Comments on: The Weeds We Eat – Karin Forages in her Backyard

By: Judy

Judy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:00:16 +0000

F is stinging nettles. Despite the fact that the little hairs on it’s stem irritate the skin, the plant is edible. Like mallow, it’s supposed to be best before it flowers. It can be cooked and eaten like spinach, but it tends to cook down very small, so you’d need a large amount for it to look like a normal serving. The cooking water can be used to wash your hair, and you can even buy dried nettles in health food stores for making herbal infusions.

By: Frith

Frith — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:28:26 +0000

I love that you are writing about wild weeds. Chicory (picture E) is one of my staple foods this season, along with chickweed. I love collecting weeds that grow around my vege garden, it's a good feeling. And all done inside Tel Aviv :) I've read some stuff on this site about composting (which we manage very successfully at our place) and wild foods & would love to see more of it. Thanks for your efforts

By: Karin Kloosterman

Karin Kloosterman — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:00:22 +0000

Thank you Abbie! I will post an update shortly. – Karin

By: Karin Kloosterman

Karin Kloosterman — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:34:32 +0000

Rachel,If someone from Green Prophet doesn't go, it would be great if you could send us a recap of how it went.

By: Abbie Rosner

Abbie Rosner — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:23:43 +0000

Karin – Now that you've opened your eyes to the eating potential of all the wild greens around you, you'll never look at the landscape in the same way again. In your backyard alone you have three plants that are good for eating. C is hubeisa (mallow in English, halamit in Hebrew) – gets its name from the Arabic word for bread (hubs) and it is indeed one of the most basic of all foraging foods. E is ellet (olesh in Hebrew, chicory in English)- also a seasonal delicacy. And F is stinging nettle which, if you pick carefully, can be used in soup – I've also heard of it being used as a medicinal tea. If you go into your local Arab vegetable stand, you will probably find the ellet, and maybe hubeisa. Ellet has now been cultivated – hubeisa is so abundant that it is still gathered…

By: James

James — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 04:32:07 +0000

B'vadi, K, b'vadi….absolutely. I have only done this once, a few years back when I was living in the Scottish Borders and the dandelions were growing everywhere, but the ground up and roasted root tasted just like coffee. Try it and let me know…….

By: Karin Kloosterman

Karin Kloosterman — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:24:51 +0000

This Euell Gibbons?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euell_GibbonsSounds like a neat guy.

By: rachelb972

rachelb972 — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:57:51 +0000

so you better come to our workshop and see

By: Karin Kloosterman

Karin Kloosterman — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:40:53 +0000

Nice idea, but I've seen goats eat cars. And lamp-posts and just about anything they can wrap their mouths around…

By: rachelb972

rachelb972 — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:37:16 +0000

My friend Wajee says – anything the goat eats you can. Now it's easy, all you have to do is get yourself a goat….We are offering a workshop to answer exactly these questions: on traditional uses for local vegetation by Palestinians, on Friday 15.1.2010, in Sawiyah (near Tapuahc, shomron). Host and instructor: Shawkat Abu-Rass. I hope to see you there.you can call me for registration and more details: 054-4948914Best,Rachel