foraging wild greens (aka "free groceries")

"the woods and fields are a table always spread"
ila hatter (lady of the forest)

it's nice to have a garden
but many times we pull 'weeds' that actually
have more nutrition than the things we planted
in our gardens in the first place.
ie. iceberg lettuce vs lambs quarters


in 1 oz raw lambs quarters @ 12 calories:
Calcium 86.5 mg
Vitamin A 3248 IU
Vitamin C 22.4 mg
Protein 1.2 g
Omega-3 fatty acids 10.1 mg
Omega-6 fatty acids 87.6 mg
and much much more...

try getting that out of a pale iceberg oz! :)

here is a quick video i enjoyed this morning
and wanted to pass it on-



and a portion of an article:

Free Groceries, Safely Foraging For Wild Foods


Tools For Foraging

So, you have a warm day ahead of you and you are ready to fill your larder with wild foods! What are some of the tools that you need to take with you?

Here is a list of the basics, as you gain experience there are things you will want to add to it.

1. A good, sharp pocket knife. This is good for cutting stems, pieces of roots etc.
2. Moisture-proof bags. You can use zipper closure bags, recycle plastic grocery bags, or sew your own drawstring bags with waterproof fabric. You need to be able to keep things separate.
3. A small shovel or trowel for digging up edible roots.
4. A pictorial Guide to edible plants in your area. Sometimes it is hard to tell what something is from just the description. A good pictorial guide is invaluable!
5. A moist washcloth in a waterproof bag for cleaning your hands.

Gathering Food

Be sure that you get permission to forage on private property and be careful about foraging in state parks and preserves. Always make sure that you are acting with in the laws. Don't overlook your own front yard, though. One year we had dandelion greens several times a week harvested from our own front yard! If you have a few acres it is even more likely that you will be able to find natural foods at home. Like anything, the ability to find edible wild plants successfully has alot to do with preparation and practice.

A good rule of thumb is to take only what you need. Remember, the plants will die out if over harvested. Don't let the materialism mentality create greed. It is important that you learn to be a good steward of the bounty of nature. Taking too much of a plant will kill it, taking too many plants form a patch will mean less plants next year and eventually no plants at all. By foraging carefully you will both preserve nature and learn to live in harmony with the cycles of it.

Decide what you are o.k. with. For example, are you going to stick to plants and nuts or are you going to do some hunting as well? Are you willing to try crayfish, frog legs, or wild duck eggs? What about turtles? By adding hunting and fishing to your list, and keeping an open mind, you will increase your ability to glean wild eats.


Amazon
The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
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A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide) A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide)
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The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants
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Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide
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Nature's Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants Nature's Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
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Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt To Plate (The Wild Food Adventure) Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt To Plate (The Wild Food Adventure)
Price: $16.27
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Some Wild Recipes

Following are some ways to prepare the free groceries you find. Again, if you are ever in doubt about the safety of a plant best to leave it alone!

Acorns:

Acorns are nearly everywhere and are amazingly versatile little nuts if prepared properly. The bitter taste is from the tannin so it is important to be sure to get all of that out before making your recipe. This is called leaching.

1. Crack the acorn using a hammer and shell.

2. Place in a blender with about a quart or so of water and pulse for a few seconds to make the skins come off and float. Skim the skins off and repeat until no more skins come off.
3. Grind the acorns in the water until it turns white
4. Pour the milky liquid through a sieve into a bowl. The material in the sieve should be ground again and then the process repeated.

5. Pour liquid in the bowl through a cheesecloth into another bowl. This material needs to be leached again. Add it to another container of water, shake up and then let set for 10 -20 minutes. Strain again through cheesecloth let sit overnight covered with water. All the milky liquid that passes through the sieve and cheesecloth should be allowed to settle overnight.
6. Pour the water off and cook equal parts of meal and water, about 1/4c each, to check for tannin. Tannin wil lbe easily recognizable by a bitter taste or the mouth feeling dry.

