still diggin' on violets

I've been going out to the yard and picking up all sorts of "weeds" to make lunch or dinner with lately. At first, I was just out of lettuce, but now I turn to the yard first and fridge second. Dandelion, chickweed, purple deadnettle--and my favorite--violet leaves.

I finally got around to making that violet syrup, too. I picked as many violet blossoms as I thought made sense in the yard, which didn't seem to add up to much in the mason jar. I wonder why they seem to only grow in our yard, but neither of our neighbors'? I poured boiling water over the blossoms and let them sit in the closed jar for two days, even though only 24 hours were suggested (I had to go out of town). Afterwards, I strained the liquid through a cheesecloth, combined it with what I deemed to be an equal part of local honey from the food co-op, and simmered it for over a half hour. It smelled fantastic, and made about 12 oz.

How dry is dry?

Checked on the purple deadnettle I hung up to dry this morning, and it's hard to say if they're dry enough or not. The leaves are indeed dry, but they don't crumble in my hand, so I remember reading they should. Another day or so?

Shopping for greens in the backyard

I started the day in a foul mood, but scrounging around for free food in the backyard with the sun beating gently on my back somehow made those yucky feelings melt away. I had one of those giant mixed organic salad green plastic containers that was almost empty, so I grabbed it and begin filling it with scavenged goodies.

These gorgeous flowers started to pop up in our small stretch of back lawn the other day. I thought they might be violets because of their heart-shaped leaves, and the shape of the flowers, but I wasn't sure since they were mostly white, with hints of blues and purples. After willing them to be violets for a day or two, and some internet research, it turns out they are a type of blue violet. On the herbal intensive recordings I've been listening to Jim went on and on about how important eating bitters is, and he gave violets as a tasty and nutritive example. He also talked about how bitters might be good to help clear funks. Did I make that up? Either way, my funk was cleared. It's so exciting to be able to listen to what Jim says on the recordings, and have it finally seem to make sense. Not that it didn't make sense before, but I feel more connected now. To the material, to the world around me--things are just in place.

In with the violet flowers and leaves went hefty amounts of dandelion greens, which although they flowers aren't popping up in my yard yet, I did notice some full yellow heads next door at Carl and Mariuca's. For good measure, I put in a smattering of purple deadnettle and chickweed as I came across it. Also, grabbed some kale that is now looking quite tasty after making it through the winter. The bottom leaves are still covered in aphids and gnats, but the top growth seems to be free of pests. This salad, accompanied with roasted carrots and beets, was the perfect reward after spending the afternoon prepping and planting gardens at Amit's house. Dig in!

Drying herbs

I picked a bunch of purple deadnettle from the garden rows yesterday to dry out for teas, leaving them sitting in a milk crate in the shade until late afternoon/evening when I put them together in bunches. I know harvesting late morning was key, but I think I probably should have hung them right away. I put some together last night into about 9 pieces a bunch, and hung them in the basement. This morning I strung up the last three bunches I'd done and left sitting on the table overnight. The rest I threw out. If I compost weeds, will the seeds spread in the garden? Maybe not if I get it hot enough?

This was my first drying experience, so we'll see how it goes. I also harvested way too much for me to use (although there is PLENTY left out there). I was going to eat some, but leaving them sitting all day they weren't really fresh anymore. An interesting note, when I was working with the last of the deadnettle this morning, my nose got all runny and sneezy. This made it hard to work, but since I'd been stuffed up on one side since I woke up, it cleared my sinuses right up. It really illustrated for me what Jim always said about "talking" to plants, and getting to know the herbs. Only by working with them can you really come to know them. And these deadnettle were definitely communicating with me!

The Chicks are Sleeping

Herbalists are SUCH nerds. Case and point:

"Chickweed gets its common name because chickens love it. Raw, it tastes like corn silk. I demonstrate this to school kids with a chicken imitation, then I grab the herb from the teacher's hand with my teeth and swallow it—corny, but consistent with the plant's flavor!"
-Wild Man Steve Brill

But you know what? I love it. And I can tell that I'm on my way to becoming a big fat plant nerd too. The future, my friends, is very bright.

In addition the purple deadnettle, the other plant growing all over the garden rows is chickweed (stellaria media, which means "little star"). When I was harvesting the deadnettle (a little too early) this morning, I noticed that the chickweed blossoms all seemed to have disappeared. "Maybe it really is moss," I thought. But, it turns out, chickweed flowers go to "sleep" at night, closing their buds to re-open in the morning! If that's not neat, I don't know what is.

Gather chickweed when the buds appear--so harvest time is now, even though it's scheduled for May. They are nutritious, and can be added to salads, or cooked as a potherb and treated like spinach. Chickweed contains calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins C and A, and saponins--helping us to absorb nutrients! According to Susun Weed, the plant is good at breaking stuff up--fat, tumors, and cysts. She also says that chickweed "opens us up to cosmic energies and gives us the inner strength we need to handle those energies." Pretty rad. Chickweed can also be used externally to treat eczema and varicose veins, and if ingested is an alterative (blood purifier). It also has a reputation as a diuretic and as a poultice for eye problems, like pink eye or conjunctivitis.

In order to get some of these fabulous vitamins and minerals into my system, I picked a bunch of chickweed, clover, and deadnettle and boiled it up for about 20 minutes. I added it to my pasta, along with some lightly sauteed home-grown oyster mushrooms (thanks to Meg!), and voila--my first herbal dish!

Sources
http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Chickweed-A-Star.htm
http://www.altnature.com/gallery/chickweed.htm
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_chickweed.htm

Purple Deadnettle

I am so excited! A non-stinging nettle! After forking out loads and loads of the invasive weed that crept over the entire surface of our garden rows, I've finally identified it as purple deadnettle (Lamium perpureum). The identification part is satisfying enough, but on top of that, it's edible, medicinal, and nutritious!

Purple deadnettle can be identified by it's square-shaped stem (indicating its membership in the mint family) and heart-shaped hairy leaves that extend from short petioles. The leaves towards the top tend to have a reddish tint, and the flowers are purple. It is a favorite of bees and butterflies (as a testament to this, I saw countless honeybees dining on this mystery weed just last week!). At first I thought its other name, Purple (or red) Archangel was way cooler, but apparently it's called "dead" because it won't sting you, like other nettles will!

This plant comes out in early spring, and is often the first in the garden. Gather aerial parts when flowers are in bloom. The entire plant is edible, and can be dried for later use. Contains iron, fiber, flavonoids (quercetin and vitamin C), and anti-oxidants.

Boil for 20-30 minutes to prepare as a "pot-herb." Can be treated like spinach, or included raw in salads.

Bruise leaves and apply topically to stop bleeding. Use as a tea to induce perspiration and act on kidneys. Good for chills. It is also anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. Some use it to control or reduce allergies.

Resources
http://www.naturesherbal.com/Purple_Dead_Nettle.htm
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/n/nettle03.html#pur
http://earthenstewards.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/lamium-purpureum-purple-dead-nettle-herbal-ally/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/485502-purple-dead-nettle-and-allergies/#ixzz1ljFKODWC