Edible Plants-Another Weed Treasure!

                            
                                                    Chicory Another Valuable Weed.
   Carl Linnaeus the famous botanist is said to have used Chicory as a natural clock.  On sunny days the bright blue flowers of the Chicory plant open at five in the morning and close at noon.  During the Civil War and even the World Wars, when Americans were scrambling to feed armies that gobbled up supplies; chicory became a primary weed used as a coffee substitute.  Apparently in Louisianan and the surrounding areas, their coffee of choice was the ground up Chicory root.  Be careful if you try to make Chicory coffee yourself.  Although it is caffeine-free it has an even stronger flavor than the coffee bean!  make sure to add a bit more water than usual.
   While all parts of the chicory are edible it's leaves are commonly used with Dandelion to make wild salad. Boiled the Chicory provides another green vegetable for the wondering traveler.  Bacon, vinegar, and eggs, are part of the ingredients needed to make your own Wilted Greens Salad.
     The more I learn about nature, I become acutely aware of the hand of God.  Far from chance, our Creator made an amazing world where even weeds can be used in times of need.

Elias, Thomas S., and Peter A. Dykeman. Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. New  

    York: Outdoor Life, 1982. Print. 

Medve, Richard J., and Mary Lee. Medve. Edible Wild Plants of Pennsylvania and Neighboring States. 

    University Park: Pennsylvania State UP, 1990. Print. 

Survival. Washington, DC: Headquarters, Dept. of the Army, 1987. Print.