Herbs and Wildcrafting
Snackmaster trays loaded and ready to go
How to Infuse Herbs in Oil, Water, Vinegar, Alcohol or Honey
How to Make Homemade Extracts- Vanilla, Lemon and Almond
How to Grow Stevia and Make Homemade Stevia Extract
The Best Herbs and Spices for Colds and Flus
Cold and Cough Care Syrup and Tea Recipes
Preparedness – Homegrown Medicinals – how I store my herbs, brief over view of chocolate mint, mullein blossoms, lemon balm, red clover blossoms, yarrow, catnip, chamomile, raspberry leaf, hyssop, and mullein
Wildcrafting 101 – The first time I went wildcrafting for medicinal herbs – mullein, St. John’s Wort and Red Clover
“Real” Healing Potions – Introducing the boys to wildcrafting. medicinal uses of yarrow and plantain
Herbs Gone Wild!- herbal e-book reviews – Herbs Gone Wild! Ancient Remedies Turned Loose
Plantain
Grandma Called it Medicine Leaf – Medicinal Properties of Plantain, How to Infuse Plantain in Oil
How to Make Salve with Infused Oils
Dandelions
Harvesting and Using Dandelion Roots
How to Make Dandelion Wine and Cookies
Elderberries
Elderberries – How to Make Syrups and Jellies
Cooking with Herbs
Cooking with Herbs – What to Use When
Wildcrafting – Using Your Weeds
Although not standard “garden” elements, my weeds are also harvested for culinary and medicinal use. I host Wildcrafting Wednesdays here every week, and also write a “Weekly Weeder” series during the growing season, along with other weed related posts.
Weekly Weeder #1 – Recommended Wildcrafting Reference Books
Weekly Weeder #6 – Queen Anne’s Lace
Weekly Weeder #8 – Butter and Eggs
Weekly Weeder #9 – Canada Goldenrod
Weekly Weeder #10 – Common Milkweed
Weekly Weeder #11 – Evening Primrose
Weekly Weeder #12 – New England Aster
Weekly Weeder #13 – Common Mullein
Weekly Weeder #14 Common Plantain
Weekly Weeder #15 – Shepherd’s Purse
Weekly Weeder #16 – Common Nettle
Weekly Weeder #17 – Common Dandelion
Weekly Weeder #18 – Ox-eye Daisy
Weekly Weeder #20 – Winter Cress
Weekly Weeder #21 – Lamb’s Quarters
Weekly Weeder #22 – Wild Geranium
Weekly Weeder #23 -Common Blue Violet
Weekly Weeder #24 -Prickly Wild Lettuce
Weekly Weeder #25 – Creeping Charlie
Weekly Weeder #26 -Sulphur Cinquefoil
Weekly Weeder #27 – Birdsfoot trefoil
Weekly Weeder #29 – Pineapple Weed
Weekly Weeder #30 – Common Burdock
Common Mallow – Weekly Weeder #31
Curly Dock – Weekly Weeder #32
Common Yarrow – Weekly Weeder #34
Joe Pye Weed – Weekly Weeder #35
Heath Aster – Weekly Weeder #36
Wild Cucumber – Weekly Weeder #37
Velvetleaf – Weekly Weeder #38
Not on my site, but a great read – “Weeds: Guardians of the Soil”
I just rediscovered the book “Weeds- Guardians of the Soil” thanks to Phil Nauta, The Smiling Gardener. I had read a page of this book years ago, and have been wanting to read the rest of it ever since. Thanks, Phil!
You should do a post on the Elderberry plant! Thanks for all the wonderful posts you have done so far. I am learning so much! Just looked at Queen Anne’s Lace….I happen to have tons of it here on my property! Plantain is quickly taking over my yards…some kind of tiny yellow clover that tastes like vinegar, red clover ad white…the list keeps growing! I love finding new “food” on the land that we live on!
I don’t have any elderberries on my property, but I have a friend who does, so perhaps I can prevail upon her to snap some photos for me. We did make elderberry syrup and jelly last fall – http://www.commonsensehome.com/elderberries-how-to-make-syrups-and-jellies/
My son and I were walking in the yard yesterday identifying edibles and medicinals as we went. It’s a good feeling to know your “plant allies”.
I love elderberry tincture that I make myself. Also elderberry brandy with spices and fruits, both are medicinal (and good)…wonderful when coming down with a cold or flu, or just to help prevent!!
My neighbor says she knows of some elderberry stands nearby, so I’m looking forward to experimenting with blossoms this spring as well as fall fruit. The wine is lovely!
[...] Common Sense Home-Weekly Weeder Series Index [...]
[...] Started HomesteadingHomestead LibraryNatural HealthPreparednessRecipesResourcesWhere to ShopWildcrafting/Weekly Weeder ← Pillowcases to Reversible Tote Bag Upcycle [...]
[...] Started HomesteadingHomestead LibraryNatural HealthPreparednessRecipesResourcesWhere to ShopWildcrafting/Weekly Weeder ← Weekly Weeder #21 – Lamb’s Quarters + Wildcrafting Wednesday Rhubarbade [...]
I just love reading these! I have learned so much. I find myself looking at weed everwhere now. LOL. Thanks for all you do!
I find myself doing the same thing.
Weeds aren’t just “weeds” anymore.
[...] A great source of info on edible weeds is Weekly Weeder at Common Sense Homesteading. [...]
[...] Laurie at Common Sense Homesteading shares a lot of foraging info and describes a different plant each week at the Weekly Weeder. [...]
I’ve been moving more and more into organic gardening and now want to “grow” edible weeds to go with the ‘greens’ I plant. Also to attract “good” bugs and pollinators. A guy saw some mushrooms growing on my railroad toes and wanted to eat them ….. he said they smelled OK, but I wouldn’t let him do so and told him lots of preople have died from eating mis-identified mushrooms. I know mushrooms aren’t ‘weeds’ but really need to know what is in my yard that can be eaten – and – what should be avoided. I didn’t know thistle was edible. How does one get around those thorns?
Is that “railroad ties”? I would not eat any mushrooms growing out of those, as they are treated with chemicals that would be absorbed by the mushrooms.
One can handle thistles barehanded if one has tough fingers and manipulates them gingerly, but light gloves are helpful. You go for large plants with fat, juicy ribs, and sort of skin off the prickly outside. I’ve also munched roots of small plants as I am weeding – just rinse and go – no skinning.
I need a good post or some detailed information on the look and gathering of Jerusalem Artichoke. I know it grows around here, but each time I think I have Identified it, I turns out NOT to be what I’m looking for. WikiPedia isn’t detailed enough.
There are a number of photos of our garden patch in this post – http://www.commonsensehome.com/before-you-plant-sunchokes/
Here are some more photos: http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/jerusalem-artichoke.html
Here’s a video: http://on.aol.com/video/how-to-identify-a-jerusalem-artichoke-172477595
Have you ever seen or heard of an Herb Harvesting Calendar?
It would be wonderful to know what to look for and
when…
Are you talking about cultivated herbs or wildcrafted plants? I’ve never heard of a calendar like this. It would be difficult to make, either way, because harvest dates will vary by zone and even by microclimate.