Pages

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Cultivating Wild Edibles

So this is not a new idea but I would like to pose the idea of not only eating what grows in your lawn but actually encouraging it. There is a farmucopia of wild edible, herbal plants growing all around us waiting to be remembered and honored for their abundant number of uses. Many of these plants, roots, flowers, leaves, seeds etc are already being consumed by a large population of people in expensive teas, daily-multis, skin care,  and many more products. Why not gather some info and make your own creations, fused with your intention, and picked locally by you.  Just outside my back door I can readily pick dandelions, plantain, burdock, lambs-quarter, sheep sorrel, chickweed, red clover, raspberry leaves, birch bark, barberry, rose petals, forsythia, salomon's and false salomon's seal, purslane, pigweed, japanese knotweed, arborvitae, juniper berries, plus more.

When you begin to identify these plants why not cater to them and encourage their growth. If they are spotted in your lawn don't mow over them. Mark them with sticks, let them grow and seed, spread thin layers of compost over them. STOP Spraying weed killers and using chemical fertilizers!! These substances not only destroy incredibly useful plants but these practices are contaminating wildlife creating a shockwave (ripple effect) only increasing in size, transcending down to future generations in a way we wouldn't even want to imagine. LET THESE PLANTS LIVE and lets rekindle an old relationship with them. Our ancestors had a great deal of knowledge on how to locate, responsibly and respectfully harvest, prepare and administer these plants. It should be our duty to retain and pass on this information to others.

If you are interested in learning more about different wild edibles and possibly setting up a weed identification walk please show interest and I will make every attempt to set up a time and place. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Bliss and Blessings