Dan Schmidt

Essentially all parts of plants within the Mustard family (Brassicaceae or Cruciferae) are edible, including leaves, flowers, buds, seeds, pods, and roots.

When I forage garlic mustard, I make a horseradish-like sauce from the roots, pesto from the leaves and stirfry the stems.

Hi Ned, it is my understanding that the first image of the Wofati is showing how to solve the problem of water intrusion with an underground structure on a slope. Your picture solved the problem by raising the whole structure above ground.

Sassafras leaves and twigs are mucilaginous. So are Japanese knotweed shoots, but they are highly invasive. You could forage for them, but I wouldn't plant them. I don't know if they will work for your purpose, but it might be worth looking into.

Here are my plans for 2026:
- Focus on growing staples this year: potatoes in containers, sweet potatoes in raised beds and lots of butternut squash.
- Propagate and spread my blackberry, raspberry, gooseberry and black currant bushes.
- Order quail hatching eggs and hatch them for the first time. I have already built a walk in aviary for them.
- Establish a patch of lovage near the back door.
- Spread some sunchokes to the front yard.
- Plant Himrod grape vine near the shed.
- Plant Rainier cherry tree.
- Eat more of the lambsquarters that take over my raised beds.

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