Planting Weeds as Chicken and Me Feed

I blogged earlier in the year that we have some wild edibles growing in our yard.  Lamb's Quarter and mullein were the first things I found, then later this summer I found purslane and realized that we also have yucca.   Life got in the way of me utilizing these plants the way I would have liked to this past summer, but I did notice some interesting things.  The lamb's quarter, purslane and yucca survived the heat and drought fairly well.  How exciting to know that I can still have some fresh healthy greens from our yard in the heat of summer   I also noticed that the lamb's quarter grew thickest around the spot where we burn our brush.  I don't know why, but I plan to do a bit of research to see what I can learn about that.

I let the patch of lamb's quarter around our burn pile grow until it went to seed.  Then a few weeks ago I cut down the woody stems and shook the seedy branches around the outside perimeter of our chicken coop and in a few areas of our property that we don't mow regularly.  I don't expect to harvest this "crop" until next Spring and Summer, but a few of the seeds decided to brave our warmish November weather and send up a few shoots. 

I call lamb's quarters "chicken and me feed" because the young, tender leaves at the top are for me to eat.  The leaves are high in vitamins and even protein. It makes an excellent substitute for spinach.  It can be eaten raw, but is best eaten lightly steamed.  I recently read here that the seeds are edible.  Hmmmm. Maybe I should save some seeds for dinner instead of planting.   As for the chickens- during the summer I supplement their feed with lots of lamb's quarters.  They love it and gobble it right down.  

Hopefully over the next few years, I can get a real nice patch of weeds going.  My poor husband.  I think he's getting tired of hearing me say, "I've got a project going, don't mow here, or here, or here or here or ...."!

Next stop, yucca.  I hear that the roots will lather up and can be used as a shampoo.  How 'bout that?