Beans & LegumesThe Need for Weed?
In what type of disaster situation would an individual have need for weed? No not that “WEED”, (though I suspect some would argue the value of that “WEED” in a disaster), I’m talking about your run of the mill lawn variety weeds like dandelions.
As Robert Scott Bell puts it, “Survival depends upon our ability to not only regain the knowledge of nutritional and medicinal plants and weeds, but to begin cultivating them now so that we are ready before disaster hits.”
About a year ago I was up in the Uinta Mountains in Northeastern Utah spending time with my family at my in-laws cabin. Without going into the long drawn out details my one year-old daughter had stepped out onto the deck barefoot which although the air temperature was in the 70′s the deck was hot enough to burn the bottom of her feet. Within less than a minute the bottom of her feet were severely burned and blistered.
My initial reaction was the need to immediately get to an emergency room and get the burns treated. My wife whose a pediatric nurse had different plans. Instead of the emergency room we made the two hour drive to my sisters house with ice packs on the bottom of daughters feet. My sister had mixed up a comfrey, honey, wheat germ oil poultice.
The comfrey poultice was placed on my daughters feet and wrapped in gauze. This miraculously eased the pain and discomfort and we kept the poultice on for two weeks after which her feet were perfectly healed with absolutely no scarring. The result were nothing short of amazing.
It turns out comfrey is great for treating minor wounds and skin conditions, bites, stings burns, psoriasis and more. While I’m not an expert in herbs and weeds, I have seen from first hand experience their true value. The book “Homesteading: A Backyard Guide To: Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal Medicine, and More” is a great introduction book to implementing herbal medicine into your emergency preparedness repertoire.
Have you had experiences where your knowledge of herbs and weeds has come in handy?
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As a boy in England I occasionally would wander into stinging nettles. My grandmother taught me to rub the sting with dock leaves, which always seemed to be growing nearby the nettles.
June 24th, 2011 at 3:25 pmBefore I got my bees, I always wanted a neat yard, but now I hate mowing because I want the dandelions. The wife still thinks I should mow, but If I can get her to see the WEEDS are actually edible maybe I can convince her its a “garden”. Thanks for the post…
June 25th, 2011 at 4:00 pmMy mom who grew up in the mountains of Spain in the 20′-30′s used chammomile for many things. I remember when I was a child our parakeet had a horrible eye infection. She boiled a tea bag of chammomile and let it cool then squeezed the juice from bag onto the birds eye 2-3 times a day and it healed. Years later my neice who had an eye cold was sleeping over and couldn’t open her eye…I boiled and cooled the bag and put it on her eye. Did that for the whole weekend and it got better. I drink it for belly aches, for relaxing and other things. It is one of my favorite staples.
June 27th, 2011 at 4:16 amYou would be amazed of the wonderful, medicinal little goodies that God has given us growing out in your own backyards. It is a regular salad bowl out there! And I do suggest that one should have a copy of the book” Homesteading.” We have always taught our grandchildren to recognize edible plants as a way of survival. We actually catch them out in the yard and in the herb bed, sampling the plants on a regular basis. They know them all by name and what they are used for. They also know what to stay away from. In the meantime, while we are preparing for possible hard times ahead, it would be a really good idea to study up on edible plants, and herbal remedies. The knowledge could save your life, and a lot of doctor bills, and I speak that from experience.
June 27th, 2011 at 5:06 amThe value of that “weed” you refer to is hardly a disaster. It has many medicinal properties including helping addiction, arthritis, appetite loss, nausea, cancer chemotherapy, AIDS wasting syndrome, nausea from cancer, chemotherapy, glaucoma, MS, depression, Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders, dystonia, asthma, brain injury/stroke, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative depression, mental illness, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure/hypertension, migraine, nail patella syndrome, schizophrenia and Tourette’s syndrome.
Indeed, this medicinal herb should be part of one’s disaster preparedness.
June 27th, 2011 at 9:23 amYou cannot believe this, but the European gov. wants to forbid almost all medicinal herbs using as pretext”to protect us” from them. How stupid could be an government? After maybe more than 15,000 years of learning from nature?
June 27th, 2011 at 10:32 amThats devolution.
If this was a joke coming from the house of mentally disabled, it will still surprise me.
Crabapples are not just for jelly: It makes a lovely tonic with three times the vitamin C of regular apple juice: Simmer crabapples on LOW heat until tender in barely enough water to cover. A crockpot on low setting is fine, approx. 8 hours. Strain out pulp through collander, reserve juice. Mix with sweeter fruit juices to give them an “edge” or use as is.
June 27th, 2011 at 11:16 am@ Pablo. This legislation has been conceived & pushed forward by the European Pharmaceutical industry’s lobbyists. Why? Herbal remedies work, and they cannot patent them, therefore, they if cannot treat our illnesses they see it as a threat to their income. They make NO PROFIT from healthy people! It’s only a matter of time before it happens here. You will see the mainstream media begin to demonize herbs & supplements & before you know it, they’ll be unobtainable. They want to own our health.
“Corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow” Abraham Lincoln.
