Plantains in the Garlic

Music Garlic: Should be ready to harvest come June/July

No, not the plantains you eat that look like bananas.  Plantain.  It's a great medicinal friend when you get stung, bit or just have the itches.  :)  So I was reading an herbal book the other night and came across the fact that beside most poisonous plants or plants that can harm you, typically resides the remedy.  How wondrous, and the more I thought about it, makes sense to me!  Especially when your 2 year old finds out about ant hills on the farm.  Well that happened last weekend and as I was rushing inside to remedy her with homeopathics,  I forgot to utilize what Nature gives us all around.  We have tons of wide leaf plantains all down the easement road which was the first herb I taught Bella about.  I guess when you are in the moment..... Next time however I will doubtlessly use our gifts from the land.  Oh yea she also discovered Bumble Bees haha.

Ah.... the Plantain.  Such a proliferating 'weed'.

Anyway I was pulling weeds today in the garlic rows,  I kept coming across all this plantain among two other common weeds.  I hated to pull it, but really there is an overabundance of it so I didn't feel so bad.  So I couldn't help but keep thinking about that book and realizing that beside the problem resides the remedy.  Next to all these anthills there is always plantain available.  Well, you ask, how do you use plantain to help bites and itches?  It's easy peasy, just chew up the leaves and spit them all out including the juices onto the bite.  You can dress with gauze if it's on hand but it really takes the sting right out! I had the fortunate experience a few summers back to try this out first hand.  I'll never forget that plant again! So simple yet so overlooked.  Seriously once you see what this plant looks like, you'll see it everywhere.  Words of advice however..... Please make sure while picking this plant and considering putting it in your mouth make sure it is far enough off any roadside and in an area that is not sprayed with yuck yuck.  Here on the farm, we just don't understand why you would poison your food or herbs and then eat them! Now that doesn't make any sense.  Happy herbal hunting everyone! Enjoy the Spring!

Once you recognize herbs commonly mistaken for 'weeds' you will see them everywhere!