Weeds or Flowers?
Do you ever find pretty blooms and wonder if they are weeds or flowers? I know some people think that all weeds are bad and should be pulled or eliminated. But I feel different. I love learning about common weeds and finding out that they have good qualities. The more time I spend at the farm, the more I love finding ways to incorporate them into my decor and life.
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Weeds or Flowers?
If you saw these flowers for sale in a floral shop, would you walk past and say you didn’t want them because they were just weeds? Or would you comment on how beautiful the contrasting colors are?
I have a white hanging basket on the barn wall that I love to fill with wildflowers and pretty ‘weeds’ when I’m out working at the farm. And of course, the Rinsekit makes it easy to fill the bucket with water so they stay pretty all day.
Seek App
One of the first things I do, when I see pretty flowers (weeds), is check the Seek app to see what the flower is. This app lets me take a picture with my phone and then will help me identify it. Once I know what the flower is, I start checking other sources to confirm the identification.
It’s not enough to just get an ID from one source, I want to make sure that I am 100% confident as to the identity of a flower before I pick it or use it in any tea or salve.
My Current Fall Favorite
Right now, I am really focused on Goldenrod. This fall-blooming weed often gets blamed for seasonal allergies but actually, the culprit is ragweed. Goldenrod offers a great way to combat these allergies and possibly even other issues. I spent some time harvesting some goldenrod this weekend and dried it for tea.
You can easily tie up a bouqet of goldenrod or mint and hang it from a hook in a dry place like your garage or you can also buy a drying tray like this one from Amazon.
Mint for Tea
Mint is another common flower that I love to preserve for winter that some people feel is invasive or troublesome in their garden. I love bringing it in to dry so I can add it to my hot water in the morning or iced water all day long.
Are there any things that you love that other people call weeds? Do you have any favorites that you look forward to each season?
**Always do your own research when it comes to foraging and harvesting.
