dandelion roots

[lofthouse31]

my garden has a good amount of dandelions i eat the tender leaves already, i wanted some advice on what can be done with the roots and flowers.
Id also be interested to know about the nutritional value.
thanks for any advice

 

[Northern Giant UK]

Hi lofthouse31,
Good plant the old Dandelion, it was cultivated for a time but fell back out of favour IIRC.
The leaves as you know are edible and if older you can boil the bitterness out of them the root can be cooked like parsnip or roasted and ground up as a coffee alternative . . .I admit I was a little stumped about the flower but my bro reminded me that they make a nice wine.

Hope its useful.

Kev

PS.
Have you tried searching the forum on "dandelion"?

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18625&highlight=Dandelion

See, always a good idea.

 

[lofthouse31]

im new to this interest and even newer to the net and computers, i found the full stop yesterday still baby steps eh.
I must confess im a johnny come lately on the bushcrafting im trying to learn as much as i can.
thanks for the tips.
Im glad i dont bother with weeding now

 

[Northern Giant UK]

Your very welcome lofthouse31,
Well you've come to the best place to learn mate, I'm fairly new myself and have learned loads so far. The people here are brilliant and have a vast collective knowledge but remember there are no Bushcraft "experts" only people who've been doing it for a long time and have learned along the way I think it's fair to say that even the most experienced bushcrafter is still learning so don't worry they've all been there at one point.
A few things you mite want to check out are . . .
The frost Mora knife (also check out the forum on sharpening blades, legalities), is an excellent knife and (rightly) held in high regard by bushcrafters, they're also available for under a tenner!
Bushcraft books like Food for free (Richard Mabey), Trees of Britain and Europe (Bob Press) and The S.A.S Survival Guide by Lofty Wiseman. . (these are some of my personal faves) there's plenty of stuff in those to get you going.
As with most things the best way to learn is to get out there and do it (It's also the best part).

Just a couple of ideas enjoy and remember, if your not having fun . .your doing it wrong

Kev

 

[RobertRogers]

When they are young, in the spring, you can cook up roots, flowers, and all. Very good with vinegar!

 

[lofthouse31]

thanks for the tips, i get out as often as my wife sighns the release papers for a feild trip lol, shes as good as gold really.
I got a few books im currently going through a period of tree bird plant and fish spotting ive only got to live in the countryside recently.
in the city the only thing i learnt to spot was pigeons.
my wifes had a country up bringing so shes streets ahead on that front im taking myself on a little ramble tommorow.
what are you currently brushing up on mate ?

 

[Northern Giant UK]

what are you currently brushing up on mate ?

Well due to the incessant pi$$ down of late I've been messing around with some old thin leather trying to make a sheath (not sheaf lol) and due to a slight accident with a glass of water I've also been brushing up on keyboard repair

I also tend to read thru back posts on here and when I find something new to me I research it.

Kev

 

[lofthouse31]

cool let me know how you get on, leather workings a complete mystery to me as yet, your right about the weather whens the summer going to kick in.
I think this is the way of things to come tho i was putting on sun block last october and today in june im putting on a jumper, seasons aint seasons these days

 

[cariboo]

my garden has a good amount of dandelions i eat the tender leaves already, i wanted some advice on what can be done with the roots and flowers.
Id also be interested to know about the nutritional value.
thanks for any advice

Dandelions are high in vitamins A, B and C and minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous and magnesium.. The flowers are rich with vitamin D. The roots are said to be good for your liver and blood.

My partner, son and I eat dandelion as a main source of vegetable and green for the months of April, May and into June. As we get our garden turned in the spring the dandelions we let alone the season before have small carrot sized roots. We stir fry them. They're excellent. The young greens are excellent salad material. The flowers we mix into omlettes, stir frys, salads and soups. My partner Aki rolls the flowers in flour and seasoning and frys them in butter. They taste like a mushroom. We eat bags of them.
We stop eating the greens as they mature because they become quite bitter but we continue feeding our chickens loads till the fall. We'll continue eat the flowers and roots.

When bears come out from the high winter hibernation grounds one of their first foods is the dandelion. They get fat eating just dandelion flowers.

I figure I'm living longer because of this fabulous, tasty prolific food.

http://www.caribooblades.com

 

[Northern Giant UK]

Well lofthouse31, I finally rebuilt my keyboard and . . . .Wait for it . . .even got a sheath made!

It's my first attempt and it was made with some thin, pre finished (shiny faced) leather that my brother got from an arts depot.
I also did it without any proper leatherworking tools, I just used what i could find around and an awl made from an old dart I found lol.
What do you think (be gentle lol)

If I can make one with that (poor) leather and no proper tools then anyone can!.

by the way I found this. . .

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9693&highlight=knife+Sheath+Tutorial

Really useful.

Kev