Foraging dandelion greens

Now is the perfect time to forage for the perfect greens that commonly grow naturally in your own backyard. Yes, I am referring to dandelion greens. The dandelion plant is known as a common weed, but it is chalk full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Dandelions are what some people call a lawn nuisance, but I like to think of them as free health food.

These jagged, saw-toothed plants are edible from root to flower, and they are actually known as a superfood.

If you don't have a lawn full of dandelions, they are also available as a tea, supplements, and in some grocery stores, fresh dandelions can be purchased in the produce aisle.

Dandelion greens can be picked, rinsed, and cleaned, then eaten raw or cooked just like any other type of green that you may buy or grow in your home garden.

So why would you want to eat dandelions?

For one thing, dandelions are free food. They grow organically on the lawns of most residential homes, and for another reason, they are a powerhouse of nutrition. Dandelion greens have more nutrients than any other type of green that you'd grow in your home vegetable garden.

The entire dandelion plant is rich in fiber, contains antioxidant beta-carotene, and also contains vitamins A, C, E, and K, along with small traces of B vitamins, plus various minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

You can eat dandelions to treat anemia, constipation, and improve digestive health, among other things.

Dandelion plants are low-toxic. So they are generally safe for most people to eat. However, if you're allergic to ragweed and other plants that are related to ragweed, such as bonesets, daisies, echinacea, chrysanthemums, mugwort, and others, then it's possible that dandelions could cause you to have similar allergic reactions too since they are in the ragweed plant family.

Harvesting dandelions

First, I'd like to note that if you plan to harvest your own dandelion plants, do so in an area that hasn't been sprayed with chemicals. Also avoid foraging dandelions that are near city and state parks, sidewalks, farmer's fields, roadways, and ditches. All these areas have probably been sprayed with some type of chemical.

Use a small spade shovel or a paring knife to dig the dandelions up out of the soil. I used a small hand spade and dug around about an inch of the plant while holding up the dandelion leaves. Dandelion roots aren't massively big, and they're fairly easy to pluck out of the ground, similar to digging up carrots.

Shake the dirt off the roots and cover the hole with the loose dirt to prevent anyone from tripping in the holes.

Using fresh-picked dandelions

Before you do anything with your dandelion plants, make sure you soak them in water for a while, then rinse them well several times. They've been outside in the elements of nature and probably have even been stepped on, etc. So they're going to be extremely dirty.

Dandelion roots can be dehydrated and then ground into tea, and they can also be used as a coffee substitute, but you can also eat the entire root just as you'd eat carrots, radishes, and other root vegetables.

To dehydrate the dandelion roots, wash the roots well. Then place them on your dehydrator trays, leaving space between each piece. Set the dehydrator's temperature to 250 degrees. Dehydrate the roots until they become crispy. This will take several hours.

If you're wanting to dehydrate the roots to make tea and coffee, grind the roots in a blender or food processor for a few minutes. Then place the grounds on parchment-lined paper trays and dehydrate them. You can also wait to grind them until after they're dehydrated. I found that it's easier on my machine to grind them before they're dried.

The leaves, stems, and flowers of dandelions can all be dehydrated, steeped, cooked, or simply eaten raw in salads or by themselves. Happy foraging!

Resources:

Malia Frey, M.A. (2021) Dandelion Greens Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits, Verywell Fit. Available at: https://www.verywellfit.com/dandelion-greens-nutrition-facts-4582373 (Accessed: 06 June 2023).

Link, R. (2022) Dandelion Root vs. Dandelion Greens, Dr. Axe. Available at: https://draxe.com/nutrition/dandelion-root/ (Accessed: 06 June 2023).

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

Broadleaf plantain and its uses

Broadleaf plantain and its uses

Broadleaf plantain is most commonly known as a weed that's just another type of lawn nuisance to many homeowners. However, this common weed is edible, it's packed full of calcium and vitamins A, C, and K, and it can be used medicinally for multiple purposes.

