Studies say that two thirds of the "weeds" listed by governmental agencies are edible. That represents a huge shift in opinion and knowledge from just 70 years ago. How, and why did we go from a nation that valued wild edibles to one that calls them noxious and approves toxic chemicals to eradicate edible plants? Glad you found the dandelions.
Its amazing the influential ability a mother has on her son. I too have found myself most recently doing those things I was asked to do as a child. My fondest child hood memories are of me making her smile, or, vice versa.
I live in Winter Garden Florida and just heard you on the radio. I can't believe I found you. I've been looking for a resource like this for a long time. I live in an apartment that has large Live Oak Trees. I found out that you can eat the acorns if you leech them. Love this stuff. It makes me feel so secure and positive about the future in case the tractor trailers with packaged food would become disrupted due to some crisis. This makes me feel prepared. Thank you.
Many thanks for this video! There are currently several dandelions on my lawn and now I know how to use them. My mother won't like it, but I'm going to encourage their growth from now on.
I can't believe how lucky I am to this series. Terrific use of the short video format. Tremendously useful and informative. Unbelievable generosity. Simply fantastic.
My italian grandmother taught me harvest dandelions, italians love bitter greens. We added sweet onions and red wine vinegar olive oil and salt and pepper. I grew up in the north east, but being here in florida i grow them from seed. Just made salad todsy. Added basil and tomatoes to our usual recipe. Thanks for this video.
So true! I had this neighbor kid helping with my back yard work yesterday and I reached down, grabbed a few yellow tops and some greens and popped them in my mouth, chewed them up and swallowed them. He was freaked out. LOL I explained that you can't do that with every plant. But shared what you have taught me. Thanks for all you do Brother.
You're welcome... could you restate the question? I don't understand it but I'll try. The flower blossoms can be eaten off the plant or picked and eaten.
There are several ways besides waiting for it to grow up, but they are comparative so you have to have some of the imagery inside the head. The dandelion's leaves are deeper indented, and, the ends of the indented lobes point back towards the rosette. The end of the dandelion leaf has an arrow point. Chicory leaves have rounder lobes that point laterally (left and right not back) and the end of the leaf itself is rounded.
Great video, thanks! I just tried eating dandelions for the first time this spring, on my front lawn. The flower tastes very mild. The leaf is a bit bitter if eaten on it's own, which is probably why many sites recommend making a salad that is only maybe 1/3 dandelion leaves. Thanks again.
True... In fact, the mustard greens are coming up. I was in Tarpon Springs Tuesday and the mustards are already blossoming. They are a couple of weeks behind that here. But, plenty of mustard greens now.
You are a true national treasure. In the 1970s I remember a drug company was paying $50 a Lb for dandelion roots. I wonder what drugs are made from them or perhaps they were just doing research thus the very high amount of money per pound (big bucks for back then).
I don't see why not though they may be too bitter. I would try a few to see what they tasted like raw and roasted. The only seed reference to them I found was the sprouted seeds can be eaten.
I think it's hilarious that you actually seed your lawn with dandelions. In Minnesota, people go to great lengths and pay a lot of money to rid themselves of those "weeds".
I boiled mine yesterday with a little vinegar and it took out almost all of the bitterness. What a treat. They are in full bloom here in Maine. It's early May.
You're welcome, and looking at the time you are up early and I am up late.... The central core of the dandelion leaf is about the opposite of the thistle leaf. The latter you can shave off the "leaf" part and eat the stem. With the dandelion you have to shave off the leaf part and get rid of the stem... and then... the leaves may or may not be palletable.
@RenegadeOfSociety I suppose it depends on what you mean as "ill." Will it kill you? PRobably not. Can it upset your stomach and make you feal lousy. That could happen. The stalks are usually not eaten and the roots are boiled or roasted for longer.
LOL "I had to bring home seeds and try to get them to grow in my lawn." I Live in Michigan and I try to keep them out of my lawn. I've always enjoyed eating the yellow heads by dipping them in a thin pancake batter with garlic power added and then fry. Delicious. Thanks for the video.
