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From my earlier days of experimenting with reputedly edible wild plants, I found that raw lambs quarters were fine, but in small amounts. Ditto (even moreso) for beach pea. Subsequently, I read somewhere that beach pea can be toxic in substantial doses.
Young, cooked pods ... aha!
I guess there are optima to everything!
-----Original Message-----
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of David Webster
Sent: May 17, 2020 6:39 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] nature notes, question on dandelions
Hi All,
A few additional comments on edible wild plants. My favorites are
beach pea (Lathyrus japonicus); Strip pods from the plant when peas are
half final size. Boil until tender. The pods are salty so there is no
need to add salt. Eat pods, with a dash of butter (optional). At the
right time and place one can harvest a meal in 5 minutes. My second
favorite is Atriplex patula (Orach). This can be grown in the garden
(does fine in upland soil) or collected on the beach at sites where dogs
can not spray. Boil young shoots until tender. Again a meal in 5 minutes.
YT, DW, Kentville
On 5/17/2020 5:10 PM, Fred Schueler wrote:
> On 5/17/2020 3:08 PM, rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca wrote:
>
>> My Grandparents loved Lamb's Quarters. Cooked like
>> spinach it was very good. My Grandfather saved the seed when threshing
>> the grain for birds in the winter. A lot of uses but a bad weed!
>> There never
>> was any shortage of it from now to frost.
>> Enjoy the spring
>
> * well, we've got accounts of both Dandelions -
> https://adaptating.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-dandelion-diet.html -
> Dandelions mostly don't reproduce sexually, but produce seeds
> asexually by apomixis, without pollination, resulting in offspring
> that are genetically identical to the parent plant. This means that
> clones which have adaptive characteristics can take over uniform
> habitats, such as lawns and roadsides. Since they don't require
> pollination, selection among clones may favour those with reduced
> nectar and pollen production, explaining their relative
> unattractiveness to pollinators
> https://www.gardenmyths.com/dandelions-important-bees/
>
> ...these clones have been classified by splitting taxonomists as
> 'microspecies.' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taraxacum - ' The genus
> contains many species, which usually (or in the case of triploids,
> obligately) reproduce by apomixis, resulting in many local populations
> and endemism. In the British Isles alone, 234 microspecies are
> recognised in nine loosely defined sections, of which 40 are "probably
> endemic."' Notice that this article doesn't mention Taraxacum
> palustre, the Soggy Ground Dandelion, which lacks the folded-back
> bracts around the flowerhead of the common Dandelion, and has become
> common in eastern Ontario since the 1980s -
> https://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/2010/04/first-dandelion-oil-on-canvas-5-x-7in_08.html
>
> - and Lambsquarters -
> https://adaptating.blogspot.com/2018/07/lambsquarters.html - The
> biggest Lambsquarters plants we've ever seen were in the rich clay of
> the Scarborough Bluffs on the shore of Lake Ontario: 250 cm tall, with
> stems 25 mm in diameter! "We plucked the foliage from this enormous
> plant like penned Goats offered cut branches, and found them mild and
> succulent"
>
> ...we also eat a lot of Violets, in our case the introduced Viola
> odorata, and I chewed my way through Euell Gibbons books as they came
> out...
>
> fred.
> ================================================
>
>> Paul
>>> On May 17, 2020 at 3:11 PM dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca wrote:
>>>
>>> We eat both purple and white (viola papilionacea). I think
>>> Johnny-jump-ups and pansies are also edible, but I haven’t tried them.
>>>
>>> I loved Euell Gibbons when I was in my 20’s (way back in the mists
>>> of time). His books introduced us to the idea of foraging and to
>>> many plants that are still favorites, like chenopodium album,
>>> viburnum opulus, and the violets. Also, mussels, which were not
>>> eaten by many people then.
>>>
>>> We still have all three books.
>>>
>>> Jane
>>>
>>> *From:*naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca *On Behalf Of *David Webster
>>> *Sent:* May 17, 2020 12:13 PM
>>> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>>> *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] nature notes, question on dandelions
>>>
>>> Hi Jane & All,
>>>
>>> Are these our various wild violets, the white ornamental violet
>>> or both ?
>>>
>>> Dave W. Kentville
>>>
>>> On 5/17/2020 8:52 AM, dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca
>>> <mailto:dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>>
>>> What I wonder is if there are any vitamins left in the dandelions
>>> after boiling in two waters.
>>>
>>> For delicious and nutritious spring greens, I like the violets,
>>> both leaves and flowers (Eat them raw.). Euell Gibbons said they
>>> have the most nutrition of any of the spring greens. Luckily,
>>> they like our “lawn”.
>>>
>>> Cheers.
>>>
>>> Jane Schlosberg
>>>
>>> *From:*naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
>>> <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> *On Behalf Of *Mary Macaulay
>>> *Sent:* May 16, 2020 4:15 PM
>>> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
>>> *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] nature notes, question on dandelions
>>>
>>> Well, having been introduced to the fine cuisine of the dandelion
>>> by my Italian in-laws I expect much is due to human selection. The
>>> most highly prized for spring Sautés has very fat delicious
>>> flowers still stuck inside the leaves before shooting up on the
>>> stalk. When prepared (after twice boiling to get out the bitter)
>>> in a fry of olive oil salt and garlic the pump flower head is what
>>> provides the most delicious flavour and texture :)
>>>
>>> With kindest regards
>>>
>>> Mary (Macaulay), P.Eng.
>>>
>>> On May 16, 2020, at 3:46 PM, David Webster <dwebster@glinx.com
>>> <mailto:dwebster@glinx.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi Jim and All,
>>>
>>> Further on the question of Tara