Category Archives: foraging
Redroot Pigweed
Some tasty greens are beginning to emerge. I saw some young lambsquarter recently and now redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) is showing itself. If you like mild cooked greens reminiscent of beet greens, spinach or Swiss chard this one’s for you. … Continue reading
Sheep Sorrel
Some wild plants seem to intrigue kids. Sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella) is one of them. Its leaves have an arrowhead shape and their flavor is sour like a combination of lemon and sour apple. Yes, they are edible, so these … Continue reading
Spring Salad
The name sounds a little imposing, but fear not. Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) forms the backbone of a fine salad if collected when young. Older specimens can be bitter, particularly when they are flowering, so don’t eat them. Prickly lettuce … Continue reading
Prehistoric neighbors
We are fast approaching the breeding season of the common snapping turtle. Pretty soon we will notice turtles in places we rarely see them, like our backyards and our flowerbeds. They invade our space to lay their eggs. Otherwise they … Continue reading
Sounds of Spring
These warm spring evenings bring out familiar sounds. The most distinctive one is the call of the male spring peeper, which reminds some of crickets chirping. At less than an inch and a half long, spring peepers are the tiniest … Continue reading
Soldier’s herb
Few lawn weeds are despised as much as broadleaf plantain (Plantago major). Maybe we should hold our contempt a little bit. I’m not saying we should want it in our front or even our backyard, but let’s recognize its merits. … Continue reading
Dandelions aren’t all bad
As spring emerges yellow flowers do too, all over our yards. One is the buttercup, which is poisonous. The other is the dandelion. I’m no big fan of them, but I do realize they have their edible and medicinal merits. … Continue reading
Shepherd’s Purse
Cool weather seems to bring out all those cabbage relatives. Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is no exception. One nice thing is that most crucifers are edible. What isn’t so nice is they all tend to get the same diseases. Shepherd’s … Continue reading
Daffodils: Signs of Spring
The daffodils are beginning to bloom. Those glorious yellow trumpets are springing up everywhere, signaling spring is almost here. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for them, but never one in my stomach. Daffodils and all related … Continue reading
Two Spring Mints
Look around in our soon to be planted fields and you’ll see a mass of pink to purple. The two likely culprits are henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) and dead nettle (Lamium purpurea). Both are exotic invaders from the mint family and … Continue reading
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