Extensive information, thank you for sharing, I'll never try to spray one in my yard again. In fact, now I want to get some seeds & grow in my garden. How do you harvest the buff balls to get plants? Just put in the dirt & bury it? Thanks again.
I appreciate your info on wild weeds for food I have been collecting dandelions and plantain boiling like turnip greens with a table spoon of veg. oil and about 2 inch piece of bacon for flavoring.
Our neighbor was one Mr. Gowan. I had bottled the dandelion wine in 16oz coke bottles. And he had three bottles...It was sweet with a hint of bitter taste. And I can clearly remember him saying "that's pretty good" as he poured another glass. I would make it but there just aren't enough dandelions in my area.
I think I said this in another comment but this is one of the best ideas I have ever heard about world hunger teach people about what is out there to eat and then then the ones that know multiply the plant and teach others thanks for making these vids
Dean, thanks for taking your time to show us all these things. Which book(s) would you recommend for someone to carry in their hiking pack? I live in East Texas if that helps any.
White latex-looking sap comes from several plants, most of them not edible. The dandelion happens to be one of few that has white sap and is edible, usually cooked.
I'm used to dandelions in my yard being a very flat, round plant in my yard.. but out in the 'brush' I find what looks like one but it can be 4 feet tall, and very scraggly... the flowers and seed heads look similar but different. Is there a plant that mimics dandelions? Are they just related? And are they still safe to eat...?
Can't wait for the new vids, I have to say though, its a decent trade off, lol, not many dandelions, but in your area you ahve so much more growth and variety and for a longer period of the year then up here, haha...
was wondering about the Flower essence of dandelion. How much should I take? Like I am able to take 2 drops on tongue so far but more makes me almost stay in the bathroom. Also how long would I take this for before I should stop taking the essence? Not sure if your familiar with the essence. But I seem to not be able to find much online about how long and if I am having the BM so often should I stop using it?
@cloudsowhite That is a difficult question to answer. If one looks closely enough there are no look alikes. Are there some plants that might resemble it at some state of growth and are they toxic? I would say yes. But, after it blossoms that reduces the chances a lot. Go to my website and look up "False Dandelions for Lunch."
Dandelions grow well in Florida on the north side of your house, next to the wall. When it rains, the water that falls off the roof is more concentrated in the ground. Once you establish a dandelion in that spot, it will multiply along the wall. I've had a steady abundant crop of dandelion year around for several years now.
My great uncle used to pick greens from the yard. He was from Greece, and he always told me "you wanna live to be old as me? Eat the dandelions." and would show all the kids how to identify it. The salads this man made were legendary.
I have not made it. However I do have a non-alcoholic version recipe on the bottom of the dandelion page and the burdock page with a link to where the recipe came from (your neck of the woods.)
thanks for the tip. I planned on using dandelion's next year . I just started using acorns as a coffee substitute and I like it . I am going to try making flour out of it . and also tring to harvest Chicory as well
Thank you so mush for you informative videos. I there caffine in dandilion root. I have never tried it of Chickory but my Parents and Grandparents drank Chickory in the depression. thanks for you reply.
I've never seen dandelion leaves like that.The ones here in New York are larger with fewer teeth, and are very long. They are a pain in the neck. My backyard is FULL of them from March thru September and even now there are a few stalwarts. They refuse to die no matter WHAT I do, so after watching this, I'm going to make them pay for their room and board...in other words I'll be drinking lots of dandelion tea, and adding the leaves to my salads from now on. Thanks for a very informative tutorial.
Truly awesome video. I've stocked food and supplies for the economic collapse but I need to get a handle on some of the wild food in my area. I've heard that settlers on Australia starved while they were surrounded with food. I'd hate for that to happen to me. Can you tell me what that tea strainer thing is called and where I can get one?
So, I've grown up seeing dandelions my whole life, and after I moved to CA I saw 2 kinds. I never ate the second kind because I didn't know they were edible. Did you really say they are edible?
