Lambs Quarters

 

About Lambs Quarters

Lambs quarters are widespread, aggressive “weeds” found almost anywhere there is disturbed soils. A single plant can produce 100000 seeds and will stay in the soil for years. Lambs quarters will and do completely take over unattended gardens throughout the world. In some countries, Lambs quarters is actually grown specifically as a food source similar to why we grow spinach.

Lambs quarters are easily identified by their unique leaf shape as well as the white hydrophobic sheen on the growing tip and leaves. A single cup of lambs quarters contains over 70% of your daily vitamin A and over 90% of your daily vitamin C.

Best picked when smaller, picking the tips will force them to branch and produce even more leaves. They will produce for the entire season if you can keep up with them.

Simply washing and sauteing in their own water for 2 to 3 minutes is a great and easy way to prepare them. They are a perfect substitute for spinach or any of the other greens.

The leaves can also be eaten raw and in salads or as a lettuce on sandwiches.

Primary use
food source

Edible parts
Everything – leaves/tops as greens, seeds as fill or ground to flour.

Medicinal
Some medicinal uses

Identification

Lambs quarters, otherwise known as wild goose foot grows aggressively pretty much anywhere. It has a unique leaf shape which sort of resembles a lambs quarter view or a goose footprint (goosefoot). The plants have a white coating or sheen on the leaves, especially when younger which is hydrophobic (repels water).

Older plants can be one to two meters tall with thousands and thousands of seeds.

 

Where to look

Look in your garden, look on roadsides, look everywhere.

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