By request- Here's a repeat of a prior post.

Proper I.D. of plants for food, medicine or utility is essential. Know what you're using! Get a good field guide. For those east of the Mississippi I would recommend Roger Tory Peterson's "Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-central North America". Avoid the Audobon series. Pretty pictures, but not very good for taxonomic purposes. Peterson's son has a book on edible plants, but it contains a number of errors. I can not personally recommend it.

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)-

Best places to harvest- Avoid "treated" areas where spraying or the like may have contaminated them. Dandelions are a pioneer species. Look for areas that have been disturbed in the past. Old gravel pits, logging roads, abandoned farm-steads, etc. They're not hard to find! Focus on areas that have good soil moisture. North facing slopes, north sides of buildings, semi-shaded spots, etc. Such spots will have the largest and most succulent specimens.

Dandelion coffee-

1) Harvest roots. Dandelions generally have a single tap root which can be quite long, up to six -eight inches. Dig as many roots as you think you'll need, then double it! Trust me on this one! For starters, try to get something on the order of a 5 qt. ice cream bucket full. Use a small shovel for digging. It won't take too long in good picking.
2) Wash roots thoroughly. You'll often notice a brown, papery layer on the exterior of the roots. Don't worry about it. Just get all the dirt scrubbed off.
3) Process the roots. Dice as finely as possible. A meat grinder also does a nice job. If you're in a modern setting one of those whopper/chopper food processors works great. Again, chop to fine consistency. Think coffee. Process roots while fresh. Dried dandelion roots assume the properties of high-grade cable!
4) Obtain clean cast iron fry pan. Warm pan, no oil. Pour diced/ground roots into pan. One-half inch deep or less. bring pan up to a medium temp., stirring roots frequently. Watch temp., don't scorch.
5) Roast roots to a golden brown to dark brown color. The darker the roots, the more coffee-like the flavor. The golden brown stage has a hearty, nut-like quality. When roasted, remove from heat and cool.
6) Prepare as you would coffee. Use about one heaping teaspoon of root per cup of water. I like to use an old percolator as it extracts the maximum flavor/nutrients.
7) To review benefits;
a) Cleanser and detoxifier of liver and kidneys.
b) Mild diuretic, lowers blood pressure.
c) Eases aches from rheumatism.
d) No caffeine.
e) Is purported to have anti-carcinogenic properties.
f) Is generally safe for children (who happen to love it!)

With the weather breaking, here's a couple more;

Perfoliate bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata)- Harvest these early in the season, when they're six or eight inches tall and the yellow nodding flower hasn't quite opened or has just done so. Cut off at ground level. Get a good handful or two. Boil in water for 10-15 minutes. Cook flower and all. Delicious. Season to taste if desired.

Fiddle heads of fern (various spp.)- Harvest these early also. Harvest when head is still tightly curled and plant is less than six inches tall. I prefer about four inches. When the plants get larger and the head uncurls they contain thiaminase, an enzyme that destroys B complex vitamins and can cause other problems. Most species of fern in the fiddlehead stage are edible. Some that are commonly used are the bracken, sword, wood, deer and cinnamon. One to avoid, which I have yet to key out, is a light green species covered with soft, downy white hairs. Looks tempting, tastes lousy. No Hairy White Ferns!
Rinse and boil in water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Asparagus-like and excellent.

There ya go Buck! Can recap other posts if needed. Will answer any specific questions I can. Will also add more species as seasons progress.

Carry On!

This is the best book that I have found so far for plants here in the west. It has actual color photos of the plants which is very important for IDing. But also great bio of the plant and its uses. Also a chapter on the bad boy plants.
"Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies by Linda Kershaw"

thanks North.

bufflerrub Ill check out you're recomendationa as well. we are in the same part of the country, give er take a few hundred miles

buck

With summer trekking season coming on.....
Of the big three of wilderness survival- fire, blade and cordage- it is the cordage that is often overlooked. Some species to keep in mind;

Basswood (linden)(Tilia americana)- Look for saplings in the 2"-4" diameter range. These will have a relatively smooth gray bark as opposed to the heavily fissured,coarser bark of mature specimens.