Make enough for two... It is amazing that when we "left the farm" we began surrounding our homes with non-edible even poisonous plants and came to disdain the edible ones. I bet there is no such thing as a disliked dandelion in Ethiopia.
Where im at, dandelions grow everywhere. if I had it my way we wouldn't cut the lawn, I like plantain, I love burdock root. and I save all the yarrow, oh I love some yarrow tea. calming relaxing and cleansing at that. and I collect chamomile for my neighbor. he used to buy it. not no more
Dean i live in washington Dandelions are all over i was wondering tho some of them dont have the snaggle tooth design and some have a white fuzzy appearance on the leaves other wise they look like the ones u show.
@vegangoatman I have no control over the ads placed on the videos. I have complained but that is as far as it can go. I have gone through the procedures to ban certain ads but they still show up. I know it is offensive and stupid but that is google.
When I was about 15 my Dad was taking his pesticide license test., After everyone else had left the room, he was still sitting there. I went in to see what was taking so long. He pointed to a picture on the page and said he couldn't figure out what this plant was.. I had to laugh. It was a dandelion. We have BILLIONS of them here, and yes. They grow like weeds.. lol Thanks for the video,. new subscriber here.
You are awesome Green Deane... I love your "bringing the seeds home to let grow in your lawn" ! ;) I use to have a large meadow back in Montana and beautiful dandelions grew there but my landlords came over one day n put chemical on them so after that I could not harvest... so sad! :( I just cooked up some leaves today and put hemp oil, olive oil, & apple cider vinegar on them... it helps with the bitter... oh so yummy! ;)
if you got a whole dandelion, like with the root, yellow bits, stalk, leaves, all in 1, boiled it for about 5 minutes then ate it whole, would you get ill?
Studies say that two thirds of the "weeds" listed by governmental agencies are edible. That represents a huge shift in opinion and knowledge from just 70 years ago. How, and why did we go from a nation that valued wild edibles to one that calls them noxious and approves toxic chemicals to eradicate edible plants? Glad you found the dandelions.
Its amazing the influential ability a mother has on her son. I too have found myself most recently doing those things I was asked to do as a child. My fondest child hood memories are of me making her smile, or, vice versa.
I live in Winter Garden Florida and just heard you on the radio. I can't believe I found you. I've been looking for a resource like this for a long time. I live in an apartment that has large Live Oak Trees. I found out that you can eat the acorns if you leech them. Love this stuff. It makes me feel so secure and positive about the future in case the tractor trailers with packaged food would become disrupted due to some crisis. This makes me feel prepared. Thank you.
I'm living off of dandelions and pecans ..the dandelions are great and here in ft worth they are plentiful and large.
Many thanks for this video! There are currently several dandelions on my lawn and now I know how to use them. My mother won't like it, but I'm going to encourage their growth from now on.
I can't believe how lucky I am to this series. Terrific use of the short video format. Tremendously useful and informative. Unbelievable generosity. Simply fantastic.
Yes. The root is nearly charred then ground up and added to the coffee. Chicory is used the same way, as are persimmon seeds.
My italian grandmother taught me harvest dandelions, italians love bitter greens. We added sweet onions and red wine vinegar olive oil and salt and pepper. I grew up in the north east, but being here in florida i grow them from seed. Just made salad todsy. Added basil and tomatoes to our usual recipe. Thanks for this video.
So true! I had this neighbor kid helping with my back yard work yesterday and I reached down, grabbed a few yellow tops and some greens and popped them in my mouth, chewed them up and swallowed them. He was freaked out. LOL I explained that you can't do that with every plant. But shared what you have taught me. Thanks for all you do Brother.
It also makes a good glue.
You're welcome... could you restate the question? I don't understand it but I'll try. The flower blossoms can be eaten off the plant or picked and eaten.
@d0ck47 One has to use judgment. Is the area sprayed with chemicals, such as lawns? Does it get parking lot run off, or highway run off?