June 27th, 2011 at 11:27 amI think everyone should take a basic herbal class, especially with healthcare these days, which is one of the many problems we should be preparing for. Herbs are everywhere and can help you be more self sufficient, which is wonderful. However, one must keep in mind the power of these harmless looking plants… Not just the “poisonous” ones. For instance, the comfrey you spoke of is known to heal so quickly, using it on a puncture wound could possibly cause the skin cover to close before the wound fills in, and can potentially trap infection. So please, empower yourself with knowledge, then use it wisely!
June 27th, 2011 at 12:12 pmRead “The Calicum Factor “, by Robert Barefoot to see what the medical nuts are really trying to do with us. Keep your body as close to 7 on the ph factor scale and be healthy. I use and make many remedies from bentonite. It is great for livestock and humans. I go to my local feed store and get less expensive anitbiotics, those that need no refrigeration. I have been called many names but being unprepared is not one of them. I teach and instruct survival in urban cities, desert, and mountains…………..the best survival advice anyone can pass on is prepare spiritually and mix with it common sense, a rare trait in todays society.
June 27th, 2011 at 12:40 pmKudos to all the information input. Keep up the flow. It is we who will take care of one another, not the politicians and the pharmaceuticals who think they know whats “best for us.” They dont care about us, they care about their profits only. Hate to get political,but its the truth.
June 27th, 2011 at 1:03 pmPlantain is considered a common ‘weed’ in our culture which worships lawns and ornamentals more than vegetables and herbs.
I’ve used Plantain often for open wounds and stings. It reduces the swelling and has anti viral/bacterial qualities. Tear off the inner leaves of a plantain plant, chew them in your mouth and rub the resulting mush on to the skin.
I got stung by something that left its stinger in me. After removing the sting, I mushed on the plantain.. and it swelled very little, contrary to my previous reactions to being stung.
It reduces itching and it can be eaten – steamed tastes a little like spinach, especially good in early spring. Even it’s seeds are useful in enabling the colon to stay clean.
This ‘weed’ grows prolifically in areas of our yard alongside clover. You can make a ‘lotiion’ by gently and slowly heating the leaves in oil [really low heat] and then straining it, bottling it and using it in the same way.
June 27th, 2011 at 1:12 pmYes, we have everything we need out there……and isn’t it wonderful that by most or all poisonous plants the antidote ususally grows very close to it…..Everyone should have a few herb books with their food storage!!
And remember……what the bears eat we can eat LOL……
My neighbor poisoned my back yard next to the fence between our yards…….my camomile and chickweed, along with all my beautiful flowers were killed by roundup!
Someday your right they will realize that what they are killing is what can and probably sustain us……….
Thanks for all the comments they are great!
June 27th, 2011 at 2:06 pmMy son, who is now 35, has been on Coumadin since he was 19 following a catastrophic illness (staphendocarditis) which caused him to have to have his mitral valve replaced, thus the coumadin became ‘necessary’ to regulate the thickness of the blood. He takes 8 mg per day as no lower dosage works. I have asked doctors many times if there is something safer for him to take so he won’t have another stroke but the answer is always “no, not yet” or “possibly in Canada but not yet approved for use in the US”. Does anyone out there know of something we could check into??? His pro-time is up and down and the liver is resisting the coumadin. His precious wife and son need to have him in their lives for a long time yet to come. Thank you.
June 27th, 2011 at 2:13 pmLast week my son was working on the tiller, it had been running before, and he was doing something else with it.
June 27th, 2011 at 2:16 pmI walked up to see what he was doing, and I leaned over it, putting my hand right on the muffler. Needless to say it was very hot. It looked liked it cooked a pretty big area.
I went to the house and first put an ice cube on it. Then I put some Aloe Vera on it under a bandage. I left that on for about an hour, then I took it off and put honey on it under a bandage. By now the pain had stopped. My hand never got sore, the next day I could use it with no problem. Now almost a week later. The top layer of dead skin is coming off and it still isn’t sore. Honey is a very good healer also , for burns, cuts scraps, it makes everything heal faster.
To Eileen Hardy:
June 27th, 2011 at 2:45 pmSee this website – http://www.Hisgoodherbs.com. Dandelion tincture comes to mind as a natural blood thinner, but I’m a beginner. E-mail Phil at that website and ask your question again.
Dandelions are, without a doubt, one of the most useful plants around, and by around, I mean they are everywhere. Every part of this magnificent plant can be harvested; leaves make a nutritious salad, the flower can be made into wine, the roots into coffee (decaf), and medicinal properties as well. They are hardy too, as evidenced by the multimillion dollar industry devoted to erraticating them – point being, they Are hardy, and simple to grow in almost any location on the planet. They are everywhere, but think of the bountiful garden you would have if you encouraged them.
June 27th, 2011 at 3:05 pmto eileen hardy:
June 27th, 2011 at 4:16 pmPycnogenol, policosanol and fish oil are all blood thinners but you really should have a doctor monitor if you you are going to try something. Also check this website: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/disease/clotting
This website shows studies done on natural substances for different diseases.
