Earth Blessings!
When I was younger, Summer was always my favorite season. No school, pools, the beach, vacations, but as I've grown, Spring is by far my favorite now. Watching the mountains turn from white to green is a gift from the Earth that I am very grateful for.
We own a small 2 acre plot at the base of the Catskill Mountains and I am lucky enough to have a gorgeous front lawn, rich with WEEDS! It was only yesterday that my husband finally mowed for the first time this season, he's very gracious to have left my herb patches though!
All the herbs I will talk about were all found in my yard in early May in Upstate New York. Some are still in their pubescent form and haven't flowered yet, but still none the less very useful! I won't be going into detail with any of the recipes listed, but definitely keep a look out for future posts with a more detailed summary. For now I'll list some things you can do with each herb!
First and foremost of our list is Dandelions. We can't have a lawn/herb discussion without bringing up these guys.
Harvesting Dandelions is pretty easy as the entire plant is edible. From flower to root. However it's best to pick the leaves in early spring, especially if you're using them in your salad as they will become bitter the longer they sit in the sun. Be sure to pick on a nice sunny day when the flower heads are fully open and there is less risk of water/dew.
Medicinally this herb is wonderful, it's a mystery to me as to why it got a bad rap in the first place. Dandelion is a densely vitamin rich plant, chock full of Vitamin A, Vitamin, C, Vitamin B, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. Also chock full of minerals, Calcium, Zinc, and Iron.
Dandelions are naturally anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, meaning they are perfect for gut health. The benefits of using Dandelion for digestive issues are innumerable! They can treat issues like constipation, liver issues, gall bladder and urinary infections. As well as, high blood pressure, gout, eczema etc.There are a million and one things you can do with these versatile little puffs of sunshine!! (https://learnaboutherbs.com/gallery/dandelion.htm)
Uses
-Dandelion Jelly
-Dandelion Wine
-Dandelion Syrup
-Dandelion Root Coffee (this is a favorite of mine to make!)
-Dandelion Honey Butter
-Dandelion Tea
-Dandelion Salad Greens
-Dandelion Oil
-Dandelion Tincture
-Dandelion Leaf Infused Salt
Honestly I could go on and on!
Creeping Charlie
This little herb is one of my favorites! The delicate little purple flower is gorgeous in an afternoon sun as this violet ground cover spreads across the lawn. Also known as Ground Ivy I've found that people either love or hate this herb. I, of course, in loving that my yard is more weeds than grass love it! However, it can take over an area very quickly.
NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Purple Dead Nettle. They look very similar, so be sure to identify each properly. Luckily they are both edible.
Harvesting Creeping Charlie is fairly easy, it's a stringy little plant so while you think you might be pulling up just the top, a fibrous stem may come with him. You can gather leaves, stem and flowers. He can be dried as well for later use.
Medicinally Creeping Charlie has been used for centuries for a multitude of ailments. Notably it's super rich in Vitamin C and is used in curing ailments such as coughs, indigestion, and headaches. (https://www.gardenguides.com/87085-creeping-charlie-weed.html )
Uses
-Spring Tonic
-Tea
-Tinctures
-Dried
Violets
If you didn't see my whole write up on Violets go check it out now!
Another perfect addition to a beautiful array of little edible wild flowers in my yard! (seriously though, I honestly don't get why people would just want grass, where is the fun and color in that?!)
When Harvesting Violets I tend to stick to the flower head and the leaves, I generally leave the stem. Both are edible on their own (or in a salad!) You can pick as many as you like with this one, she repopulates through her strong ribosomes.
Medicinally Violets are another herb super rich in Vitamin C. It's no wonder all these herbs pop up in early Spring rich in all the Vitamins we need to ward off those inter-seasonal colds and viruses! Making her a perfect remedy for a cough.
She's also an anti-inflammatory and great as a blood cleanser, as well as a great addition to skin healing salves. Violets are great for conditions like eczema, varicose veins and bug bites. (https://www.growforagecookferment.com/foraging-for-wild-violets/ )
Uses
-Violet Honey
-Violet Infused Sugar
-Violet Infused Oil
-Violet Lime/Lemonade
-Violet Tincture
-Violet Tea
-Most of these recipes are on my post on Violets.
Mugwort
Oh Oh Oh how I LOVE this herb! Most commonly referred to as the Dream Herb. If you love vivid dreams and allowing that third eye to open your soul to all possibilities of the universe, this is the herb for you! This tall beauty will become one of your favorites very quickly once you realize all you can do with it. Mugwort also goes by the name 'Wild Wormwood' This is good to note when looking for recipes.
Harvesting Mugwort takes a little bit of patience. In these pictures, the plant is still in it's pubescent phase, you'll find very quickly that Mugwort likes to grow, and grow tall. I usually wait until the top of the plant is about 2-3 feet tall and then I cut at the base. You will have enough for whatever you need in only a few plants. Though this is another very invasive plant, so don't be shy in foraging.
