Mary Choate owns and operates Coastalfields, a small farm that uses no herbicide, pesticide, fertilizer or antibiotics to raise fruits, vegetables, grains, hay, flowers, mushrooms, bees, chickens and geese, and has written numerous books on those and other subjects. Contact her at http://www.coastalfields.com/.

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Eating your flowery garden

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August 19, 8:40 AM

by Mary Choate, Denver Gardening Examiner

Alfalfa flowers...pretty, and pretty tasty

Sure, flowers are pretty, but sometimes they’re tasty too! Some flowers are commonly eaten, like broccoli, squash flowers, cauliflower, and artichokes. But did you know you can also eat these flowers?

Pea flowers: when you peas stop fruiting for the heat but keep on flowering, eat the flowers! They taste like (surprise!) peas. The leaves are also edible. Do NOT eat sweet peas or sweet pea flowers: they’re poisonous!
Nasturtium: somewhat spicy and very colorful for a bold salad.
Cornflowers/Bachelor Buttons: This common flower garden member is also good to eat!
Calendula: also a popular flower for gardens, this daisy-like plant is tasty and it’s petals makes a pretty touch to cupcakes or salads.
Violets: once popular sugared, their flowers can also be eaten plain.
Marigolds: these are actually popular for eating in several other countries, though we Americans tend to have forgotten their food value...
Sunflowers: sure, you knew you could eat the seeds, so do it! You can also eat the petals, leaves and roots. Some sunflowers are actually grown for their roots: these are called Jeruselum Artichokes.
Yarrow: this makes a decent tea, but don’t drink too much or if you are taking certain medications. It contains an asprin-like compound.
Clover: that ubiquitous white and pink flower is actually good eating! Sweet clover (yellow and white) can also be eaten, but only in small amounts.
Roses: rose petals have a mellow flavor, and are great for decorating!
Alfalfa: alfalfa flowers (pictured) come in many shades of purple and sometimes in white too. Usually grown for hay for livestock, the flowers and leaves are actually pretty tasty for people to eat too! Alfalfa flowers are easy to find in most yards and fields, as it has gone wild from the farms that grew it.

For more info: http://www.coastalfields.com/

Topics: Edible flowers

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Scary thoughts about ... seeds?

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October 28, 2:24 PM

Here’s something to keep you up at night. A vast conspiracy to starve humanity …BOO!Yes, F. William Engdahl of Global Research suggests that there is something ominous about the new seed bank in Iceland (Bill Gates, Rockefeller and the... Read More
Topics: Monsanto , genetically modified organisms , GMO

Gloves versus Band-Aids...

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October 27, 2:21 PM

Gardeners everywhere are divided into those who garden with gloves, and those who garden with Band-Aids. Whether you like the feel of the soil, the teeth of critters, the spines of cacti and the flow of blood, or whether you enjoy the security,... Read More
Topics: gloves , bandaids

How to become an urban homesteader

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October 23, 12:10 PM

Whether you’re a child, young adult, adult or elder looking to earn some extra money, or if you’re looking for a new career, whether you’re healthy or ill, whether you are physically or mentally handicapped, if you like gardening consider... Read More
Topics: Food , urban homesteading

Don’t burn and pillage your fields

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October 20, 3:26 PM

It’s just common sense: don’t burn or pillage your own lands.Burning your fields is a bad idea. This is very poor field management: you destroy the organic layer of the soil! It is, in effect, burning down the village to cook... Read More
Topics: fertilizer

Meaty Seedy Halloween Pumpkins!

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October 20, 9:11 AM

Pumpkins can be delicious foods but, just like all kinds of fruit, some varieties taste better than others.My favorite is the Kakai green and orange pumpkin, but I have friends who swear by the various “red” pumpkins, but the small orange... Read More
Topics: pumpkins

The 40 best Vegetables and Fruits EVER

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October 14, 10:36 AM

If you're thinking of growing a little extra food to sell, it's a good idea to learn what people are wanting to buy. If you're establishing a family co-op (where you grow the food for your friends and family), it's easy enough. But what if you're selling... Read More
Topics: crops

How to reclaim your land

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October 10, 3:42 PM

Some urban home gardeners are not content with their 1/8 or 1/4 acre, and want more land so they can grow more for either their family’s consumption or for sale. But where to get land in a city?Before looking beyond your fence, look at your... Read More
Topics: gardens , land , cardboard box growing

Your Garden in a Cardboard Box

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October 7, 12:51 PM

In winter, I look forward to enjoying fresh mushrooms, salads, and sprouts, but almost anything can be grown inside a garage, a living room, on the hood of your car or even in a spare closet. Food is easily grown inside for a fraction of the cost... Read More
Topics: Food , harvest , mushrooms

Gardening For Leisure

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October 3, 12:33 PM

Though gardening itself is a leisure activity, it is important to remember that others gain enjoyment from your work as well. Leisure is one of the most valuable uses for land. A field that could earn as little as $100 per acre when producing... Read More
Topics: leisure , hay