55Mountain View News Saturday, September 5, 2026 55Mountain View News Saturday, September 5, 2026 
CHRISTOPHER NYERGES 

[Nyerges is the author of “Urban Survival Guide,” “ExtremeSimplicity,” and other books. Information about his books and 
classes is available at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com] 

WILD FOODS 

NYERGES TEACHING SCOUTS ABOUT WILD FOODS 

Once most people go out into the fields and woods and discover a few wild foods, and learn that they 
are both tasty and nutritious, they invariably think about growing some of these wild foods right in 
their own backyard gardens. Guess what? Many of the wild foods are probably already in your yard. 
Unfortunately, if you hire a landscape gardener, they typically pull out and discard all the “weeds” that 
grow in your yard. Your job is to discover the identity of those weeds, and find a way to keep the edible 
ones. You can often take samples of weeds to a local nursery, where the trained workers will be able to 
tell you the identity of the plant. 

YOUR YARD 

Once you’ve taken stock of what you already have, and don’t have, growing in your yard, you might 
want to introduce some common wild edibles into your yard. Begin with the plants that you alreadyknow and like! There are many ways to introduce “edible weeds” into your yard, and though you’d 
assume that this is a very easy task, it isn’t always.
In general, you’ll be introducing specific wild foods into your yard by planting the seeds, transplanting 
roots, or by vegetative cuttings. 

NEW ZEALAND SPINACH 

New Zealand spinach grows wild along the beaches of South America all the way up to Oregon or so. 
When I learned about this perennial spinach, I would collect young tips and cook them when I got 
home. They were delicious. In time, I transplanted a young plant from the upper edges of the beach 
and grew it in a large sunny hillside. That was about 30 years ago! The plant not only grew, but it 
spread. It’s a perennial, but it does die back as it produces lots of seeds each fall. Then when the rains 
come again, it comes back strong, with many of the seeds sprouting. That same patch has continued to 
grow and be productive after all these years.
Yes, this is a wild plant, but it’s easy to find the seeds from seed catalogs, and get it growing in your yard, 
assuming you live far from the beaches. 

LAMBS QUARTER 

Lambs quarter (Chenopodium album) is a spinach relative, and a European native that is found word-
wide. This is one of the easiest wild foods to bring into your backyard, assuming you don’t already have 
it growing there. 

This one is easiest to grow from the seed. Collect the seed in the fall and then scatter in the late winter 
or spring. It will grow in most soils, and under most conditions, but it really does like rich soil and 
full sun. 

The lamb’s quarter plant is used fresh or cooked in any of the ways you might use spinach. It is 
considered one of the most nutritious plants in the world. 

NETTLES 
If it weren’t for stinging nettles, Europeans during WWII would have starved even more than they did!
Once the tender tops of nettles are cooked, they make a delicious spinach. The greens can be added to 
soups, stews, egg dishes, and stir fries. 
Because I collect gallons of the tops and mature plants every year for soup and tea, the seeds have 
accidentally scattered in my back yard. Without even trying, nettles grows all over my yard. The easiest 
way to introduce this plant into your yard is to collect the seed in the fall by shaking the tops of the 
plants into a bag, and later scattering the seeds in your yard. We’ve tried transplanting the roots, but 
this never seems to work. 
These are easy to grow, they are tasty, and very nutritious.
PURSLANE 
Purslane is a low growing plant that originated in India. Even Thoreau, when he was hanging out in 
the wood with the Indians, wrote about making meals from purslane, which was a free edible weed. 
Purslane consists of a round succulent stem, and paddle-shaped leaves.
Though we have seen seed companies selling these seeds, we discovered that the easiest way to propagate 
lots of purslane is to simply transplant a few roots into good soil. Then, we also take the long stems and 
simply place them into good potting soil. At least 80% of the grow, and we have a season’s worth of 
purslane. The plant is fairly widespread, and you probably already have some growing near you.
In the wild, you find it in a somewhat sandy and well-drained soil, ideally full-sun.
Purslane is used in salads, for pickles, and cooked with egg dishes. It is the riches source of Omega 3fatty acids, which means it helps to lower your cholesterol level. Eating purslane means you are eating 
your medicine. 

These are just a few examples of wild plants that can enhance your life, and which probably already 
grow in your yard. 


CAG offers a wide variety of classes indrawing, painting, ceramics, and jewelrymaking. Visit our website for moreinformation on classes, seasonal workshops,
events, and volunteer opportunities.
Currently on display in our gallery: 
The Pasadena Society of Artists, Artist’sChoice Exhibition, through July 30. 
ART CLASSES 
GALLERY & EXHIBTIONS 
HANDMADE ART & GIFTS 
ARTFUL EVENTS 
CREATIVEARTSGROUP.ORG
108 N Baldwin Ave., Sierra Madre 
Gallery Open Monday-Friday 10am-5, Saturday 10-2
Serving Sierra Madre since 1960!
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 
YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! 
Call Patricia 626-818-2698