Medicinally - Because Mugwort is part of the wormwood family, it is great at ridding the body of parasites. Mugwort is also rich in Calcium and Magnesium, creating an infused vinegar to take is the perfect way to get your levels where they need to be. (remember to take ANY infusion in moderation, taking too much of anything can lead to problems) Mugwort has also been know to allow the mind/body to open the third eye and allow for vivid dreaming. A simple 'dream pillow' (which are currently for sale in my shop!) works great for this. Remember to keep a dream journal close to your bed, you're going to want it! (https://thegrownetwork.com/for-the-love-of-mugwort-7-uses-for-mugwort/)
Uses -Mugwort Smudge Stick (my favorite to make and give away this time of year)
-Mugwort Tincture (good for those vivid dreams too!)
-Dream Pillow (add some dried lavender and rose pedals to the mix)
-Mugwort Vinegar
-Mugwort Infused Oil
Yarrow
I have deemed Yarrow the 'feather herb'. In teaching my children about herbs, we have to come up with creative ways for them to remember the vast amount herbs we go over in a short amount of time. Yarrow is soft and delicate and one of the best herbs to dry and save for the winter months! I was so happy when I saw her little sprouts popping up, I was almost out from using in teas, cough drops and tinctures for all the Winter colds my family was bound to get.
Harvesting Yarrow is generally better to harvest later in the season. So if you do find some now, just wait a little bit for the plant to flower. She will get a bit bigger and then sprout these beautiful white flowers. You can use the leaves and flowers and if you've been following me, you'll know that I use Yarrow a lot in my recipes.
Medicinally, Yarrow has many uses! Externally and Internally! For external use, Yarrow is a great astringent and antimicrobial that aids in stopping bleeding. Making an infused Witch Hazel with Yarrow can help with cleaning pores and wounds. Or make a poultice to aid in bleeding. Yarrow is also great in relieving fevers in a tea bath. Internally is it the perfect Winter herb. When you find some, be sure to dry a portion of your herbs to ensure you have enough to get you through the Winter. Because Yarrow is a great fever reducer, my go to is always a tea. I generally add Yarrow with other herbs that are also beneficial, but Yarrow is always in that mix. Yarrow also aids in digestion and circulation. It's also a great herb to use during a woman's mensural cycle for cramps.
Uses
-Yarrow Tea
-Yarrow Tincture
-Yarrow Salve
-Infused Yarrow Witch Hazel
-Yarrow Infused Oil
Plantain
I could honestly write an entire book just on this one plant. One of the most beneficial plants to have made it's way to the United States from Europe. The Natives use to deem this herb 'White Man's Footprint" because it would literally grow where ever the Europeans would walk. So finding this almost anywhere in the country isn't hard.
Harvesting There are two types of Plantain that grow in the United States that makes it a little harder for new herbalists/foragers, though it is generally the first herb many people learn. There are no look a-likes, which makes this plant the perfect beginner herb. The Plantain pictured, is the long leaf version, there is also a broad leaf version that is smaller and fatter. Both are essentially the same. My go to when teaching children this plant is the veins that run along the leaf. If you are to pick one leaf and try to separate it, pulling the long way (same direction as the vein) the leaf should separate, leaving the stringy vein.
Medicinally, Plantain is deemed the bandaid of the earth (or at least one of them). It is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory which makes it perfect for for any external wound. From cuts to bee stings to bug bites, this herb is the perfect go to for any wound. This entire plant is edible and medicinal. It is also antiseptic and used as an astringent. So you can use this herb in many different ways externally and internally!
Uses
-Plantain Salve (my go to every Spring season!)
-Plantain Tea
-Plantain infused Oil
-Plantain infused Witch Hazel
-Plantain Tincture (perfect in aiding urination issues)
-Plantain Poultice (this is great when you need aid in helping a wound in the field and you have no other options)
Garlic Mustard
Yum Yum Yum! I love when our Garlic Mustard starts sprouting! It's very invasive and can take over an area very quickly, but it tends to grow back in our woods and I don't mind it one bit. I use this herb more in cooking recipes than as a medicinal herb, but it definitely has medicinal properties.
Harvesting Garlic Mustard is super easy to harvest, just pick...as much as you want! Like I said it's invasive, so picking as much as you want is not a problem. This herb only tends to grow in Spring in my area, so I try to get as much as I can before Summer hits. Identifying this plant is generally the easiest from it's smell. It reeks of garlic/onion. It grows fairly tall and emits these adorable little white flowers on top.
Medicinally like any plant associated with garlic it has great antiseptic properties. Good for bleeding from bruising to sores. Also great for coughs and colds. Personally I do not use this herb for these problems, I would generally go strait for garlic. But in a pinch, it's good to know that this herb is good for that.
