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| Dandelion greens are a rich source of nutrients, with vitamins C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, folate, magnesium,phosphorus, and copper. Add to smoothies, soups, salads, and saute' with garlic and onions. |
- Harvest in areas with abundance, and avoid areas where the plant community is young or not well established yet
- Always gain permission from the landowner- this includes calling parks departments ahead of time for rules and restrictions at local parks and public lands
- Leave rare, unusual, at-risk, threatened and endangered plants alone
- Know your plants and positively identify them- when unsure, take a picture for identification later and leave the plant undisturbed
- Gather in small quantities, no more than 10% to avoid decimation of an area, with the understanding that sometimes even 10% is too much for that area and you will need to scale back
- Collect plants during their proper growing phase
- Spread the harvest wide rather than concentrating on one bunch or area
- Harvest away from areas of known herbicides, pesticides or chemical contaminants, roads and trails, industrial areas, areas with livestock, or downstream from livestock if collecting streamside
- Always leave the area looking as good as you found it, or better
- Gather on sunny days after the morning dew and before the hot sun comes out
- Take only what you can use, and no more
- Be willing to walk away with nothing if your harvest would injure the plants or the balance of the area
- Always take the middle growth plants, leaving the smallest and largest members of the community
- Ask the plants and land for permission- it may feel silly at first, but remember you are building relationships
- Aid the plants in growing and flourishing by removing invasive weeds near them, picking up trash and litter in the area, thinning where needed, and taking dead, broken and fallen branches instead of live ones
- Be mindful of how the plants reproduce and harvest in a way that meets the plant community's needs
- When collecting water plants, know where the water is coming from and be aware of environmental toxins
- Bring the right tools
- Always thank the plants, and share your bounty
- Process your harvest immediately, either in the field, or as soon as you get home
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| Lemon Balm growing wild between cement pavers. Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family, and is a wonderfully calming herb safe for even children. It can help reduce stress, anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion and colic. Drink as a tea, dab fresh leaves on bug bites, and throw into culinary dishes. |
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| Wild Dandelion. Let the Dandelions grow! The peak flowering time is March to May, though we will see these little yellow flowers well into Fall. Each flower is packed with nectar and pollen, making them a perfect early food source for pollinators just coming out of hibernation. A whole range of garden wildlife depends on Dandelions for food and survival. Bees, birds, butterflies, moths, and pollen beetles need them. |
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| Harvested Dandelion roots can be dried, ground and made into a very tasty coffee substitute. Traditional herbalists use Dandelion root to support the healthy functioning of the liver, kidneys spleen and gallbladder. |
