Musing about moss and some posts in the works
It must really be spring now. I found the first dandelion of the season in my yard this morning. For most people these are big pests, but I am happy with anything that comes up green on my lawn. I long ago gave up the illusion that I would ever have more than 10% grass amongst 90% weeds and moss. In the New York Times last week there was an article about planting a low maintenance environmentally friendly moss lawn that only requires a little bit of watering. I can finally be proud of my moss, apparently it’s the in thing now.
I’ve been slow on posting lately as I’ve had to attend to some consulting projects (income is necessary), but I’ve got some great posts coming up. I’m working on a series about the transfer station. Gary Boucher gave me a great tour and helped me understand where all our trash goes and some of the economics of our waste stream. I’m also working on some stories where you will get to meet some of your neighbors, including some name sharers and the head of one of South Berwick’s oldest businesses.
Tags: meta
May 7th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Dandelions are so cheerful! And they were the first hand-picked bouquets my chldren ever gave me - my son got them confused with the other yellow flowers coming up and called them dandydils. And, though I’ve never tried them, they’re supposed to be edible.
Okay - just looked this up -
“They are packed with vitamins and minerals. One cup of cooked dandelion greens has more calcium than a cup of cottage cheese but only 34 calories. It provides 12% of the fiber, 19% of the iron and 28% of the Vitamin C that (averaging for adults and children) the USDA suggests that we get in our diets each day. Dandelion provides more vitamin A than an equal amount of kale, collard greens or summer squash, giving you 85% of the daily recommended intake. ”
You do need to pick them before they flower (too bitter after), and DON’T
bother if your lawn is chemically treated.
Anyone out there ever prepared dandelion greens?
May 7th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I remember eating dandelion greens as a child. I think I will try them again–with the cost of food, it seems like a good thing to use such a good source of nutrition. No chemicals on my lawn; that’s why it’s such a friendly place for dandelions and other weeds. Today the bluets have started to flower.
May 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Or fiddleheads? I haven’t ever tried dandydils, but love fiddleheads (native young ferns). Great steamed or microwaved with butter and salt and/or a little vinegar. I hear there are some places you can get fiddleheads wild around here, but I am always scared to eat the ones in my yard. Anybody know how to tell when they’re safe? Or, has anyone seen them for sale anyplace? Markets have them sometimes.
Jane, don’t you suppose fiddleheads got their name because fairies use them for musical instruments?
May 7th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Yes, I have tried dandelion greens.. They are delicious.
My grandmother used to have a special tool to dig them up with and I would love going out with her when she did this..
I believe that it’s true that you don’t want the ones with flowers because they probably are more bitter.
And I do know that they require a LOT of washing before you steam them.
I love them with some vinegar!!!!
This is a great day to go out and get some.
Enjoy… ’tis the season……
p.s. I, too, Wendy, want to know which fiddleheads are okay to eat!!!!!
May 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I’ve eaten dandelions…I have even made wine out of them when I was younger (not worth repeating now that I’m over 21) I have also eaten and foraged for fiddleheads- BE WARNED NOT ALL FIDDLEHEADS ARE EDIBLE! The other kinds won’t harm you but the thistlelike fuzz inside is very unpleasant to eat! I’ve seen native fiddleheads for sale at “Golden Harvest” in Kittery if you don’t feel like battling the blackflies for your dinner. Below is some info to help in your identification:
“In the spring, the ostrich fern’s distinctive ‘fiddleheads,’ the young, coiled fern leaves about an inch in diameter, are mostly green, but have brown scales. Nearly all ferns have fiddleheads, but the ostrich fern’s are unlike any other. These fiddleheads have a paper-dry, parchment-like sheath that usually has started to peel. Most other fern fiddlehead sheaths are fuzzy or wooly.”
The fact sheet contains this warning: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has investigated a number of outbreaks of food-borne illness associated with fiddleheads. The implicated ferns were eaten either raw or lightly cooked (sautéed, parboiled or microwaved)…. Although a toxin has not been identified in the fiddleheads of the ostrich fern, the findings of this investigation suggest that you should cook fiddleheads thoroughly before eating (boil them for at least 10 minutes).
Since we’re on the subject of wild foods….does anyone know about mushrooms? I’d love to spend an afternoon looking for Chanterelles
May 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I found this link which also warns about look alikes.
http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Mushrooms.Folder/The%20Chanterelle.html
May 8th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Great site, Dave. We lived in Iowa for a year when I was a eight years old and a family friend took my sisters and I out mushroom picking a couple times - for morels. We’d come back with baskets full, and she cooked them with butter and a little salt and dinner that night was just a big plate of mushrooms. We loved them - but when I look back, I don’t think anyone could have gotten us to eat something so funny looking and unusual tasting if we hadn’t spent the entire day running all over the country side hunting for them. I’m too afraid of the poisonous ones to become a mushroom hunter. Be careful, Brian!
Wendy - Yes! Of course.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:46 am
FYI - One of the demonstrations at the Maine Organic Farmer and Gardener’s Association’s “Small Farm Field Day” is “Mushrooming in Maine!” It happens Saturday, May 31st, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity. MOFGA’s website has more info about the event.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Fiddlehead ferns that are edible are called Matteuccia struthiopteris common name Ostrich fern, it is very habitat specific and I have heard that those who know where they grow do not tell anyone where they are, and if they do bring anyone with them they blindfold them so they can’t find their way back. I have bought the fern and tried to grow in in a boggy area where I live and it hasn’t survived. Next best thind to do is to buy it locally, golden harvest caries them and I saw them at Tuttles in Dover. I think that if we asked the produce guy at Nature’s Place Market he would try to get them. they are very expensive /lb but worth it , I would guess a lb would feed 4 or 5 people. go to www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4198.htm, it should come up with a factsheet about fiddlehead ferns with lots of recipes
May 10th, 2008 at 6:55 am
the link that I gave to you doesn’t work, try this one, http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4198.htm
May 10th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
To whomever is interested, Monday the 12th there is a special town meeting to appr. money for cost overruns in last years budget. One of the articles is to appr. $150,000 for extra winter maint. This on top of the $100,000 extra we already appr. That means we overspent by $250,000. I know I know we had a lot more storms this winter, but so did the surrounding towns of Berwick and North Berwick All three towns have appr, 60 miles of roads, all budgeted appr. $130,000 for winter maint., but Berwick and North Berwick only overspent by $50,000 and $57,000 respectfully.
Why did South Berwick spend so much more than our neighbors? What was it spent on? If we had 10 extra storms that would be $25,000 per storm for clean-up. Does this sound a little high to anyone but me? Please come Monday night and ask questions.
May 10th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
a friend of mine told me that the town also paid to feed the snow plow folks. I can’t speak for everyone, but when I go to work, I have to provide my own lunch.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Wow, That seems like an excessive amount for snowplowing. $250,000 overrun? It wasn’t that much extra snow. Are they stuffing another cost in there? I wonder about that Regional Vehicle Maintenance facility. No-one talks about how much that really costs.