There are several ways besides waiting for it to grow up, but they are comparative so you have to have some of the imagery inside the head. The dandelion's leaves are deeper indented, and, the ends of the indented lobes point back towards the rosette. The end of the dandelion leaf has an arrow point. Chicory leaves have rounder lobes that point laterally (left and right not back) and the end of the leaf itself is rounded.
Great video, thanks! I just tried eating dandelions for the first time this spring, on my front lawn. The flower tastes very mild. The leaf is a bit bitter if eaten on it's own, which is probably why many sites recommend making a salad that is only maybe 1/3 dandelion leaves. Thanks again.
True... In fact, the mustard greens are coming up. I was in Tarpon Springs Tuesday and the mustards are already blossoming. They are a couple of weeks behind that here. But, plenty of mustard greens now.
My dog loves this time of year. She runs around the yard eating all of our dandelions. She really loves them. Been eating them for years.
Ty Deane for the great synapse ; ) I have a multitude of dandelions in my yard, and now I can make use of them!!
You are a true national treasure.
In the 1970s I remember a drug company was paying $50 a Lb for dandelion roots.
I wonder what drugs are made from them or perhaps they were just doing research thus the very high amount of money per pound (big bucks for back then).
I don't see why not though they may be too bitter. I would try a few to see what they tasted like raw and roasted. The only seed reference to them I found was the sprouted seeds can be eaten.
What a pleasant man. Thank you for all that you do!
Thanks. I'm in Maitland. If you look around you can find Live Oaks acorns with almost no tannins.
I think it's hilarious that you actually seed your lawn with dandelions. In Minnesota, people go to great lengths and pay a lot of money to rid themselves of those "weeds".
I boiled mine yesterday with a little vinegar and it took out almost all of the bitterness. What a treat. They are in full bloom here in Maine. It's early May.
You're welcome, and looking at the time you are up early and I am up late.... The central core of the dandelion leaf is about the opposite of the thistle leaf. The latter you can shave off the "leaf" part and eat the stem. With the dandelion you have to shave off the leaf part and get rid of the stem... and then... the leaves may or may not be palletable.
@RenegadeOfSociety I suppose it depends on what you mean as "ill." Will it kill you? PRobably not. Can it upset your stomach and make you feal lousy. That could happen. The stalks are usually not eaten and the roots are boiled or roasted for longer.
Yes, you can eat them but the flavor varies. Green parts are usually bitter, even on the blossoms.
When young, yes. Stems or leaves with purple spots are usually too bitter as are tall plants. Young and tender is always best.
Yes, many recipies.... Dandelion wine was the first wine I made... around age 15.... to young to buy but old enough to make...
LOL "I had to bring home seeds and try to get them to grow in my lawn." I Live in Michigan and I try to keep them out of my lawn.
I've always enjoyed eating the yellow heads by dipping them in a thin pancake batter with garlic power added and then fry. Delicious. Thanks for the video.
Extensive information, thank you for sharing, I'll never try to spray one in my yard again. In fact, now I want to get some seeds & grow in my garden. How do you harvest the buff balls to get plants? Just put in the dirt & bury it? Thanks again.
I appreciate your info on wild weeds for food I have been collecting dandelions and plantain boiling like turnip greens with a table spoon of veg. oil and about 2 inch piece of bacon for flavoring.
Our neighbor was one Mr. Gowan. I had bottled the dandelion wine in 16oz coke bottles. And he had three bottles...It was sweet with a hint of bitter taste. And I can clearly remember him saying "that's pretty good" as he poured another glass. I would make it but there just aren't enough dandelions in my area.
Hi, I have just discovered your videos & they came to me when I was looking for info on wild food. Thank you very much.
I think I said this in another comment but this is one of the best ideas I have ever heard about world hunger teach people about what is out there to eat and then then the ones that know multiply the plant and teach others thanks for making these vids
@EatTheWeeds
I was wondering about that too since all you mention are ways to process it. Is the milky sap and stem poisonous?
@auggiedoggy You can steam either but the root but it tends to be bitter.
Awesome vid! Should you dry the blossoms before making tea with them? Does it enhance the quality or flavor any? Or does it matter?