7. IF tannin is detected repeat the leaching process. If not then continue with the recipe.

Acorn Pancakes

2/3 c finely ground acorn meal

2/3 c unbleached flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4c Honey

1 egg (chicken, or duck, goose is too big) beaten

1 1/4 c milk

1/4 c melted butter

Combine dry ingredients. Mix egg, honey, butter, and milk and add to dry ingredients. Spoon onto hot griddle and turn when top begins to bubble.

Makes 10-12

Cattails:

Cattail roots can be dried, ground, and used as flour. The pollen can be used as an extender to flour and also adds a unique flavor.But the easiest way to eat them is as follows, based on a recipe from Prodigal Gardens.

Cattails-on-the-Cob with Garlic Butter

30-40 cattail flowerheads, peeled

Garlic butter:

½ cup unsalted butter

½ teaspoon salt

12 garlic cloves, crushed 1 c fresh basil or cilantro Make garlic butter in a food processor by whipping the butter, salt, fresh garlic and basil together until smooth.

1. Boil cattail flowerheads in water for 10 minutes

2. Make garlic butter in a food processor by whipping the butter, salt, fresh garlic and basil together until smooth.

3. Drain the cattail flowerheads and cover them generously with the garlic butter.

4. Eat them just like miniature corn on the cobs.

from Prodigal Gardens.

Milkweed:

The unopened buds of milkweed can be boiled and eaten like broccoli

Dandelion :

The roots can be sauteed with onion and garlic in some olive oil.

Leaves are delicious sauteed with onion, garlic, mushrooms, and bacon.

Sunflower Buds:

Can be steamed and eaten like an artichoke

This is by no means a complete list. Be sure and get a couple of books on the subject and start slowly. Gathering wild foods is a satisfying way to eat organic and save money doing it. There is something empowering about knowing that you can survive without a Kroger if you need to.

and foraging for wild greens:

In his book "Stalking the Wild Asparagus," Euell Gibbons noted how the first sign of spring would be not the robins on the lawn, but the Italians who would swarm out from town to gather winter cress from fields and ditches. Here are a few lines from the book, originally published in 1962:

"The suburban dweller seldom bothers to identify the plant which the immigrants are so eagerly collecting. Such knowledge is strictly for squares. He is satisfied to refer to it merely as "some weed the Italians eat." We have come to a poor pass when we think that allowing ourselves to be bilked because of our own ignorance contributes to our status. And still we think we have a mission to teach the rest of the world "the American way." Heaven forbid this kind of thinking. We do have some things to teach, but we also have many things to learn from other cultures. Unless we realize that cultural exchange is a two-way street, we shall fail, and much of the ancient and precious wisdom now residing in the simple peoples of the world will be lost."

Ponder that thought for a while.



hope you enjoyed a little bit on foraging
and don't be afraid to eat your weeds
(just be sure you know what they are first!)
xoxo
snowdrop

fresh wheatgrass is powerful

today's blog is a compilation of info i have scoured and put together for you.
if you are not looking to grow & juice wheatgrass just yet,
maybe you'll want to book mark this post for later referencing.
there is alot of good info available
especially be sure to download the free book 'why suffer'
the first half i was having a hard time putting it down
so very interesting.

i bought a little miracle wheatgrass juicer yesterday
and wow was it worth it!!!
i have a green star juicer already, so this is a real luxury for me
owning 2 juicers now.
but i gotthis little one 2nd hand at a really nice price.
the great thing about it is (well, there are many great things about it...)
it is small and easy to use, clean and away in a minimal amount of time
especially when only making 2 oz at a time.
it is light (6.5 lbs)
it squeezed even more juice out of the fiber
and it is easy- did i mention that yet? :)

ok, enough of my giddy excitement..
on with the info....


