Our adopted lamb (Godzilla) wasn’t gifted with brilliance. Like humans he follows, nibbling on whatever, without asking questions. Whether I’m weeding a garden or cleaning a chicken coop, Godzilla nibbles without comment.
Having a nibbler around the garden isn’t always great. I’m mulching the peppers and discover big tear marks in their leaves. Godzilla’s chased back into his kennel with threats of a slow roast with rosemary.
It must be hard-wired into this psyche (if he has one) to follow and graze. The smell or consistency, even the poison nightshade family, doesn’t bother Godzilla. It could all be food, and perhaps he trusts that just being by me, he’s safe from all danger.
I’ve been sampling weeds too: chick weed and (ironically) lamb’s quarters. Chickweed salad with onion and radish is good delish. Lamb’s quarters I prefer in my latest invention: Sustainability Soup.
It started with an unsustainable rooster population that had been too hard on the hens. They were a year old so last weekend I hung and feathered them. All they were good for was soup.
Having eaten lamb’s quarters before and enjoyed them cooked with their slightly asparagus scent, I did some inter-netting for recipes. Garlic, chicken broth, lamb’s quarters and chickweed go well together.
Nothing’s up earlier than lamb’s quarters except grass. You’re not going to go far to find it, and especially in wet weather it grows lush. That’s sustainable: free, nutritious, easier to pick and wash than conventional spinach. Why isn’t this stuff sold locally?
What if I showed up at Market with bags of chick weed and lamb’s quarters?
Farmer’s answer: “You cracked? Think people are going to come buy your weeds?”
We could all do with more homemade soup and greens.
Ironically, the world may not be ready for Sustainable Soup. Many can’t wait to try junk foods they know are “Baad” but weeds like lamb’s quarters (pig weed) kept pioneers fed.
Recently I was sautéing onions, garlic and lamb’s quarters in some extra virgin olive oil when Farmer remarked: “Something smells good!” A step up from: “What are ya burning now?” I didn’t explain I was cooking him some weeds.
The food industry has been feeding us preservatives, GMO’s, chemicals, artificial colours and flavours for years and we haven’t rioted. So here’s a challenge from Godzilla and I: try something closer to the bottom of the food chain.