1) Sight up and down your chosen sapling and locate a vertical "strip" about 1" wide that lies between interfering branches.
2) Make a horizontal cut approx. 1" long at the base of the sapling.
3) Pry up the bark at the cut and proceed to pull out and up. The strip should carry up the tree. You can often pull off a strip 8-10 feet long or even longer. Collect as many as needed for the task at hand. The bark will peel easiest in late spring/early summer.
4) These strips can be used as is to lash together shelter poles, campfire rigging, etc. Strong, durable, weather resistant.
5) For more complex applications, soak these strips in water for a few days. Held down with rocks in a creek or along a lake-shore will work nicely.
6) After soaking for a few days you will notice that the pale colored inner bark will de-laminate into a number of thin layers. Carefully peel apart and set aside these thin layers. These can be left to dry for future use or put to work immediately.
7) When damp, these thin layers can be twisted into a strong cordage. Combine multiple strands (twisted together) to create cordage of desired dimension. For added strength, boil strips before twisting.
8) This cordage, wigub in Anishinabe(Ojibway) is notably strong and was used for everything from fishing nets to carrying bags. Can also be used for fishing line. Utilize where ever a strong, weather resistant cordage is needed.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)-
1) Harvest the stalks of this species in the late fall after they have died back or in the early spring (previous years stalks).
2) Soak the stalks in water for 3-7 days.
3) Lay a soaked stalk on a log or plank and pound with another piece of wood to loosen out the fibers. Be thorough.
4) Separate out the long loosened fibers. Sometimes a finely pointed stick or piece of bone can be helpful in "combing" down the length of the stalk to aid in this separation.
5) These long fibers can again be twisted into a strong cordage, actually somewhat stronger than the basswood. These fibers can also be used to weave garments and such. Use as needed.

Never underestimate the importance of plant-based cordage. From shelter to fishing to snares ad infinitum, cordage will contribute greatly to your comfort and survival.

Carry On!

I have to say I have never heard of dandylion coffee,sounds interesting.I might just give that a try,is the taste like coffee?

Fos- The darker the roast the more coffee-like. When roasted to a dark brown/almost black the flavor is surprisingly similar to the hallowed bean. Roast evenly, don't scorch while going for that deep color.

North-thanks,I will give it a try.Is there any time of the year when they are the best to harvest?If ya have a lawn like mine I have a supply all summer..

Fos- The roots can be harvested at any time, just be sure you haven't been applying any potentially toxic chemicals to the lawn! As far as the medicinal aspects, the roots will have their greatest potency after they are done putting their energy into flowering/reproduction. This is why many strictly medicinal roots are harvested later in the season- late summer/early fall. The early season nutrient cycle is devoted to reproduction, the latter season cycle is focused on building up root-stored nutrients and energy for the next years spring growth (in perennials). In a previous post that had to be deleted due to space problems (see Webmaster section) I elaborated on the other valuable uses of the dandelion. I can re-issue this info if you desire. They're an amazing species. Your lawn "problems" are actually an asset!

Another root that can be utilized early in the year, before major growth has started, is the cattail (Typha latifolia). Though best in the fall, early spring roots can still be utilized.
1) Dig roots-make sure you've got the right ones!
2) Rinse thoroughly, remove all mud/dirt.
3) Boil or roast the roots until well done.
4) Using a suitable platform and mallet, pound the roots to loosen and separate fibers.
5) Separate fibers from pulp.
6) The remaining pulp is a starchy compound that can be made into a flour substitute.
7) The roots are quite fibrous and this can be a very labor intensive process, but it yields a useful product. In the past, due to the labor factor, it was not uncommon for the roots to be boiled and then simply chewed to extract the starch, with the fibers being spit out. Good resource to remember if you're running low on provisions.

The cattail has many other uses that I will post at a later date.

Hope this helps!

Carry On!

North-I would like to see your earlier post if ya dont mind,if its too big for here ya can e-mail it to me.

Fos-Will be away on research for a week or so. Will post info upon return.

North- no hurries,have fun on your research

Fos- Back to dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). The leaves of this species are loaded with nutritional value. I have yet to discover a plant source higher in Vitamin A, not to mention other factors. For example, a 100 gr. (roughly a tightly packed 1 cup measure) of dandelion leaves has more calcium than an equivalent of milk, more magnesium than peas, more iron than a T-bone steak, more potassium than bananas, more vitamin A than kale and nearly as much vitamin C as raw orange juice! All in that 100 gr.!

The early season leaves have a nice tang that is a great addition to a salad. As the season goes on the leaves can get bitter. Place a mess of greens in a pan with a minimum amount of H2O. Bring to a boil for just a minute or two. Drain off water. Use like spinach greens (add vinegar and pepper) or in a stew.

