Dandelion Harvest

There are so many benefits of dandelions.  Falsely known as troublesome "weeds", dandelions are actually a powerhouse of health, easy to harvest, and readily available.  All parts of the plant are useful - the roots in teas, tonics, tinctures, and vinegars; the leaves as salad greens; the flower blossoms for wine, syrup, juice, garnish, fritters, and so much more.

We had our first big dandelion harvest today - we like to wild-harvest them around town in parks where we know they have not been sprayed.  It's best to harvest the flowers at their peak when they are fully opened, and then use them as soon as possible so as to get the most healthful benefit from them.  We still have dandelion jelly and syrup from last season, and we weren't ready to start dandelion wine today, so we opted for a quick use: dandelion lemonade.  It is delicious - and offers benefits for the liver, acts as a diuretic helping to flush out the body's toxins, and even aids with insomnia, stress, and even depression.

Making dandelion lemonade

You will need:
2 cups fresh dandelion blossoms
1 gallon glass jar (4 litre), with cheesecloth and elastic for the top
honey
4 organic lemons

1) Fill jar with cool fresh water.  Add juice of 4 lemons.  Then add 2 cups dandelions and stir well to combine.
2) Cover jar with cheesecloth and secure with elastic - then set in a warm sunny place outdoors to steep.
3) Steep for several hours, then strain out dandelions and add honey to taste.  Enjoy!