Edible Plants in the San Bernardino Mountains in Winter

 

 

 

Blackberry leaves - The blackberry bush is a member of the rose family.  The leaves are a source of vitamin C and tannins.

Chickweed - Chickweed is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, B complex, C, and rutin (an accompanying flavonoid), as well as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper, and silica.

Dandelion - Dandelions are nature’s richest green vegetable source of beta-carotene and the third richest source of Vitamin A of all foods. Dandelion also contains high amounts of fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and the B vitamins, thiamine and riboflavin, and are a good source of protein.

Grass - All grass is edible. It is HIGHLY nutritious. It is best juiced in a wheat grass juicer and drunk because it has such a high fiber content that it is hard for us to digest. If you don't have a juicer, chew the grass, swallow the juices and spit out the pulp.

Mustard greens - Mustard greens have more vitamin A, carotenes, vitamin K and flavonoid anti-oxidants than many commonly consumed fruits and vegetables.  They are in the same family as cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts.

Pine bark - Pine bark is an excellent source of pycnogenol, which is a free radical scavenger.  The edible part is the INNER pine bark.  For more information and pictures, see: http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/edible-pine-bark

Pine needles - Pine needles are a wonderful source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. I like the shorter pine needles the best because they have a bit of a lemony flavor.

Stinging nettle - Nettle is rich in Vitamin C and the antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin E. It is also high in chlorophyll, iron, potassium, magnesium, chromium, and zinc. It is a good source of protein, calcium, Vitamin A, B-complex, and has many trace minerals.

Strawberry leaves - Strawberry leaves are high in Vitamin C.

Wintercress - Wintercress is a member of the mustard family (probably why the two look so much alike).  It is also said to be related to dandelion.  Wintercress is a highly nutritious plant provides plenty of B vitamins, potassium, and calcium.

To take a tour of these very plants in the San Bernardino Mountains, watch the following video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Yjk7LKppI

2011-12-9 Stinging Nettle

Seriously, it's been a while since I've been wildcrafting because I've been so under the weather.  But I was actually feeling pretty good today, so I took myself off to the lake this morning and went out hunting for stinging nettle.  I love that plant.  Not only does it taste delicious, but it is a super food, densely packed with nutrition.

Anyway, my timing couldn't have been better because, although, I harvested the plant to make tea for me, my husband ended up getting really sick today, so I had some nice nutritious tea ready for him when he came home from work.

Okay, so he didn't like the taste of the tea... but he's not really a tea drinker and he's kind of picky.  He drank it though and only told me "This better cure me".  LOL

We also had a visit from Baby Valerie today.  She's always very emotionally unsettled after she's visited her birth mother and is very clingy to her grandmother so she had a VERY hard time transitioning into our care for the afternoon.  But after quite a few hours and a nice nap, she did eventually relax and play and smile and laugh, so it was all good in the end.

To view a video of me harvesting the nettle, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQesrAACL2s