This is one in a series of very short articles that will hopefully change your mind about some surprisingly good weeds. And even if your mind isn't changed, you'll still be well informed.
I used to think chickweed was an interesting weed, then I found out it was good to eat and had other uses too! I'm encouraging it to naturalize in parts of the yard. But it was already growing by the dry creek! Near the Elderberry that I put out there!
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
Integrity can never be taken. It can only be given, and I wasn't going to give it up to these people. Gary Mowad
Interesting...I have to remember to look for it in the spring...I am sure I have it, but just never realized it's value. Is there a way to get this thread to run in the spring?
Sharon, I am taking your advice and reading the other 'let em grow' threads. So here I am reading all about the virtues of chickweed, my most abundant weed, um, plant. Next spring I may give eating chickweed a try. I remember the first time I heard that daylily blooms were edible. Thought the person was crazy. I passed on the info to a friend this year and he looked at me like I was crazy! I had to eat one first before he would try it.
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
Now that just made me smile again!
All that information that our ancestors had, somehow got lost in the crowd of our todays, didn't it, Vickie. If I hadn't grown up when I did and with two little old ladies who made do with living off the land, I wouldn't have known either.
I graze a lot when I'm outside, but only if I have a water source so I can give everything a good shower first.
Too funny, Sharon! I was just thinking the same thing about the sanitation issue of eating plants from the yard.
Our ancestors were pretty ingenious and you are right, we have lost so much informaton. I have a sister who really appreciates and lives the dream of living off the land. She and her husband love all the old ways and I have learned some things from her. She used to work at the living farm at Lincoln State Park here in Indiana and had to demonstrate how families lived back in the 1800's.
Although you may have sometimes wished for a more luxurious life, you were blessed by the rich experiences and knowledge of those two little old ladies. I bet you could write a book:)
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
Even in the middle of my more luxurious days, I could still be caught grazing around outside!
The Land Between the Lakes here used to have 'The Farm' within its interior. Same as your sister, it was a living 1880s farm recreated and people lived there and worked the farm.
It has since been closed, apparently due to the economy.
Sad to lose it.
Woohoo! I spotted the first patch of chickweed of the winter!
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
Integrity can never be taken. It can only be given, and I wasn't going to give it up to these people. Gary Mowad
Name: Kim Iowa (Zone 5a) I kill ornamentals... on purpose.
I used to buy a chickweed salve, but then started making my own. We cannot go through enough salve to even begin using all the chickweed we have, so this spring I started throwing it into my salad. All greens were harvested from the yard except the bit of Romaine in the garden.
