Weeds with yellow flowers are some of the most common in nature, and the list goes well beyond simple dandelions.  Bees love yellow flowers, and these vigorous weeds know how to please.  Maybe they’re not the most popular with people, but yellow flowered weeds don’t mind…and they’ll grow up through sidewalk cracks and highway medians without a care in the world.  Not sure which one you have?  This identification guide will help you figure it out! Weeds with Yellow Flowers. This article is written by Morgan Hyde, a former reference librarian from Arizona. Working for the l ..read more

Marshmallow Plants (Althea sp.) are common, easy to identify edible and medicinal wild plants that grow all over the world.  They prefer areas with consistent moisture and even a bit of shade, and their herbal properties are similarly cooling and moist, perfect for soothing sore throats, coughs, and other similar issues.  And, the leaves are also a tasty salad green, too! I bet you can imagine the look on my 6 year old’s face when I told her that marshmallows grow in the yard.  Yup, real live marshmallow plants. Or, more accurately, the soothing medicinal plant that was used hi ..read more

Dandelions are one of the most common plants for beginning foragers, and they’re edible from blossom to root.  Dandelions grow just about everywhere, and they’re one of those invasive plants that people just love to hate. It seems like every spring, homeowners wage war on this tenacious plant, but little do they know that their ancestors actually planted it for both food and medicine! Every part of the dandelion plant is both edible and medicinal, and there are so many ways to use this underappreciated plant! What are Dandelions (Taraxacum sp.)? Taraxacum is a large genus of perennial ..read more

Dandelions are one of the best-known wild edible flowers of spring, but are you really sure you know how to identify them?  They’re incredibly common, but so are their look likes, and every spring, I see dozens of posts on social media where someone’s harvested a whole basket of “dandelions” that are really just a look alike. Dandelion flower (left) next to look alike coltsfoot (right) Dandelions are one of the most popular wild edible plants, largely because they’re incredibly common and widespread.  Every part of the dandelion plant is edible, from its sunny blossoms to the tip o ..read more

Vegan salves allow you to enjoy the skin-nourishing benefits of herbal-infused oils in a convenient herbal salve without beeswax. At this point, I have dozens of herbal salve recipes posted here on Practical Self Reliance, and time and time again, I’m asked for advice on adapting these recipes to turn them into vegan salves without beeswax. I’ve searched high and low for a simple answer, but there just isn’t a one-to-one substitution for beeswax in salves.  Vegan waxes just work differently in skincare products, and crafting a good vegan salve recipe is tricky. Carnauba wax, one of the m ..read more

Black Locust is a fun, edible tree with stunning white blossoms each spring.  Foragers and bees alike love the flavor each spring, and they’re fragrant enough that you can find the trees blindfolded. Black locust flowers are a forager’s delight, and they can be harvested by the basketful from these prolific trees each spring. Bees and humans alike love these sweet blossoms, and they bloom early for a fragrant spring treat. Whether you’re eating them fresh off the tree, or bringing them home to make salads, teas, cordials, jellies or fritters, they’re well worth the effort. What is Black ..read more

Oregano tincture is a powerful remedy for fighting bacteria and fungi, healing wounds, reducing inflammation, and supporting the immune system. Herbalists rely on it to treat gastrointestinal disorders, colds, flu, and respiratory disorders. Oregano tincture has also traditionally been used to treat or prevent diabetes. Its antifungal and antibacterial properties also help treat external issues like acne, skin infections, and fungal infections.  Oregano is often considered a culinary herb, but it has also been an important herb in folk medicine for centuries. It’s a great herb to do batt ..read more

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a stunning tree with pink flowers each spring, but it also happens to be both edible and medicinal.  This native tree can be found in the wild, but it’s also commonly planted as an ornamental in parks and around public buildings. Learn how to identify redbud, plus ways to use this fun wild edible tree! Eastern Redbud is a fun find, especially in the early spring when the tree is covered in bright pink blossoms.  The flowers cover the stems, branches, and even the trunk of the tree before it leafs in, providing a food source for native pollinator ..read more

Trout Lily is a spring ephemeral that’s easy to find in forests all over North America.  It happens to be a wild edible plant that is useful blossom to root. Spring ephemerals are some of the most popular wild plants, as everyone’s been cooped up all winter, and they can’t wait for spring.  Foragers love finding ramps (wild leeks) and spring beauty in the woods, and the fact that they’re only around for a short time (thus the “ephemeral” part) makes it even more exciting. Trout lilies are well known, even with non-foragers, but few people know they’re an edible wild plant. They’re n ..read more

Chicken breeds can be confusing, and finding the best chicken breed for your backyard flock can be hard.  Not to worry, I’ve broken them all down for you to help you decide which chicken is best for your space, climate, and goals. A selection of Chicken Breeds. Left to right, starting at top left: Silkie, Barnevelder, Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, Bielefelder, Salmon Faverolle, Jersey Giant, Brahma, and Bantam Cochin. Many years ago, when we first started keeping backyard chickens, we simply picked up day-old chickens from our local feed store.  They had just 3 to 4 breeds, your sta ..read more