Weed rustler....

[2Paisan]

My six year old to our neighbor yesterday afternoon "hi Rob, can I pull some weeds for you?"
Rob " Sure, anytime...you want to do it on a weekly basis for me?"
My son, "No, we are just out of clover in our yard right now for Frankie and she has too many dandylions. I can come and pick stuff for you when we need it though."

How generous of him! I had to do the mom cringe. Anyone else have to "rustle" weeds in the spring? We are officially weed rustlers....

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I do it all the time and I don't have a kid to hide behind. In fact I have talked to enough strangers "excuse me, I have an 80 pound tortoise I am trying to feed can I pull your dandelins for you" that it's not unusual for me to come home from somewhere to find a bag of weeds on my deck. Whenever I ask if I can pull their weeds I always explain about how sensitive Bob is to weedecides so I pretty much trust that the anonymous bag of weeds is pesticide free and Bob is still alive and growing so far so good.
Recently I was collecting the dandelions from my favorite lot and I see that the house next to the empty lot has been sold and there are new people there, about that time I hear a voice...hey there and I see a man that looks to be 100 years old and he asks what I'm doing, so I explain and he says..."don't collect them all leave some for me" You? It turns out he collects them and makes some sort of a drink out of them telling me how healthy they are. I tell him sweetly that I am trying to feed 30 turtles and tortoises and I have been collecting dandelions there for 4 years and I don't share!!! Actually that's what I said in my head, out loud I tell him we can share...while I am picking all of them. First come first served. Dandelions are the Oregon state weed and flower. There are so many everywhere that I am going to figure how I can send them to my sister too...

 

[sammi]

It turns out he collects them and makes some sort of a drink out of them telling me how healthy they are.

When I was researching dandelions a while back, I learned people can make a really healthy tea out of them, and some people use them in soups and such. Its actually a very under used versatile ingredient, that too many people see as a common weed. Oh well! More for us! Funny though Maggie, that now you have to compete with someone for your dandelions. If he really is close to 100 years old, at least you know you can pick faster than he can! Haha!

 

[2Paisan]

Yeah, I know my Italian relatives used dandelion greens for salads and soups so I am not surprised. I am thankful that our Oregon neighborhood is full of non-weedecide users like us. We are all pretty organic and just pull the weeds. More for Frank

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Yeah, I know my Italian relatives used dandelion greens for salads and soups so I am not surprised. I am thankful that our Oregon neighborhood is full of non-weedecide users like us. We are all pretty organic and just pull the weeds. More for Frank

I have forgotten where in Oregon you are? Do you mind telling the group and retelling me? I can't remember anything, and you know in real life how many dandelions grow in Oregon...

 

[chadk]

You can also make dandilion root coffee.

 

[2Paisan]

Yeah, I know my Italian relatives used dandelion greens for salads and soups so I am not surprised. I am thankful that our Oregon neighborhood is full of non-weedecide users like us. We are all pretty organic and just pull the weeds. More for Frank

I have forgotten where in Oregon you are? Do you mind telling the group and retelling me? I can't remember anything, and you know in real life how many dandelions grow in Oregon...

Hi Maggie, we are in Beaverton. And yes we have tons of dandelions. But we try to pick others for her, esp clover and some of the grasses and those aren't up to snuff where we are letting them grow in for her enclosure outside. Trying to make sure she gets enough variety....and lettuces too. We have chard, lettuce starts coming up in the garden though to share with Frankie too....

 

[dmmj]

can't you also make a wine out of it?

 

[Kristina]

Why yes, **hiccup** yes, you can

Kristina

 

[moswen]

haha! i'm glad to see i'm not the only one who does this... well, i haven't done it yet, but our yard is absolutely clover free and dandelion infested, and i have been considering on my evening walks just grabbing a handful of my neighbor-down-the-road's ample clover patch just on the edge of their yard...! maggie, i absolutely enjoyed imagining that scene in my head, a bent over little old 100 year old man watching a sulcata tortoise eating all his herbal tea...! it's like sammi said, at least you can pick faster than he can!!!

 

[Tom]

I'm so glad I checked out this thread. Very funny. I've had all sorts of these encounters. I'm always working in different locations, so I see all sorts of stuff.

I thought I was the only weed rustler out there. Now I've know I've got some competition!

Anyone else beg their relatives to bring them stuff? I planted a bunch of hibiscus and stuff years ago, when I lived at home and I'm always "reminding" Mom to bring me up some when she comes to visit. I can't get any of the hibiscus to survive up here. They freeze in the winter, cook in the summer.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi...A couple years ago I asked my sister in VT to collect & send me some dandelion seeds. She filled a 5 x 7 envelope with the dandelion blossoms after they turned white & went to seed. She begged me not to tell any of my neighbors that she was the one who sent them to me!
I put them in the freezer the first winter, then planted them in the spring. I planted them in an area where there is no afternoon sun cause I thought northern dandelions might die with MS heat. They are all growing back again this year.
Patsy