Identifying broadleaf plantains

The broadleaf plantain has broad, oval-shaped leaves. The plant is dark green and grows in a rosette shape. They grow long, small, spiked pods with dark seeds in the center of the plants. In the photo above, you can visually see what the plant looks like.

This gem of a plant is not only edible, but it can also be used medicinally to treat chronic diarrhea and fatigue and boost immunity. Plus, it can also be used for treating wounds, burns, bug bites, etc.

If you plan to eat broadleaf plantains fresh in salads and on sandwiches, look for young, tender plants to pick. Because they will be less chewy. By all means, you can still pick the larger leaves to cook in various other ways. You can also make homemade medicinal tea, natural tinctures, and extracts for topical use.

To use plantain on open wounds, blisters, sores, skin burns, and bug bites, crush some fresh plantain leaves, then apply it directly where it's needed on your skin.

When harvesting broadleaf plantains, do so in an area where pesticides, fungicides, or insecticides haven't been used. Avoid harvesting when they grow near roads and ditches.

In conclusion, it's true that I never thought I would live in times where food and medicine prices are soaring out of control, but I am so grateful that I spent the majority of my life learning about wild edibles and their uses.

I have always believed that for every ailment, there's a natural remedy growing wild, and I always felt deep in my core that it was vital to know. I hope that this article is useful to those of you who are looking for this type of information.

Like with any other plant, wash the broadleaf plantain well before using it.

Resources:

Welch, S. (2020) How to use plantain herb for common ailments, Farm and Dairy. Available at: https://www.farmanddairy.com/top-stories/how-to-use-plantain-herb-for-common-ailments/626622.html#:~:text=Make%20a%20tea%20using%201,and%20soothe%20and%20reduce%20inflammation. (Accessed: 18 August 2023).

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© 2025 Olden Oasis

oldenoasis.blogspot.com

Chickens' Favorite Snacks: Edible Weeds!

Chickens' Favorite Snacks: Edible Weeds!

Did you know that chickens love to munch on weeds? Not all weeds are safe for them to eat, but there are some that are not only safe but also beneficial for their health. Let's take a look at some edible weeds that chickens can safely eat and the benefits they provide.

Benefits of Edible Weeds for Chickens

Nutritional Value

Edible weeds are packed with vitamins and minerals that can help keep your chickens healthy. They provide a variety of nutrients that are essential for their growth and overall well-being.

Foraging Fun

Allowing your chickens to forage for edible weeds can provide them with mental stimulation and entertainment. It gives them a chance to explore their surroundings and engage in natural behaviors. Plus, it's free entertainment for you to sit back and watch!

Safe Edible Weeds for Chickens

Dandelion

Dandelions are a favorite snack for chickens. They are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and iron. Chickens love to peck at the bright yellow flowers and crunchy leaves. All parts of the dandelion plant are edible, even the roots.

Clover

Clover is another safe and nutritious weed for chickens to eat. It is high in protein and fiber, making it a great addition to their diet. Chickens enjoy nibbling on the small, round leaves of clover plants.

Chickweed

Chickweed is a common weed that chickens love to eat. It is high in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and calcium. Chickens will happily munch on the tender leaves and stems of chickweed plants.

There are also other safe edible weeds for chickens like pigweed, nettle, purslane, plantains, and even grass.

Conclusion

Next time you see some weeds growing in your yard, consider letting your chickens have a snack. Not only will they enjoy the foraging experience, but they will also benefit from the nutritional value of these edible weeds. Happy snacking, little chicks!

Just a friendly reminder: make sure to only harvest these weeds from areas that are free from chemicals for the health and well-being of your chickens.

Foraging for cattail plants

In my area I don't have to travel very far to find cattail plants. In fact, the plant grows very well alongside ponds, lakes, rivers, and even in road-side ditches. Today, I'm going to take you along with me while I show you how I uproot some cattail plants from a country roadside ditch. Plus, I will tell you a little bit about my experience and why I like foraging for these wild, perennial, aquatic plants that are often considered problematic for farmers.

