Dandelions elicit strong reactions from both lawn-lovers and gardeners. Strong, negative reactions. If you find yourself in this camp, here’s your chance to exact delicious revenge. The dandelion is a versatile and tasty weed with four different edible parts…that makes it an edible superstar in my book. Colonists brought dandelion seeds from Europe to America as a valued food and…
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What Can You Make with Crabapples?
I grew up thinking crabapples were poisonous. (I also grew up thinking life was fair and goodness would be rewarded, so go figure.) After all, I never saw anybody eat them, and why would people let all that pretty fruit go to waste if it was worth eating? Crabapples are extremely popular garden plants, but almost everyone grows them for…
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Sometimes You Just Need Mushrooms
I’m not complaining. We all have our ups and downs, hard times, rough spots, and the past few months have been like that for me. No indication that things are going to change any time soon, so I decided to give myself a shot in the arm and get back to what makes me feel most grounded, satisfied, and relaxed….
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Edible and Ornamental: Food is all around you if you know where to look.
Four or five years ago, when I was working on Backyard Foraging, I visited the Indianapolis Museum of Art with a group of garden writers. The grounds are gorgeous (worth a visit whether or not you go into the museum), and I was struck by how many plants in their landscape were both edible and ornamental. So I was thrilled…
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All About Elderberries, aka Sambucus species
Elderberries don’t grow wild where I live in New Mexico. But just a few hundred miles north, in Denver, I find plenty of elderberries, and I think it’s worth the drive. There are two general categories of elders: those with blue/black fruit and those with red fruit. Red fruited elderberries are considered poisonous by many, although that may not actually…
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