How to Forage for Milkweed When I first read that common milkweed was edible, I was quite skeptical. I remember reading that Monarch butterflies ate the milkweed leaves not only for food but also for the poison that would render them inedible to predators. But the field guides are telling me…
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How to Forage for and Use Wild Apples
Can You Forage for and Use Wild Apples? Have you ever seen an abandoned apple tree with fruit and wondered if they are edible? The short answer is yes, they should be safe to eat. I’ve been using wild apples as a food source since I was a kid and…
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Making Applesauce from Wild Apples
How to Make Applesauce with Wild Apples If you have an abundance of wild apples available, check out my post How to Use Wild Apples for more ideas on how to use them. I’ve been busy for the last few days turning a feed bag full of wild apples into…
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Musk Thistle: Friend or Foe?
Carduus nutans – Musk Thistle Generally considered a noxious weed in the US, the Musk Thistle also has the reported health benefit of cleansing the liver. This native to Africa is actually a very beautiful flower, but has a hearty defense system against grazing animals and unprotected gardeners. If you…
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Growing Lamb’s Quarters in My Garden
Why Do I Let Lambs Quarters Grow in My Garden? I’m sure that you are quite shocked that there are weeds, such as lambs quarters, in my garden! Okay, maybe not shocked, but at least a little surprised? No? Oh well. I guess you’ve been looking at my photos of…
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Foraging for Burdock and Making Carduni
Foraging for Burdock & Making Carduni Burdock (Arctium lappa) grows wild all over much of North America and it’s a fairly easy plant to identify. (Make sure you take a reliable guide with you when foraging for wild plants.) In addition to being quite common, the stems are very tasty…