As fresh wheatgrass is a complete food for many animals, it is no surprise that is packed full of essential nutrients. These include proteins in the form of amino acids, a vast array of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and phytonutrients, ideal for those seeking maximum cell vitality, which is a foundation for good health. A shot of wheatgrass juice is like a single complete supplement. It is a source of B vitamins, including vitamin B12, folic acid, and also vitamins A, C, E. Wheatgrass also contains minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and selenium. Wheatgrass juice has so many properties that we need to take seriously in today's world, full of stress, toxins and poor eating habits. The benefits of drinking wheatgrass can be seen in many ways - increased vitality, well-being and energy levels.
http://www.wheatgrass-uk.com/aboutwheatgrass.html

Wheatgrass Juice and Wheat Allergies Wheatgrass is grown from the wheat seed or berry which is farmed widely in almost every US state and around the globe. People with wheat allergies need not be concerned when consuming wheatgrass juice. Wheatgrass is a leafy green and is different altogether from the grain and refined grain products that people often develop allergies to. Wheatgrass does not contain the gluten found in the grain, which is the component of wheat often causing people problems. Please visit www.sproutman.com for detailed proof and research reguarding wheatgrass and sprouts. Grass is also a complete protein when grown in a soil base. There is also plenty of protein in a proper raw vegetarian diet, and it is digestible protein.
http://www.hippocratesinst.org/Wheatgrass.aspx

WHY SUFFER?
For a free ebook download of Ann Wigmore's book,
Click Here:
http://www.chidiet.com/whysuffer.pdf

According to Ann Wigmore, the founder of wheatgrass healing, wheatgrass juice:
* cleanses and builds your blood,
* improves skin and hair,
* builds muscle and endurance
* fights infections,
* lowers blood pressure,
* dissolves tumors,
* acts as an appetite suppressant.

If you have already decided you want wheatgrass to be part of your health plan so you will live to be old with your mind and health intact, then you have a few choices:

* Buy wheatgrass juice daily at the juice bar - $3-5 a day.
* Buy wheatgrass online and shipped overnight - $18 and up per pound.
* Buy flats of wheatgrass at the farmer's market - $15-25 a tray.
* Or grow your own trays of wheatgrass at home - less than $2.00 a tray.

