Yes! My lawn looks like a prairie. And while I'm sure the homeowners association wants to egg my house, my lawn is not just grass, it's food. "Weeds" have such a bad reputation, but lately they have been the source of our outdoor classroom ventures, meals, and healing.
 We purchased these Foraging Cards on amazon.com! | Every morning my 3 children & I trot outside to identify a new weed/herb. Pictured above my son is holding a sow thistle (which is edible and great for warts and as a blood purifier) and my other son is holding white clover (edible and great for colds). This science is called foraging. |
Not only is it a survival skill, but it makes for great cross-curriculum lesson plans. We use the "weeds" to make art. We learn about identifying traits such as stem and leaf structure and color of flowers. We also learn to look for warning signs of poisonous plants. While most weeds/herbs are edible, they are not edible especially in the city because of the use of pesticides & herbicides, etc. So, if you know you have been spraying your lawn with chemicals, don't pick a weed and eat it!! Moreover, don't eat anything from your poisonous well manicured lawn!! With that said--Happy Foraging!! Next frontier--edible insects!!!
 Hemlock or Cow's Parsley? |  What's this??? |
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