The sap is bitter which is why it is not consumed. In larger amount it could make you feel unwell but I don't think we would call it "poisonous."
Thanks for this! Can you eat the roots raw?
@ClarkesonTheMarksman Yes, usualy cooked but one can eat it raw (Yellow parts, the green is bitter.)
can you eat the root raw?
Ultimate Survival Guide The whole thing is edible.
how would you make dandelion wine? that sounds interesting.
Thanks for telling me, by the way what was the name of that item you used to seperate the dandelions from the water?
Tea-Leaf Strainer?
Dean, thanks for taking your time to show us all these things. Which book(s) would you recommend for someone to carry in their hiking pack? I live in East Texas if that helps any.
White latex-looking sap comes from several plants, most of them not edible. The dandelion happens to be one of few that has white sap and is edible, usually cooked.
The effect is usually attributed to the leaves.
THANKS!!!i have been wanting to know what wild plants i can eat
@maria9here Either will do, or just consider them more protein.
@XxKevisanxX Yep... add time and a little luck. Some folks might add a little lemon juice or tannic acid.
I'm used to dandelions in my yard being a very flat, round plant in my yard.. but out in the 'brush' I find what looks like one but it can be 4 feet tall, and very scraggly... the flowers and seed heads look similar but different. Is there a plant that mimics dandelions? Are they just related? And are they still safe to eat...?
Can't wait for the new vids, I have to say though, its a decent trade off, lol, not many dandelions, but in your area you ahve so much more growth and variety and for a longer period of the year then up here, haha...
was wondering about the Flower essence of dandelion. How much should I take? Like I am able to take 2 drops on tongue so far but more makes me almost stay in the bathroom. Also how long would I take this for before I should stop taking the essence? Not sure if your familiar with the essence. But I seem to not be able to find much online about how long and if I am having the BM so often should I stop using it?
And luscious too.... here in Florida they are scraggly runts.
@miketonon They have a good amount of vitamin A, potassium and other minerals.
Yes, but it will be bitter if you get any green parts.
It's not so much forgetting as I focus on edibilty rather than herbal application, though I often do mention it on my site.
Can they have more than one stem ?
I really enjoyed the video. You have a very pleasant way about you.
Yes, dandelion blossom tea. Yellow parts and let it seep like regular tea.
Was that dandelion tea? Id love to try it this spring (I'm from kentucky)
@cloudsowhite That is a difficult question to answer. If one looks closely enough there are no look alikes. Are there some plants that might resemble it at some state of growth and are they toxic? I would say yes. But, after it blossoms that reduces the chances a lot. Go to my website and look up "False Dandelions for Lunch."
@randude1 You may be seeing either a sonchus or a lactuca canadensis
I’ve been wondering and trying to find any information on whether dandelion seeds can be eaten or used for anything.
They are edible but small and accompanied with a lot of fluff.
Dandelions grow well in Florida on the north side of your house, next to the wall. When it rains, the water that falls off the roof is more concentrated in the ground. Once you establish a dandelion in that spot, it will multiply along the wall. I've had a steady abundant crop of dandelion year around for several years now.
My great uncle used to pick greens from the yard. He was from Greece, and he always told me "you wanna live to be old as me? Eat the dandelions." and would show all the kids how to identify it. The salads this man made were legendary.
what is the tree behind you with the big leaves @0:35
I have not made it. However I do have a non-alcoholic version recipe on the bottom of the dandelion page and the burdock page with a link to where the recipe came from (your neck of the woods.)
Love your website, thank you very much. Your videos are very helpful!
Are there any look a likes that are poison? Thanks for the info, we have been buy Dandelion from health food stores for years.
Is there a red dandelion variant?
Yes. They are growing in pots in tropical climate. At 278 mts altitude in partial shades.
Hi Deane,
How do you positively distinguish dandelion from chickory when all you've got is the basal rosette? Thanks!
There are several species there but I think you are referring to young Florida Betony, or Stachys floridana.