WHEATGRASS JUICE
All this information is quoted from the books below which I strongly recommend. They are also filled with heartening stories of recoveries from serious illness and improvements in physical endurance. There is a lot of material on the Net about wheatgrass for you to investigate. This is just the beginning of what it can do for you. Wheatgrass juice is a complete food with no toxic side affects. It contains all of the vitamins and most of the minerals needed for human maintenance and well-being. It is also a complete protein with about 30 enzymes and is approximately 70% crude chlorophyll. It acts as a natural appetite suppressant so usually adding wheatgrass juice to your diet will cause you to balance your weight at the optimum for you. When you notice what you put into your system every day you will realize that we are experimenting on ourselves in a way that has never before been imagined. The chemical additives, sugar, salt and empty calories of our typical diet are cheating our bodies of real nourishment. They also keep it busy removing things they can't recognize as food instead of building strength and vitality. "Food's magic is based on thousands of complex interactions of dozens of different phytochemicals which are difficult to recreate in pills. While 190 solid studies prove the fruit-and-vegetable benefit, supplements have only a smattering of evidence" --- Dr. John Potter PhD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA Dr. G.H. Earp Thomas, scientific researcher, considers Wheatgrass chlorophyll "the richest nutritional liquid known to man." Our vitamin pills with their components extracted or created in the laboratory are often not assimilated well by the body. Our bodies just don't recognize them. The vitamins and minerals present in wheatgrass juice are recognized by the body as food. Ann Wigmore, who was the first person to investigate and promote wheatgrass juice in this country and started the Hippocrates Institute, includes evidence in her books of the blood cleansing and building abilities of chlorophyll, its effect on the circulatory system and oxygen supply, and its role in detoxifying and regenerating the liver. She thought that deficiency and toxemia are the causes of all disease. By eating the modern American diet of mostly cooked, highly processed, nutritionally empty food we cause our bodies to become clogged, like pouring sugar in your car's gas tank. By cleansing the body with wheatgrass juice you give it more opportunity to heal itself. Drugs may take away symptoms, but at some cost to the body, while cleansing our systems will actually allow the body to heal itself from disease. Life and health and the workings of the body are still mostly a mystery to us. I think the twenty five years of experience watching people come into her clinic and get well on wheatgrass gave Ann Wigmore validity. The scientific method demands facts and double-blind repeatable studies which I think is an illusion. Now they have proven - by scientific testing - that things as intangible as a loving feeling on the part of the lab assistant, have increased the healing power of whatever was tested - thereby invalidating the test. People are too complex to test in that manner and we are all different in so many ways, from genetics to lifestyles. The best we can do in our search for optimum health is to follow in the steps of those who have tried and tested something on themselves and others and succeeded. Wheatgrass juice is a potent source of enzymes. When you are young you have a natural inheritance of enzyme concentration in all of your cells and friendly bacteria in the GI tract. As you get older the high demand for enzymes due to cooked foods, pathogenic microbes and viruses as well as chemicals, leads to more and more depletion. Tests have shown that a 70 year old has about half the enzymes of the 20 year old. The cells of the elderly have lost over 90% of the enzymes concentration as found in infants. Aging is enzyme exhaustion. The pancreas, which produces our digestive enzymes, becomes less efficient as we get older due to reduced enzyme availability. This means two things: indigestion and reduced absorption of nutrients from food. You might eat a balanced diet yet be lacking the enzymes to extract the nutrients from the food, which can result in nutritional deficiency. More than any other biochemical cause, this deficiency results in weight gain. People dealing with obesity are usually extremely malnourished. Lack of enzymes and obesity are the "Bonnie and Clyde" of weight regulation. Further, this imbalance causes premature aging and vulnerability to most forms of disease. Wheatgrass is an energizer: The vitality obtained from wheatgrass juice is remarkable.Two ounces of wheatgrass juice is equivalent to the nutritional value of roughly 4 pounds of organic green vegetables in vitamin and mineral content. On an empty stomach, it is assimilated into the blood in about 20 minutes. The vitality lasts throughout the day. Wheatgrass is a blood builder:
Both chlorophyll (as in wheatgrass juice) and hemoglobin (red blood cells) are molecularly similar. The only actual difference is that the central element in chlorophyll is magnesium and in hemoglobin it is iron. Chlorophyll has the ability to break down poisonous carbon dioxide and release free oxygen. This inhibits and reduces the action of anaerobic bacteria (a disease-producing micro-organism).
Wheatgrass juice has been shown to build red blood cells quickly after ingestion. It normalizes high blood pressureand stimulates healthy tissue-cell growth.
Cleanse your body with wheatgrass: The many detergent factors of wheatgrass juice can drain the lymph system, carrying away many toxins from all body cells. When an imbalance or injury exists (examples: sore tendons or joints; degenerative disease, etc.), there is a natural build-up of mucous in the lymph particular to that area. This mucous is encapsulated, helping to ensure the proper flow of lymphatic fluid. Wheatgrass juice helps to breakdown the mucous and allow it to drain. This relieves pressure to allow healing. Heal your body with wheatgrass: According to Survival of the 21st Century by Victoras Kalvinskas, "In therapeutic amounts, it will detoxify the body by increasing the elimination of hardened mucous, crystallized acids and solidified, decaying fecal matter.
Wheatgrass juice's high enzyme content helps dissolve tumors.
It is the fastest, surest way to eliminate internal waste and provide an optimum nutritional environment.
Wheatgrass juice can also be used as a poultice, wash, douche or bath, stimulating healthy new cells and fighting infections." Dr.Birscher, a research scientist, called chlorophyll "concentrated sun power." He said chlorophyll increases the function of the heart, affects the vascular system, the uterus, the intestine and the lungs.
Wheatgrass juice can dissolve scars that are formed in the lungs from breathing acid gasses. The effects of carbon monoxide is minimized since chlorophyll increases hemoglobin production.
Wheatgrass juice helps to reduce high blood pressure as the juice helps to reduce toxins from the body and gives the blood iron which helps circulation.
It helps overcome dandruff and stop hair from greying. Rub the juice into the scalp, wait ten minutes, shampoo and rinse.
When held in the mouth the juice can prevent tooth decay, relieve a sore throat, cure pyorrhea and soothe a toothache.
Douche with wheatgrass juice for vaginal infections.
Wheatgrass juice and living foods are helpful in reducing outbreaks of psoriasis and eczema.
Applied to the skin the juice can reduce age spots and tighten skin.
It also has beneficial effects on the capillaries.
It can be used as a sterilizer for water and to clean vegetables of toxic residue.
Combined with living foods, it is great for blood disorders of all kinds including anemia.
After an enema, wheatgrass juice implants are great for healing and detoxifying the colon walls, as well as cleansing the internal organs.
Wheatgrass juice is excellent in a case of constipation in keeping the bowels open.
It helps overcome aging and gives energy to the sex hormones.
Toxic metals stored in the body - lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, and excessive amounts of copper- can be successfully removed with small amounts of wheatgrass juice, in increasing dosages.
Wheatgrass is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin A and vitamin C.
It is also an excellent source of calcium iron magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur, cobalt, zinc, and protein.
Bundles of wheatgrass suspended in aquarium water purify and disinfect the water and can heal sick fish.

