besides its medicinal use, it is quite tasty in stews/soups, we also like it and carrots simmered in a combo of Soy sauce, Saki, water and sugar/honey...so tasty!
Some folks also use the young leaf stems like Asparagus (I've never tried it).

I have loads of Plantain but the majority of it is where we free range the Chickens...I 'know' where those chicken feet have been, ick!


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## am1too (Dec 30, 2009)

I have a plant that seems to have invaded the area a couple years ago. It looks like dandelion except it has pedals instead of the mum type flower. Any body have an idea what it is?


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

sbanks, I give the botanical name for easy googling.

I have not put up chickweed yet because I just found it this year and it cooks so quickly, less than a minute or two in hot water. I figure if I were to blanch it, then freeze it, I might not have anything to eat but mush when I take it out of the freezer to feed my family. (I might try to freeze some without blanching it.)

marinemomtatt, I must try that recipe. Thanks for sharing it.

am1too, it is extremely difficult to identify a plant without a "very, very" good picture of it.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Here's the recipe for the Burdock root.

4 oz. Carrot, scraped and cut lengthwise into strips approx. 6in. 1/4 in.square
4 oz. Burdock root, peel, cut crosswise, then lengthwise into strips same as carrot. soak in water containing 1 tsp. vinegar for 5 mins. to prevent browning drain and rinse.
Bring to boil 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. soy sauce, and 1 tsp. Sake. Add carrot and burdock and boil until done...about 5 mins....or more.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you marinemomtatt. To be sure....what you are calling "burdock" root is the root of the "curly" or "broadleaf" DOCK (either "rumex crispus" or "rumex obtusifolius"). Correct?


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Burdock: Arctium lappa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctium_lappa


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