Dean do bug eating video series next. I'd watch those as well. I have to thank you for making all these videos. I am a huge fan of them.
thanks for the tip. I planned on using dandelion's next year . I just started using acorns as a coffee substitute and I like it . I am going to try making flour out of it . and also tring to harvest Chicory as well
Thank you so mush for you informative videos. I there caffine in dandilion root. I have never tried it of Chickory but my Parents and Grandparents drank Chickory in the depression. thanks for you reply.
I've never seen dandelion leaves like that.The ones here in New York are larger with fewer teeth, and are very long. They are a pain in the neck. My backyard is FULL of them from March thru September and even now there are a few stalwarts. They refuse to die no matter WHAT I do, so after watching this, I'm going to make them pay for their room and board...in other words I'll be drinking lots of dandelion tea, and adding the leaves to my salads from now on. Thanks for a very informative tutorial.
@EatTheWeeds Can you eat the Flower Part raw?
My father loved bitter greens. He's eat unopened blossoms off the plant.
Truly awesome video. I've stocked food and supplies for the economic collapse but I need to get a handle on some of the wild food in my area. I've heard that settlers on Australia starved while they were surrounded with food. I'd hate for that to happen to me.
Can you tell me what that tea strainer thing is called and where I can get one?
Ours in Louisiana look the same. Once I had one grow on my garden bed and it was huge and pretty. Leaves were probably 10 inches long.
@bscavuzz You can eat them raw but they are bitter.
So, I've grown up seeing dandelions my whole life, and after I moved to CA I saw 2 kinds. I never ate the second kind because I didn't know they were edible. Did you really say they are edible?
Make enough for two... It is amazing that when we "left the farm" we began surrounding our homes with non-edible even poisonous plants and came to disdain the edible ones. I bet there is no such thing as a disliked dandelion in Ethiopia.
Where im at, dandelions grow everywhere. if I had it my way we wouldn't cut the lawn, I like plantain, I love burdock root. and I save all the yarrow, oh I love some yarrow tea. calming relaxing and cleansing at that. and I collect chamomile for my neighbor. he used to buy it. not no more
Not all the hollies have caffeine. I think the dahoon and gallberry are without caffeine.
ive been waiting for this one for so long! thank you so much, very well done
Thank you for your quick response!!! just roasted some in my toaster oven and ground them up with some coffee beans- good cup of Joe:)
thanks been putting the leaves and flowers in my fruit smoothies- will try the roots too:)
Sap from stem is new to me......Thank you!
So true. Dandelion is one of the most versatile plants there is.
Dean i live in washington Dandelions are all over i was wondering tho some of them dont have the snaggle tooth design and some have a white fuzzy appearance on the leaves other wise they look like the ones u show.
@vegangoatman I have no control over the ads placed on the videos. I have complained but that is as far as it can go. I have gone through the procedures to ban certain ads but they still show up. I know it is offensive and stupid but that is google.
When I was about 15 my Dad was taking his pesticide license test., After everyone else had left the room, he was still sitting there. I went in to see what was taking so long. He pointed to a picture on the page and said he couldn't figure out what this plant was.. I had to laugh. It was a dandelion. We have BILLIONS of them here, and yes. They grow like weeds.. lol Thanks for the video,. new subscriber here.
@streetlif9 I have no control over the ads. I have complained but Google is rather deaf.
Can you eat the dandelion flower head?
You are awesome Green Deane... I love your "bringing the seeds home to let grow in your lawn" ! ;) I use to have a large meadow back in Montana and beautiful dandelions grew there but my landlords came over one day n put chemical on them so after that I could not harvest... so sad! :(
I just cooked up some leaves today and put hemp oil, olive oil, & apple cider vinegar on them... it helps with the bitter... oh so yummy! ;)
@roadkillrabbit69 I think it is on my website.
Can you make some videos on chinese herbs
if you got a whole dandelion, like with the root, yellow bits, stalk, leaves, all in 1, boiled it for about 5 minutes then ate it whole, would you get ill?