"Why take these young grasses? Because you'll be giving yourself a health elixir unlike anything you've ever experienced! The effect these highly nutritious green drinks are having on all my patients, especially my arthritis patients, is nothing short of amazing."Julian Whitaker, MD. editor Health and Healing Newsletter

Books about wheatgrass:

* Ann Wigmore o The Wheatgrass Book o The Hippocrates Diet
* Steve Meyerowitz o Wheatgrass - Nature's Finest Medicine
* Li Smith o Wheatgrass - Superfood for the New Millenium
* Victoras Kulvinskas o Survival into the 21st Century
http://www.growwheatgrass.com/aboutwheatgrass.html


To grow wheat grass…Here is what I do:
Step 1 Sprout the seeds in water for 6 to 12 hours. (Optional: Use a LITTLE bit of food grade H2O2 in the water to increase the amount of seeds which will sprout.)
Step 2 Mix organic top soil with peat moss (50/50 mix) and place in a seed or cafeteria tray. (I purchase seed trays at K-Mart and cafeteria trays at Big Lots. Sometimes I find recycled seed trays at gardening centers for free.) The soil/peat moss mix should be 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep.
Step 3 Drain the seeds and spread them over the soil. The seeds should be touching each other but not overlapping.
Step 4 Lightly sprinkle peat moss over the seeds to cover them.
Step 5 Water the tray being careful to not distrub the peat moss and seeds.
Step 6 Keep the trays in indirect sunlight for about 7 to 10 days and continue watering as needed.
Step 7 When the grass is about 7 inches tall, harvest and juice it. In the spring, summer and fall I grow wheatgrass on my deck and water my grass with a garden hose.

When I grew it in the house, it was a little messy but it wasn't too bad. It truly doesn't take a lot of time or effort to grow. It isn't like real gardening where you have to watch out for diseases and insects. Mold is your only foe and a little mold won't ruin your harvest (just cut above the mold). Many people who are into growing things love to grow wheatgrass. If you are so inclined, I highly recommend giving it a shot.
http://www.chetday.com/wheatgrass.html