Herbs have been a significant part of my families every day wellness care for the last 20 years. We often use rose petal, strawberry leaf and sage tea for sore throats and mouth sores, We use Aloe for burns and a blend of herbs to help with sleep when needed. the practical uses are endless. I feel that Everyone can benefit from learning the uses of herbs. Many valuable medicinal and culinary herbs may be growing near you right now.
June 27th, 2011 at 5:14 pmI also recommend at least a basic set of essential oils for your supply these and a good basic book on their use will give you a vast array of tools for wellness and well being.
It’s not only herbal plants, That they don’t want you to grow. Its also heairloom plants. that you can use the same plants, seeds from year to year. Now They have the frankenstine hybreads. that every year you have to buy your seeds from them. That have fish DNA and other stuff you don’t want to know about. Make sure your Garden is heirloom type plants no GMA or Hy= seeds. your stomach will thank you for it. and we will not be supporting the Corperations plans to own the world, and everything in it.
June 27th, 2011 at 6:53 pmTO EILEEN HARDY– I know this a thread about natural ingredients but I doubt that you would be able to get a physician to put your son on herbal medications if he has such a serious health condition and is taking 8 mg of Coumadin.
There is however a new medication called Pradaxa that does not require the frequent lab testing or dietary restrictions. While I understand that it is more expensive than Coumadin it may be a good alternative for your son if Coumadin is no longer working as well or causing liver problems.
June 27th, 2011 at 8:06 pmBTW, I have no affiliation with the makers of Pradaxa. My father was recently placed on this medication for atrial fibrillation.
June 27th, 2011 at 8:07 pmI need to get a book that teaches me how to harvest and use medicinal and culinary herbs. I grow Stevia, but don’t know how to use it. I grow chamomile, but have never used it, along with peppermint and spearmint. I have other herbs that I use regularly, like chives, oregano, etc. But mostly medicinal ones, I have no clue. If I needed to use a dandelion as a “salad green” — how would I do that? Just pick the leaves and put them in the salad with dressing on top? What about dandelion tea? Thanks for some of the suggestions in comments above. I have to say something is wrong with that deck if it caused blisters in 70 degree temps…. wood wouldn’t do that…. maybe it was a metal deck? or one of those maintenance free decks? Hope the tot’s footsies are ok.
June 27th, 2011 at 2:13 pmGreat article….My yard is full of Dandelions. I encourage this,I started learning about “weeds” some years ago…..My all time fave is the underated Dandelion. In the spring, I use the small tender leaves for salad,later I pick and can or dry some of the larger leaves for cooking just like spinich….I use the flowers for tea and wine. A couple times a day I sacrifice a whole plant for it’s root…..scrape off the brown with a spoon or the back of a knife…..then chew the white part…..I would start with just a small peice (in case you are allergic) Do not try to swallow the root….just chew out the juice…..just loaded with vitamins….The amimals know this as well…..several times I have looked up and found a Bear in my area…..Yes, digging up and eating the Dandelions.
June 28th, 2011 at 1:35 pmI grew up eating pig’s weed and lamb’s quarter “weeds”. Eat the younger plants in your salads or cook like spinach and serve with a bit of apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper and butter. These “weeds” are high in calcium!!
June 29th, 2011 at 7:47 pmto:Eileen Hardy; There is an amazing company called UNIVERA that was started by a man in Korea who had a “terminal liver disease”. He used aloe vera to cure himself and decided to use his billions to start a company to research plants to see how people could improve their health naturally. They have a product called Rhythmatix that has blood thinning capabilities and UniBEX that comes from bamboo leaves that has been shown to clean out our blood vessels. My husband used this product after Chemo therapy left him with a pulmonary embolism and his doctor wanted him to take painful blood thinner shots every day for 6 mo. with in 3 months there was no sign of the embolism with using Rhythmatix.
June 29th, 2011 at 7:59 pmThat’s great! Thanks for sharing.
As Sunny mentioned, Plantain is a great “weed” with lots of good uses. Just the other day, my wife was stung by a wasp. She treated it with plantain with great success.
(At a risk of sounding like I’m shamelessly self promoting, she can describe her experience better than me. And she does in a post that is scheduled for tomorrow morning over on our site.)
And as Connie mentioned, dandelions are great as well. Nothing bad to be said about them.
Nevertheless. Thanks for the info about comfrey. I’m glad it turned out well for you.
July 7th, 2011 at 2:00 pmA friend sliced open her hand between her thumb and index finger that required 8 stitches. I made a poultice of comfrey leaves for her, and we replaced them 2 times a day. She went to get the stitches out, & the doctor said he had never seen a cut heal so fast. I make a salve of comfrey steeped in sweet almond oil, honey, neem oil, cocoa butter & beeswax to thicken it. It healed an infected cut on my son’s knee in 1 day. My husband has 2 holes about 1/4″ deep on his knees from his kneepads and my salve has kept them from getting infected. But comfrey is for external use only, and not for use on deep punctures. It was mentioned above that the top layer of skin closes and will keep the wound from weeping and healing properly.
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December 18th, 2011 at 12:16 am