Eat Garden Weeds & Redbud Flowers!
May 21-30
Wildflowers at the Sacramento Historic Cemetery
21 Led walk through Sacramento Cemetery; Tasted Wild Grape Jam, Miner’s Lettuce, Manzanita Cider
22 Pulled young mallow greens from the garden while weeding. The young greens are good in salad and the older greens can be steamed like spinach.
23 I tasted Mock Orange leaves today, reportedly good as a salad. I think they are pretty good, with a hint of citrus.
Wild Watercress
24 I enjoyed wild watercress salad at dinner. Gathered Douglas-Fir Tips for Vitamin C tea. Bring water to a boil and steep 2 tablespoons of fir tips per cup of water.
Manzanita Muffins with Redbud Flowers
25 Taught Wild Edible Class at Sacramento Coop: Manzanita salad dressing over wild weeds (Chickweed, Mallow, Miner’s Lettuce) and topped with Redbud flowers; Manzanita Muffins with Redbud Flowers; Oak Nut demonstration
26 Nettles; Picked from the garden (with gloves) and dried for tea. My friend and colleague Matt Berry, suggests the following, “Cook or dry the leaves to destroy their stinging property. Steam or boil leaves just like spinach, put them into soup or tea. Dried leaves can be re constituted or ground up into a meal and used raw or in baked goods. Highly nutritious with lots of vitamin C and A. Seeds can also be eaten (gather by hanging flowering plant upside down with sheet underneath).
Chickweed
27 Chickweed salad pulled from the garden while doing my spring weeding. This is my first year to really eat Chickweed regularly and I love it. You can substitute it for basil and blend it into pesto!
Mugwort Bug Spray at Tahoe's Earth Day
28 Taught class at Lake Tahoe’s Earth Day (tahoercd.org) and demonstrated making Mugwort bug spray. Fill a mason jar with Mugwort. Cover with hot water and steep overnight. Strain into a spray bottle.
Star Tulip Bulbs
29 Star Tulip Bulbs. Delicious raw or in a stir fry. To ensure a sustainable supply, don’t gather more than 10% of an area with an abundant supply; Gathered bright green Fir tips.
30 Dandelion greens stir-fried with garlic and peppers.