list of benefits:
* Wheatgrass contains at least 13 vitamins, several antioxidants, and a bunch of other minerals and enzymes
* The nutrients in wheatgrass juice are completely assimilated by the human body in 20 minutes.
* Wheat grass only contains around 10-15 calories per teaspoon. It has no fat or cholesterol. * Drinking Wheatgrass juice is a great way for you to increase your intake of leafy green vegetables.
* Wheatgrass Juice is especially good for people suffering from illness or pain. There are many, many stories of people who claim wheatgrass juice helped them recover from all kinds of illnesses.
* Wheatgrass may be expensive to buy at stores, but it is really simple to grow at home. I grow it on my balcony in trays. One tray can give me about 20 ounces of juice, which only cost a few cents each.
* Growing your own wheatgrass is a fun and rewarding hobby that almost anybody can do.
* Farmers give wheatgrass juice to bulls that become steril. After a while, most bulls can return to their jobs. Drinking wheatgrass also helps boost sexual stamina in humans. The high magnesium content in chlorophyll builds enzymes that restore the sex hormones.
* Wheatgrass juice is fine for most people with wheat allergies, since the young grass hasn't developed gluten yet. Most people with wheat allergies have problems with the gluten.
* Wheatgrass is useful in treating constipation and keeping the bowels open.
* The chlorophyll in wheatgrass also helps to purify the liver.
* Wheatgrass fights against infections and improves the body's ability to heal wounds.
* It absorbs 92 out of the known 102 minerals from the soil, which go into your body when you drink the juice!
* Wheatgrass aids in the prevention and fight against cancer.


the nutritional data of a 1 oz shot of wheatgrass from Jamba Juice.
Notice a lot of missing info? All of those squiggly marks (~~~) show that Jamba Juice didn't provide that information. It does NOT mean that wheatgrass juice doesn't contain any of these nutrients!!! It means that the nutritional DATA is incomplete. I did a little research (not very intense) and found a more complete source of information. The following nutritional data is for 100g of wheatgrass juice and is provided by Irvine Analytical Laboratories, Inc. Calories 21.0 Cal Carbohydrates 2.0 g Fat 0.06 g Water 95 g Sodium 10.3 mg Iron 0.61 mg Folic Acid 29 mcg Dietary Fiber Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.08 mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.13 mg Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) 0.11 mg Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 6.0 mg Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCI) 0.2 mg Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 3.65 mg Vitamin E 15.2 IU Chlorophyll 42.2 mg Choline 92.4 mg You should also be aware that the nutritional properties of wheatgrass can vary depending on a factors including growing conditions, soil quality, when it is harvested, etc.
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/foods-from-jamba-juice/9107/2


A major component of wheatgrass juice is chlorophyll and many people think this ingredient is the secret behind the healing powers of wheatgrass.


Here is a little information on chlorophyll:
* Plants don't have blood, but they have something called chlorophyll instead. Amazingly, chlorophyll resembles hemoglobin in human red blood cells very, very closely.
* Since chlorophyll resembles hemoglobin so much, your body can quickly absorb it and utilize it to nourish your blood.
* Chlorophyll has strong anti-bacterial properties, which help to fight off infections inside your body.
* Wheatgrass Juice is comprised of over 70% chlorophyll, so when you drink some of it, your body gets a super-dose of this green blood building stuff. guide to having smooth, sweet wheatgrass juice: The secret lies in when you cut it, or if you buy it from someone already cut, when they cut it. If you pick it too early, it will be really, really sweet. In addition to being sweet, the grass hasn't reached its nutritional peak yet. If you wait too long to harvest the wheatgrass, it will taste really bitter, and it is hard get down the hatch. The best tasting wheatgrass juice comes from grass cut when it about 6-10 inches tall. In cool wheather it grows slowly, but can grow longer before you need to cut it. In hot weather, it matures quicker, so you need to cut it sooner. Here is what it should look like when you cut it: You need to wait until the grass has a little stem on the bottom and 2 leaves coming out. In hot weather, it will start to wilt and turn yellow on the top when it gets too old, so make sure you cut it before or as soon as you see that happening. In the summer, the whole tray usually gets ready at the same time, so I will cut the whole tray and put the grass in a bag in the refrigerator and juice from that. It will be fine for a week or so in the fridge. If you leave it out to grow, it may take 5 days before you finish the tray, and by the last day it will be really bitter!
http://growgrass.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-make-your-wheatgrass-taste.html


keep in mind i am not recommending any medical treatment or cures- i am not a dr.
just passing on the info i am finding useful and interesting.
just because i feel superb doing it ....
doesn't guarantee anything for others.
:)
have a really green day y'all
xo
snow