While we dog paddle to keep our heads above all the information in this, our information age, the real knowledge drowns. Some of this real knowledge is about the nutritious native plants all around us.
Lambs Quarters are in the large family of Chenopodia, which translates as “Goosefoot” in allusion to the shape of the leaves, which resemble the webbed feet of geese. Although lambs’ quarters and related chenopodia are widely regarded as a weed, the species was once an important part of the native American food system, and was a fully domesticated greens and grain crop. The agricultural record suggests humans were collecting these plants from the wild by 4000 BC, then gradually modifying them by selective collection and cultivation over a period of centuries.
While the chenopodia are largely considered weeds today, they are extremely delicious and nutritious plants. Find some at your local farmers market, or in your garden-- and give them the respect they deserve . . . enjoy them for dinner.
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