Difficulties with gathering, do you have any? Mine would be other people's
By writersedge
@writersedge (22563)
United States
May 26, 2009 8:26am CST
attitudes/lack of understanding/thinking things should be a different way, not sure how to put it.
Before I mow my lawn, I gather or at least check out a 4 foot section. Then I gather, mow, and rest. Usually that's about all I get done in one day. Because after harvesting and mowing comes washing, processing and/or cooking or eating the stuff. Neighbors, and my husband, think people should just jump on a riding lawn mower and get it all done in an hour. So my neighbors do not appreciate my little squares or trangles, or rectangles. Esp. this year, the dandelions are about 1 to 2 feet high. I left a little tiny patch of very short growing lawn with what looks like the heartshaped pods that will be like pepper. Definitely had to pick wild violets (not to be confused with African violets, don't eat those) underneath the clothesline, but that needed to be mowed or the clothes would be in the grass.
So what are your gathering difficulties? How have you tried to resolve them? I've tried to educate and to demonstrate. But they're locked into their mindsets.
3 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
26 May 09
I'm so glad you said you leave patches of things growing! I do the same thing and people think I'm nuts. I can't mow the lawn very well so my nephew does it for me. I have a patch where there are a lot of dandelions and wild salsify and I don't let him mow it at all. It's back in a corner by a privacy fence and a tree, so it isn't even noticeable.
He's always wanting to dig up the dandelions or put weed killer out in the rest of the yard and I won't let him, because I use those, too. I don't have wild violets here, but wish I did. I look forward to nibbling on mallow "cheeses" every year, so I let some of that grow in the yard, too.
2 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
26 May 09
Like me, you find other people and their attitudes toward wild foods - weeds - to be an obsticle, but you make sure he listens and doesn't poison you. That's good. Thanks and take care.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
26 May 09
I have a bug baffler, it's an anti-bug suit developed by two women in Maine. I wear a hat and sun screen, so I'm good to go! But bugs and getting sun burned, esp. in your area can be a pain. Thanks and take care.
2 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
26 May 09
That would be a serious obsticle. If the stuff you could gather is contaminated, then that is an obsticle that is not likely to be overcome. The other stuff can be worked with. Thanks and take care.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169449)
• United States
27 May 09
What are the heart shaped pods called. I always thought they looked like goose feet. I also used to eat/taste a plant we called hen pepper that had little round pods on them.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 May 09
Common Name: Shepherd's Purse
Latin Name: Capsella bursa-pastoris
page 26 Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants Year 1977
On the internet, search the latin name and picture of to be doubly sure we're talking about the same plant.
If you have any bookstores, esp. second hand ones (although why anyone would sell a Peterson's Guide or why anyone wouldn't snap the occasional one up), or Amazon.com, get a guide from somewhere because I was taught you should have at least three field guides. Peterson's is a really, really good one to start with. That's a general one. I have a more recent Peterson's (date 1980s), but I can't find it right now. I also have an Eastern USA wild edible guide (somewhere) and a local Adirondack Guide plus some others. An excellent general one with picture plates plus a regional and local with picture plates (although my local has mostly drawings) are good ideas. I need a southern east Canada one, too, someday. Three guides in a back pack or in a carpenter's belt, (if you can find a way to secure them), in zip lock bags are really, really handy(The bags are in case it rains).
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 May 09
Your hen pepper could be any of the Peppers or Lepidiums (latin)-Same page and book. Plus some other "cousins" to the Leps. If you can find a Peterson's, then you can check the various ones out or search the Leps family and "picture of" together. Hard to help you with that because many have circular pods/seeds. Circular and oval are the most common shapes of seeds to begin with.
