I just wanted to say hello. I have very recently become interested in the stuff we have been mowing down. Now my front yard looks like aliens have been landing in it! I have circles of diffrent sizes scattered about that I won't let my husband cut untill I learn what it is that's growing in them.The back yards are completely off limits. For a while anyways. I began this journey about a year and a half ago when my mom died of cancer.I started taking a real good look at food. Just what turned up on our plate. My attention was naturally drawn to food causing and food fighting cancer. I began to make healthier choices. I went from 14-16 skirts to size 10. My 10 year old son,who was always kinda heavy, lost his chunk and is now very active. Eh, well, I planted us an organic garden and got a handfull of chickens and started looking around. Right now, I am trying to identify dandelion. I'm pretty sure what I have is the right stuff but..... At any rate, somethings been eating it. I look forwards to learning.
Angel

Hi Angel, welcome to permies, you'll find all sorts of good stuff here
A big, sprawling "I love dandelions" thread: http://www.permies.com/t/712/permaculture/praise-dandelion
In NZ, the main confusion is between dandelion and hawkbit http://weeds.massey.ac.nz/weeds.asp?pid=78
While they have many similarities including leaf and flower form, dandelion has quite hairless, delicate leaves, but hawlkbit's are hary and thick. Dandelion flower stalks are hollow, hawlbit's aren't.
I enjoy bitter flavours, but I know it's an aquired taste if you're not brought up with it! I like the young leaves, but the mature leaves are waay too bitter for me.
Dandelion's really easy to grow, I just grab the ripe 'clocks' at the end of summer and throw them around the place. A great job for kids...

Hi Angel and everybody else,

I'm new too but I didn't want to start a whole new thread just for little ol' me. I'm honoured to be among fellow dandelion lovers. Bitter, yes, free and nutritious, big yes. You know what else is kind of great, in spite of its invasive ways? Garlic mustard. This plant hogs the shady spots around here around here and it took me months to identify it. Now that I know it, I'll be using it in pretty much all of my cooking.

I look forward to learning and sharing with the lot of ya.

Sincerely,
James

Thanks Leila for the welcome and the links. I ate several leaves yesterday of the dandelion. Today I ate a pretty good bit raw and some cooked. Not a fan. I did fry some flowers with pine bark and really loved it. My boys( 9 and 10 ) really are enjoying foraging with me. Some things they like and some they don't. We have now learned to identify sheep sorrel,dandelion, and pine tree. We knew the pine tree when we saw it but sure didn't know you could eat it. The kids recognize them,know the names,basics on healing virtue , what parts are used and how to prepare. We are having a blast!
Hi James! I don't know very much yet.... but I'm gonna look up garlic mustard. And if I find any I'll eat it. Deal? Deal. I'll look forwards to seeing you around here.