BLOG REPOST: Eating the dandelion day by day

This week's repost is one I did on the joys of eating dandelion flowers; note Binky, my yorkie, has since passed away but still keep Chile away from Romeo- especially if she is licking her chops!

My apologies to Lord Tennyson. This post is dedicated to Ms. Chile- who advocates eating bugs, rats and god knows what else (keep her away from my yorkie!) - This is but a simple weed flower, that grows in everybody's yard, especially mine- finally something that Everyone can grow and harvest! Y'all welcome to stop by and get all the dandelion flowers you want!

Dandelion Fritter Recipe and a video:

DIY Biodegradable Weedblocker

You may or may not know that I am a fan of weed blockers. Not the fabric or the plastic types. I use cardboard or newsprint. People leave newspapers at work. Companies and orginizations send them to me in the mail (not requested BTW). Anyway, "BRODIEMAC" on instructables.com shows how to use newsprint to make your summer weed free!

Adventures in Foraging

Since I cannot find a class on foraging, I am forced to take matters into my own two hands. I have had some success lately. I have foraged pineapple weed and red and white clover tops for tea.

Pineapple Weed

Pineapple weed grows in compacted earth, and gravel drives and roads. It only takes a tablespoon of fragrant flower heads to make a cup of tea (or so I read)
Clover heads- I find both red and white at vacant lots in in Town. I pick the heads and dry them for tea

Red Clover Flower is a general detoxifying (blood cleanser) herb.
Red Clover Flower is a source of phytoestrogens said to help with hot flashes and general menopause support.
Red Clover Flower has a pleasant sweet taste. Historically, tea made of the red clover flower has been used as an antispasmodic, expectorant, a mild sedative, and a blood purifier; additionally, the tea has been used for asthma, bronchitis and respiratory spasms.
These flowers also make a good herb tea, although red clover is less labor intensive to collect and more healthful. This common, widespread plant also favors sunny meadows and lawns.
So I am gathering my guts and trying some foraging. Don't get me wrong- I still want to take a class on foraging, but feel a bit better about going on my own.

White Clover uses: Leaves of white clover are edible, raw or cooked. The young leaves are best harvested before the plant flowers, and can be used in salads, soups etc. They can be used as a vegetable, cooked like spinach. Flowers and seed pods have been dried, ground into a powder and used as a flour or sprinkled on cooked foods such as boiled rice. The young flowers can also be eaten raw in salads. The root can be eaten if cooked first. A sweet herb tea is made from the fresh or dried flowers. It is considered delicate. The dried leaves impart a vanilla flavor if mixed into cakes etc.

If you read this and get an urge to forage:

PLEASE! DO NOT FORAGE UNLESS YOU ARE

100% SURE OF WHAT YOU ARE FORAGING!