Foraging is a hobby of mine and I love being outside in nature. I enjoy the search like a child enjoying a colorful Easter egg hunt. Foraging can be such a treat, especially if you know what you're looking for. 

Cattails happen to be really easy to identify. They reach three to four feet in height and sometimes even taller than that. In early spring, they emerge in semi-aquatic areas such as around the edges of ponds, rivers, lakes, and ditches. 

Cattail leaves are rather long, spike-like curved swords and are yellowish-green and dark green in color. The plant forms brown colored flower heads in midsummer. To me, the brown spikes resemble a candlestick with a wick, but some people think they look like big brown cigars. The plant's flower heads open up in the fall and show its seeds (fluff). Cattails have long and sturdy stocks, with a medium-sized root. 

At this particular time, the cattails haven't yet formed their flower heads; that will be happening soon within the coming weeks. The flower heads can be cut off the plant to be boiled and buttered, or roasted before they begin opening.

Why would you want to eat cattail plants?

Every single part of the cattail plant in its entirety is edible. The plant shoots taste very similar to a cucumber. So, if you like cucumbers more than likely, you'd like to eat cattail shoots too. 

Once the plants grow above three feet in height above the water, uproot them, wash, and peel them. (Always make sure they're washed and cleaned thoroughly before preparing them to eat.) 

Cattails are really delicious, chopped up and used in stir-fries, stews, casseroles, or to be cooked, chopped, and added to pasta salads. However, my favorite way to prepare cattails is to actually pickle their white shoots (Cossack asparagus). The shoots can be found underneath the layers of the plant's green leaves. The lower parts of the green leaves can also be eaten and tossed into a salad, soup, or sauté as well, so don't toss them out.

Various parts of the cattails are best harvested at certain times of the year. The flowering heads only happen around mid-summer. However, cattail roots can be harvested all throughout the year, even during the winter. 

Should you be interested in harvesting the roots to make homemade flour, I would suggest you wait until the plants mature in late fall and early winter because the roots are bigger then. Before grinding the cattail roots into flour, they first need to be peeled and then dried. (Note: cattail flour is not gluten free.)

Cattails are really nutritional and they contain certain vitamins and minerals, which are: beta carotene, iron, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B-6, vitamin K, and vitamin C.

Collecting cattail plants

First, always watch for snakes when you're foraging for cattails. I often see snakes swimming around the plants in the water during both spring and summer.

Since we are headed for a drought, this location had very little water for me to wade through to get to the cattail plants. As you can see, a lot of the leaves have turned brown and the plants aren't nearly as big as they usually get this time of year.

The plants generally are easy to pull up by hand since they're normally grown in standing water. To collect them, grab the inner stalk of the plant low and pull upwards. With a good tug, they should pull straight up without breaking the plant. As y'all can see in the photo above, I am holding the camera and taking photographs all while I am pulling the cattails up out of the ground.

The cattails I have uprooted today are close to being five feet in height. I know this because I am 4 feet, 9 inches tall and the cattails were actually taller than me. 

The flowering heads haven't yet emerged from the centers of the plants, yet here at my location. 

Note:

Do not harvest cattails to eat if they're in locations where there's a lot of pollution. And remember to always wash and cook each part of the plant thoroughly to avoid water-borne illnesses.

Cattails can also be grown in large pots for outside container gardens. If you're interested in planting them in containers, you'll need to submerge their pots in water about one inch above the rim of the containers. To prevent the plants from spreading, cut off the flower spikes before they open.

Cattails have multiplied in some Arkansas farmers' rice fields over the past few years. So, in some areas, they're considered invasive because they grow rapidly and crowd out other aquatic plant species.

Resources:

Cattail Nutrition. (n.d.). Prospre. https://www.prospre.io/ingredients/cattail-7433