Uses
My go to for this herb, is a pesto. A quick internet search and you can find a million an one recipes for Garlic Mustard Pesto, but honestly it's so easy, I'll just put it here.
Pick a handful of plants, pluck off the leaves and place in a food processor, add some olive oil and process.
Because this plant offers the plant part of what you would use Basil for and the garlic taste in what you would add garlic to a pesto you literally get one plant in the place of two. Add your pesto to a pasta, a toasted bread or freeze in ice cube trays for later use!
BitterDock
Another one of our herbs that is hitting adolescence this time of year in New York is BitterDock. Not fully grown in this picture, but a good reference. Docks can be some of the easiest and hardest to identify when you're new to learning herbs. I found myself standing over multiple different docks, knowing they were all from the same family, but unable to identify them further (at first). Bitter Dock at this stage generally has a reddish colored stem, with long, wavy ridged leaves. Like it's name, this green is bitter, much like what Dandelion leaves would taste like come Summer time. Eventually this low lying plant will sprout one or more flowering stalks.
Harvesting BitterDock leaves is best done mid Spring when the greens are fresh, young and tender. Just like Dandelion, the longer they sit, the more bitter they become. The leaves are perfect sautéed, much like a substitute for Spinach. If your not into the bitterness of the leaves, no worries, the root and the seeds are wickedly beneficial as well.
Medicinally, BitterDock is a blood purifier, according to Steve Brill (one of my favorite New York Herbalists!) making a tea from the roots can aid in jaundice, whooping cough, boils and bleeding.
Uses
-Cooked Greens
-BitterDock Root Tea
-Great for Wild Beers (check out this recipe!)
-BitterDock root is great as a natural dye, makes a toned yellow.
-BitterDock Salve
Black Raspberry Leaf
Now this particular herb/plant isn't going to be in everyone's yard. It is generally only found in the North East and parts of Oregon. I'm lucky enough to have Black raspberries growing all over the perimeter of my property. So if you have access to these beauties, consider it a blessing from Mother Earth. I wanted to add raspberry for two reasons, One- It's excellent to know and be able to identify because so many people mistake this plant as poison ivy. Two- It holds excellent medicinal properties, especially for women.
Harvesting Black raspberry leaf can be a daunting for a couple of reasons. This very beneficial bush makes it tough not only to pick her lovely berries but her leaves as well, the biggest identifier for me pre-berry stage are her THORNS!! We've been told since wee little babies 'Leaves of Three, Let them Be' which makes utilizing this plant early in the season a little scary. But she is a thorny little bugger though and does not grow in a vine, she stays fairly close to the ground and does not grow up trees like poison ivy. Here is a good resource at the difference between the two.
Mid Spring when her leaves are still fresh is the best time to harvest. Be very careful of her thorns, pick fresh leaves from different sections of different bushes. You can harvest to mis Summer, but these fresh ones hold all the power. Dry leaves can be used in tea throughout the winter.
Medicinally Black raspberry Leaf at this young stage holds incredible benefits. Much like it's red raspberry cousin it holds densely nutritive properties such as Vitamin A, B, C, Fiber and contains powerful antioxidants. Black raspberry leaf however has been known to have higher levels of antioxidants making it a real contender in it's cancer fighting potential. (You can read more about that here).
The benefits for women in this plant are amazing, it's really no wonder she shows her true potential in early Spring when the earth is fertile. Generally used by pregnant woman and women going through menopause, it has also been known to help with infertility in both men and women. Susun Weed (Another fantastic Herbalist in New York) is an excellent source on this subject.
Uses
-Black Raspberry Leaf Tea
-Jam (when the berries come)
Lilac
Now, this is another plant that may or may not be in your yard, however Lilac's are seriously everywhere and very easy to cut and plant anywhere. This is also another plant on our list that I generally do not use medicinally, though there are centuries of records in using this plant medicinally. I like to use lilacs for recipes, they are incredibly sweet and fragrant, perfect for baked goods and literally anything with sugar!
Harvesting Lilac couldn't get any easier. Simply wait til the flowers are big and fluffy and cut the bunch at the base. Lilacs and generally a violet/purple color, shades usually vary.
Medicinally Lilac flowers have not been the first choice in using medicinally, however the leaves have been known in treatment of intestinal parasites and malaria. Used as a anti-periodic in the form of a tea or tonic.
Uses
-Lilac Toner (an infusion used to tone and tighten skin, use water or Witch Hazel)
-Lilac Infused Sugar
-Lilac Infused Honey
-Lilac Jelly
-Lilac Syrup
Phew! I hope you have fun foraging in your yard. I want to leave you with an excellent recipe posted on Edible Wild Food's Blog from Pascal Bauder, which features 5 of the herbs listed in this post. Once you get acquainted with your herbs I hope you can venture to the Belgium Wild Beer Recipe!
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