More on Cattail (Typha latifolia)- Now is the time of year to start looking for a patch of cattails you can monitor regularly.
1) As the leaves approach a good height start looking for the stiff,round flower stalk.
2) The flower, which will later become the familiar "cattail", is in two parts. The upper cylindrical part is the male. If your timing is good you can catch the male as pollen is being released. Slip a paper bag over the male heads and shake to capture pollen. Makes a very healthy flour substitute. It will take a number of heads to get a good quantity.
3) The lower part is the female and actually becomes the "cattail". This is the real fun one. You want to harvest this female part when it is still green. It will be about four to six inches long and roughly 1/2" to 5/8" in diameter, cigar-like.
4) Cut off stem about eight inches below flower. Collect a dozen or two.
5) Fill a pan deep enough to hold the flowers with H2O and bring to boil.
6)Using stems as handles, place flowers in H2O and boil for 10-15 minutes.
7)Again using stems as handles, remove, cool a bit, and eat like corn on the cob. Flavor is very much like sweet-corn and is just delicious. Spice as you would corn if you desire. Melted butter is decadently fine! Try this one!

Carry On!

thanks North,i will try that,ya sure know a bit about plants.

Here's a couple more. I'm including these together because they BOTH are often referred to as "pigweed" in different parts of the country, though they are not closely related. (This of course supports the use of a good guide and the "proper" name).

1) Green Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus)- The rather course, slightly hairy leaves of this species aren't very appetizing when raw, but are a great addition to a stew and supply vitamins such as A and C. Just rinse, chop, toss in. Those in the Southwest should also look for the related Black Amaranth. Traditionally the seeds of this species were dried and ground into a meal. Still utilized. Have tried this with Green Amaranth, but the seeds are too small.

2) Lambs Quarter (Chenopodium album)- This is one of my favorites. The leaves taste like a sweet spinach and are great raw or in salads. Also good cooked. One does not usually associate plants with calcium, but this species is an excellent source of this mineral. Per weight it has four times the calcium of cows milk and ten times the calcium of a mothers milk. Also high in phosphorus, niacin, A and C. Because of nature of the absorption of the calcium through the hair roots, the calcium is in very fine particles, technically known as colloidal. This allows the body to utilize up to 98% of the calcium. Compare this to a common calcium supplement, calcium carbonate, which has absorption rates in the 10%-15% range. (Actually this supplement is glorified rock- limestone is calcium carbonate).
Lambs quarter is a common species, so look for this one!

Carry On!

I thought I would throw in a quick thought. I am not sure just what is the range of ramps, but they grow in southern OH and down the Southeast US. I think they are a form of wild garlic. The bulb(root)can be sliced and used like onions or garlic in fried potatoes or just about anythin else. The leaves also can be eaten in salads or cooked like other greens. Tasty and very aromatic.
Chasing Crow

quote:

it is the cordage that is often overlooked. Some species to keep in mind;

Don't forget the "bark" on the stalks of the milkweed plant. It works though a bit sticky.

LD

Chasing Crow- EXCELLENT addition-one of my favorites, hadn't gotten to it yet. There are five species of this genus in the eastern U.S. Based on your location I would speculate that you are referring to the wild leek. Are the leaves lance-shaped? If so it IS the wild leek (Allium tricoccum). The flavor is somewhat of a combination of garlic and onion. Most Fine!

The other members of this genus are;
Wild onion (A. stellatum)
Field garlic (A. vineale)
Wild garlic (A. canadense)
Nodding wild onion (A.cernum)

Side note- These are members of the lily family!

L.D.- Also a good one to remember, though ,as you note, can be a bit putzy to work with.
Another very strong cordage is the bark of the leather bush (where available). This bark requires no processing and can even be used for emergency stitching, though I prefer it for lashings. Strip off as per basswood.

On milkweed- (Asclepias, var. spp) The new seed pods of the milkweed are edible and quite tasty. Gather the pods quite early on, say within the first week or two of their appearance. If you wait too late they cook up like cardboard. Boil the pods in two waters, 15-20 minutes each or until tender. Season to taste. A great side dish.

Carry On!

North,
You are correct. It is the wild leek. I bought several back home from a mushroom hunting frolic a few years ago. After sleaning them, I planted the roots in my back woods. Now I have a small patch started.I also am a big fan of wild onions.
Chasing Crow

A lot of the common edibles are Eurasian introductions, like dandelion and curly dock.

I have made dandelion coffee in the oven. Dry out the roots on low heat and then toast on higher heat. Tastes like Postum LOL! (that's chicory root coffee).

Lots of good books on Indian herbology and edibles: Alma Hutchins and Frances Densmore, plus Huron Smith's Ethnobotanies:

http://www.swsbm.com/Ethnobotany/Ethnobotany.html