As the seasons roll from winter to spring, our lawns, gardens and other bits of wild land turn green and often burst with the bright yellow blossoms of the common dandelion. Many people out there wage an all out war on what are often considered an eyesore and pest. However, the dandelion is essential to survival.
Dandelions bloom in the early spring and are often one of the first pollen filled food sources around as the bees become active. Our aggressive assault on these little beauties is doing nobody any favors. Not only are these flowers an essential food source for the bees, they are a nutritious edible for us as well. This little plant that is the bane of the perfect lawn, could very well prove to be the most likely and prolific source of food in a survival situation.
All parts of this plant are edible, from the blooms to the roots. However, they are only edible when the plants are not frozen in the winter months. Before we discuss the edibility of the plants, let’s discuss where to look and how to harvest. The rules for wild edibles are pretty standard. Choose plants that are healthy, away from roadways and foot traffic and make sure they have not been sprayed with any sort of weed spray or herbicides.. Never harvest more than 10% of the available source; ethical harvesting is essential to maintaining sustainable populations and guaranteeing that your wild food source will be there when you need it. Dandelions are one of, if not the most widespread plant in the world. It grows in areas with elevation between 500 and 11,000 feet. They are highly adaptive to almost every environment. This means that this is one of the most prolific food sources around. There are several other “weeds” that are very similar in appearance, however, none of them are toxic, so there is no need to worry if you find something that looks like a dandelion turns out to be a close relative, like cat's ear.
The last few years have seen a huge increase in the amount of interest in wild food options. There are websites popping up all over the place and wild foods like dandelions are showing up on menus in “posh” restaurants around the globe. There are lots of fancy recipes on the web, but we are simply going to focus on eating for survival, not designer wild food feasts. Keeping this in mind, having some knowledge of local wild edibles should be part of your long term survival scenario plan. Fresh greens and other wild edibles will take the place of the fruits and veggies that we find readily available in our supermarkets. Also, any addition of wild foods will make you food stashes stretch a lot further.
Dandelion greens contain many of the same nutrients that we find in other field greens. Dandelion greens are bitter, so picking the smaller, newer leaves is best. Picking from the inside of the rosette means you are picking the youngest, freshest leaves. Of course, if you are really starving, older leaves are edible, but may be far more bitter than you anticipate. Dandelion greens can be eaten raw or cooked. I have seen them added to salads, sauteed with other greens and herbs, made into pesto, or added to soup or stews. The leaves can be hung and dehydrated so that you can assure you have a source of leafy greens at a later date. Dried greens can be ground and added to soup stock or even flour to make nutrient packed noodles.
The bright yellow blossoms that we are so familiar with are also edible, but the green stems are very bitter and it is recommended to remove the blossom from the green stem. One of our favorite springtime rituals is making dandelion jelly. The result is a delicious honey colored treat with the lightest hint of sweet florals. Survival situations will probably mean you do not have the tools to make jelly, but there is the option of frying the flowers. Dipping them in some kind of batter and frying them like a fritter is a common way of eating them, however they are good raw or even in baked goods. The blossoms are also the main component to the ever popular dandelion wine.
Dandelions have long taproots that are also edible. The roots can be boiled whole and eaten like carrots. They can be chopped and roasted and used to make a healthful herbal tea. Drying things like dandelions when they are plentiful can ensure that you have the nutrients you need in the winter when food is much less plentiful. One of the most interesting uses for the dandelion root is roasting it and grinding it to make a coffee substitute. There are so many people who depend on coffee to just make it through their day that finding a post-disaster option may be in your best interest.
Dandelions also are used medicinally and have many health benefits. However, that info I will share with you at a later date.
There you have it, just a few reasons why we should leave the dandelions alone. Not only do the bees rely on them, but someday, you might as well.
~Tansy
